<human>: Can you succinctly summarize the text in 1-3 sentences?

So, here's the story: I lost my job back in December and I lost my option for COBRA three months later. The month after that my appendix burst and I had to have an emergency appendectomy, and caused a horrid infection in my abdomen for which I had to be hospitalized for the next three days. The hospital advertised a pretty decent charity care plan. Of which I was excited, as I had no insurance and was living on an unemployment check. I filled out the paperwork and waited like a good little medical patient.

This morning I received my paperwork from the hospital saying they would only cover 50% of the costs of my hospital stay. So now, instead of having a $25,000 bill I now have a $13,000 bill. Which is great, but I still don't have $13,000 to give them - and that's not including the bill from the surgeon or the anesthesiologist. I just got a new job - so I can make small payments on the bills. It seems like too small an amount to declare bankrupsy over but I'm scared of being buried under medical debt for the next 10 years of my life. I was wondering if anyone had any advice, or has gone through something similar?
<bot>: I owe about $15,000 in medical bills - is there anything I can do to not have this hanging over my head for the next 10 years?