Unexpected bill

I hope this isn’t a stupid question, I normally don’t have health insurance and don’t know much about how it all works. If I’m posting in the wrong sub, please let me know.

In April I went to a lab to get some necessary blood work done for my dr. and because I had insurance through my employer, the phlebotomist said I didn’t need to pay anything, and that it was totally covered. That was a relief because on a good month I don’t have much more than enough money for bills, food and gas and I knew I couldn’t afford those tests out of pocket. A few weeks later, I had to leave my job, and haven’t been insured since.

Yesterday I received a $400+ bill from the lab for those tests that I absolutely can’t pay, and I’ll need more blood work within the next month that I’m still trying to figure out how I’m going to afford. Is there anything I can do to dispute the bill since I don’t have coverage anymore? Or do I have to suck it up and find a way to pay it? How can they be allowed to tell me I won’t have to pay, then bill me anyway?

submitted by /u/jay_peach
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