[California Guy]

I have medical bills that I'm unable to pay, and I expect I'll have to file for bankruptcy. What property will they be able to take from me?? I don't own a house, but am concerned all my personal property could be taken? Is this true? I am also in the early stages of all of this, I haven't received all my bills yet but had emergency surgery and no insurance... So I'm pretty much screwed.

[CaptainForest]

I am assuming you live in the USA.

I was under the impression that emergency surgery when ones life is in danger is a required thing by hospitals and they cannot bill the customer anything for it (other than what the insurance picks up).

But, I am not familiar with it, just my opinion.

[Fr_Chuck]

Sorry not in the USA, some hospitals ( not all) are required to treat people if they have no insurance. ( for example in Atlanta GA there is only one hospital that will accept people that do not have an ability to pay)
If you end up in another one, they will transfer you if at all possible.

But they will bill you, and try to collect, it is not free. So if you have a job they will garnish your pay or set up payment terms. It may be best to just try and set up a payment term with them. Or let them turn it over to a collection agency and set up a payment plan with them.

Health care is a problem here in the US, doctors are not required to see you unless you can pay them, so people are left to emergancy rooms of the few hospitals that are required to accept them. NO free health care in the USA.

But you first should talk to them abot hardships write off certain money, next see if there are any social programs that may help pay for this.

And sadly what a lot of people in the US do, check into hospitals under false or fake names so that when they get released there is no way to find them or collect the money. This is what most homeless people do, they give a different name for anything they do.

But you need to wait and find out more about how much it is and try and work out payments with them.

Next if you go bankrupt you get to keep a lot of things, they have guildlines to property, your bankruptcy attorney can go over it with you

For example you keep your TV your basic furniture, you clothes and so on.
If you have excessive personal property it would be sold, or if you have a lien or loan on the property and do not re-affirm that debt it would be taken and given back to the lender. But it sounds on the surface doubtful if you have that much personal property.

America does need a national health care for all legal citizens. This is one of the injustices often illegals in the US that have no jobs are treated free at some clinics and working Americans who make a little too much to be on welfare can't get any medical treatment.