If you’ve ever been shocked by an expensive Medical Bill and wondered how you’re going to pay it, you’re not alone. CMBC Make It reports that nearly a third of Americans have some kind of medical debt, and over half of those in debt admitted to defaulting on their bills.

While the easy answer is to simply charge the bill to your credit card and hope for the best, there’s a better way to tackle big Medical Bills. A lot of Americans don’t realize that there are several very useful tips to lower your medical bills, get financial assistance, and even negotiate a more reasonable payment plan with your healthcare provider.

In this article, we’ll go over six ways to help you take care of your hospital bills and keep you as far away from medical debt as possible.

Uninsured? We’ll walk you through how to shop for your own health insurance plan