How screwed am I?

I had a medical emergency this year. Chest PainsERSurgery. This was not a planned event, hospital "got preauthorization". Lengthy denial, and appeal process is still ongoing, but I've lost faith that it will be covered. New employer "Excellent" medical plan. Bullshit. Claim continually denied, family attorney is fighting with insurer.

If the insurer continues to refuse to cover, its beyond my means to pay back. Med debt is ~50k

As far as I can see, I have 3 options:
1. Pay debt service on this bill forever, trash my fico, never afford any leverage again. Not ideal, living in USA. Car eventually goes to shit, cant afford to replace, cant afford to repair, lose job cause cant commute(40 miles one way, its RURAL here), lose house because no job.

Refuse to pay bill, lawsuit, wage garnishment, the whole 9 yards.

Discharge via bankruptcy, same outcome as above, car as asset that will need to be sold, lose job cause no car, lose house cause no job.

Insurer is United Healthcare, employer sponsored plan.

What do I do? The bill is outside of my means to pay. I can probably qualify for a HELOC at ~15% and pay it over 10 years? Right now, UH has put me in an unwinnable spot. If I had known that going to the hospital for chest pains (NOTE: EMERGENCY SERVICES LIKE THIS ARE "COVERED" BY MY PLAN) would result in this, I would have not gone. I literally would have let whatever was wrong either kill me or sleep it off. At least that has a chance of survival, this is a straight up death sentence. Maybe instead of this useless fucking plastic card, UH can just start issuing handguns with singular bullets that say if you get sick, use this instead.

Financial Stats:
810+ FICO
No CC Debt
Income ~50k/yr
Student loans 11k, current, not in repayment, very low interest.
Car-Paid
Mortgage, 23 years remaining, 62k outstanding, 600/mo payment.

submitted by /u/Important_Tie_3707
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