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S 1624 111th Congress Senate

Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009

Official title: A bill to amend title 11 of the United States Code, to provide protection for medical debt homeowners, to restore bankruptcy protections for individuals experi… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend title 11 of the United States Code, to provide protection for medical debt homeowners, to restore bankruptcy protections for individuals experiencing economic distress as caregivers to ill, injured, or disabled family members, and to exempt from means testing debtors whose financial problems were caused by serious medical problems, and for other purposes.

Introduced: September 15, 2009 Introduced by: Whitehouse, Sheldon Democratic · Rhode Island See on congress.gov
Finance and Financial Sector BankruptcyConsumer creditHealth care costs and insuranceHousing finance and home ownershipLegal fees and court costs
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This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 20, 2009
Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
Aug 6, 2009
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Aug 6, 2009
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9022)
Aug 6, 2009
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action October 20, 2009

Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009 - Amends federal bankruptcy law to cite circumstances under which a medically distressed debtor may elect to exempt from the property of the estate in bankruptcy up to $250,000 of the debtor's aggregate interest in specified real or personal property that the debtor (or debtor's dependent) uses as a residence, in a cooperative, or in a burial plot for the debtor or a dependent.

Revises requirements for dismissal or conversion of a Chapter 7 case to prohibit the court or specified parties in interest from filing a motion to dismiss or convert to Chapter 11 or 13 if the debtor is a medically distressed debtor.

Waives the credit counseling prerequisite for filing for relief from debt in the case of a medically distressed debtor.

Denies a discharge in bankruptcy from any debt incurred that relates to attorneys' fees generated as a result of the debtor's filing of a Chapter 7 petition.

Requires a debtor who seeks relief as a medically distressed debtor to attest in writing, and under penalty of perjury, that the medical expenses of the debtor are genuine, and not specifically incurred to bring the debtor within the coverage of the medical bankruptcy provisions of this Act.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 901 Related bill Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 1 Independent 1
D
Durbin, Richard J.
Illinois · Oct 29, 2009
 I
Sanders, Bernard
Vermont · Sep 15, 2009
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1624: Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1624/
MLA
"S. 1624: Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1624/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1624, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1624/.
Markdown link
[S. 1624: Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-1624/)
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