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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 2, 2021
Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2021
This bill allows medically distressed debtors to exempt certain property from their estates in bankruptcy, which allows them to retain ownership of such property. Specifically, a medically distressed debtor may exempt up to $250,000 of the debtor's interest in (1) specified real or personal property that the debtor or debtor's dependent uses as a residence, or (2) a burial plot for the debtor or debtor's dependent.
The bill also waives certain administrative and procedural requirements for a medically distressed debtor.
Additionally, the bill allows a medically distressed debtor to discharge in bankruptcy debts for certain education loans.
A debtor who seeks relief as a medically distressed debtor must attest in writing that the debtor's medical expenses are genuine and were not incurred to bring the debtor within the meaning of a medically distressed debtor under this bill.
People & committees
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · D–RI
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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