I had an exchange summer but left with an huge medical bill

An awful experience, but I'm afraid it's your word against theirs.

An insurer might pay for treatment following an accident demonstrably not your fault; but the word "pre-existing", although linguistically nonsense, is an easy way for insurance companies to avoid paying for treating illnesses. Their primary aim is to make money for their shareholders, not to repay their customers.

Very likely the Terms and Conditions mean they would be always "right" legally (as a contract), though not necessarily medically, nor morally.

Even if the insurer did pay, it or any other travel insurer is very likely to refuse you medical cover for future travel, at least not without a big increase in premium (partially reclaiming the original cost) and tighter restrictions.
.....

A friend had to give up diving after a medical emergency when diving on a holiday abroad. The insurers did pay the medical services involved, including for bringing her back to Britain where her full treatment was by the NHS; but I gather she cannot obtain diving insurance again. Even if she could, it would likely be prohibitively costly and obstructive. I don't know if it would be dangerous medically for her to dive again.

I heard a story about a girl who simply ignored it. 😬 I mean she had an accident in the USA and someone called an ambulance for her and she also got some absurd bill. She came home, never paid a cent and nothing ever happened. But she probably couldn't visit ever again.

Their system is totally fucked up. $16,189.07 for a couple of exams? No way it can cost that much.

Ya, USA hospital bills are crazy high. 🤔🤔Someone I know had a seizure at home. Relative at home called ambulance. Ambulance came picked up the seizured person and took them to hospital literally 5 mins away. Bill comes for $6000. A 5 minute ride in 🚑 ambulance. They have medicaid. Medicaid denied the 6 000 and paid only 600 or so. Since, hospitals are private organizations they set any prices they want I guess. But the medicaid has different pricing what looks like to me maybe set by government and its 100 times lower. Um. Idk maybe find the medicaid (government) pricing list for the services you received. It will probably be few hundred bucks. Pay that, not the hospital pricing list. And then write them a letter that you paid that and had the hospital notified you of their prices you would never go there. Or when you leave USA they will not do anything to you.

If they allege and/ or knew you had a pre existing condition they should not have insured you. Were you medically checked with a thorough medical examination and cleared before you started your work
In the states?

I don't know thing one when it comes to woman problems and hospital stays in the USA, but it seems you are leaving out part of the story. The hospital would have checked with the insurance company first, found out if they were going to pay, and upon finding out they wouldn't they would have informed you and asked for at least a downpayment or something.

So, you are leaving out some important details in this story and if you are simply asking people to donate money to help a "poor student who has a part-time job," well... that seems like one of those all too common scams. 🕵‍♂

I live in the US and medical costs here are outrageous. We all know that...simply put they overcharge for everything.....it's out of control and needs to be fixed.
Just don't pay the bill if you don't live in this country.
Appeal the charges when you get more letters and appeal the insurance's decision. It's just wrong to overcharge like that and wrong for the insurance company to not pay.
How can your insurance company prove that it was pre existing ? They can't.

Just don't pay. If collection agencies start calling they have to confirm your name. Just don't give out your name to anyone you dont know without them telling you who they are. If they won't tell, hang up. The medical facility will take the loss off their taxes and the government ( of Ukraine) will take the hit. Some illegal might not be able to buy as much beer as he would like as well but tough.

You are not from the U.S.? If not, are you back In your country?
How much did your agency’s insurance cover?

What country are you from and what country were you at? You might just not pay and be fine.

If I was u I wouldn't pay. What can they do send someone to your country and force u to pay

Appeal it. They have to have some kind of appeal process.

Ignore it. They won’t arrest you or anything

I don’t think they can collect overseas

That's too much.