<prompt> Human: So long story short, I spent a night in a hospital in California with Mononucleosis. Half of my bill, 19,000 of it, is Laboratory results, the VAST majority of which I cant even read. I have no idea what I was tested for or whether it was even necessary. I also dont have insurance yeah, Im stupid because I just turned 26 and was kicked off my parents. I start a job in a month that gives me full benefits so I thought I could go a short time without it. And now here I am... Any tips on dealing with this? I cant afford it.  <response>: I also dont have insurance yeah, Im stupid because I just turned 26 and was kicked off my parents. I start a job in a month that gives me full benefits so I thought I could go a short time without it.whats the time gap between coverage on your parents plan now? You mention a short time; if short enough, your parents coverage was subject to federal coverage continuation rules, you can probably take advantage of COBRA continuation rights to cover your tab. Heres a walkthru of a COBRA bridge strategy which will give you an idea of how it would work. 