--- title: 340B Hospital Medical Debt in Maine | Chapter 7 Case Study description: A Maine Chapter 7 filing lists $16,894 in medical debt to a 340B-participating hospital. A case study in medical bankruptcy and narrow margins. image: https://www.patientsrising.org/hubfs/Medical%20Bankruptcy%20%20Maine-02.png --- [![Patients Rising](https://www.patientsrising.org/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/PatientsRising-u4m/templates/images/patients_rising_logo.png?width=120&height=900&name=patients_rising_logo.png "Patients Rising")](https://www.patientsrising.org/) - Policy Center - - [Policy Framework ](https://www.patientsrising.org/policy) - [Affordability ](https://www.patientsrising.org/policy/affordability) - [Accountability ](https://www.patientsrising.org/policy/accountability) - [Innovation ](https://www.patientsrising.org/policy/innovation) - [Federal Healthcare Policy ](https://www.patientsrising.org/policy/federal) - [Learning Center ](https://www.patientlearningcenter.org/) - - [LEAD Education ](https://www.patientlearningcenter.org/lead) - [Our Community ](https://www.patientsrising.org/our-community) - [Patient Senate ](https://www.patientsrising.org/patient-senate) - Insights - - [All Posts ](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates) - [PR Magazine ](https://www.patientsrising.org/pr-magazine) - [Patient Stories ](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/patient-stories) - [Medical Bankruptcy in America ](https://www.patientsrising.org/medical-bankruptcy-america) - [State of the Patient Podcast ](https://www.patientsrising.org/state-of-the-patient-podcast) - Get Involved - - [Share Your Story ](https://www.patientsrising.org/storyshare) - [Become an Advocate ](https://www.patientsrising.org/become-an-advocate) - [Join the Patient Senate ](https://www.patientsrising.org/patient-senate) - [Join Our Community ](https://www.patientsrising.org/community) - [Events ](https://www.patientsrising.org/events) - - [State of the Patient Summit & Rise Awards ](https://www.patientsrising.org/events/summit-and-rise-awards) - [Advocacy Fly-ins ](https://www.patientsrising.org/patients-rising-fly-in) - [Virtual Lunch n' Learns ](https://www.patientsrising.org/events) - Virtual Town Halls - About Us - - [Our Mission ](https://www.patientsrising.org/about-patients-rising) - [Our Principles ](https://www.patientsrising.org/patients-rising-principles) - [Our Team ](https://www.patientsrising.org/team) - [Our Board of Directors ](https://www.patientsrising.org/board) - [Our Advisory Councils ](https://www.patientsrising.org/advisory-council) - [Partners and Coalitions ](https://www.patientsrising.org/partners) - Corporate Partnerships - [Funding & Financial Reports ](https://www.patientsrising.org/financial-transparency) [Donate ](https://patientsrising.org/?form=support-patientsrising) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. [340B](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/340b) [Bankruptcy](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/bankruptcy) [Maine](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/maine) Feb 24, 2026 340B Hospital Medical Debt in Maine | Chapter 7 Case Study Written by [Terry Wilcox](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/author/terry-wilcox) SHARE Link copied! *Editors Note: This article is part of our Medical Bankruptcy in America series. Each case is drawn from publicly filed federal bankruptcy records. Identifying details about individuals have been removed to protect privacy. The financial information and creditor listings referenced are documented in court filings.* *We publish these cases to examine the role medical debt plays in personal bankruptcy and to assess accountability where federally supported healthcare programs are involved.* --- 340B Hospital Medical Debt in Maine | Chapter 7 Case Study 3:35 ### A Maine Chapter 7 Filing and a 340B Hospital Claim She filed Chapter 7 in Maine. Her balance sheet was modest. No real estate. No retirement accounts. A 2011 Lincoln with 200,000 miles. Basic household furnishings. Less than $1,000 in the bank. Her total assets amounted to $4,635. Her unsecured debt totaled $113,256. Much of that debt is listed as consumer credit — store cards, major credit cards, retail accounts. On paper, it looks like typical revolving debt. But bankruptcy schedules do not tell the story behind each swipe. They do not say whether those cards were used for clothing — or prescriptions. They do not say whether balances grew from discretionary purchases — or gas money during medical appointments. They do not show whether groceries, utilities, or co-pays were placed on credit when income tightened. What the filing does show is this: $16,894 owed to Central Maine Healthcare. Additional medical creditors appear in the schedules as well — a collections agency for medical services, specialty providers, imaging and behavioral health entities. Central Maine Healthcare is the largest hospital creditor in the case. And Central Maine Healthcare participates in the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. That matters. The household’s combined monthly income was $5,316.72. Monthly expenses were $5,230. That left a margin of $86.72. Eighty-six dollars. At that pace, even without interest, even without fees, a $16,894 hospital bill cannot realistically be repaid. It would take years — and that assumes nothing else goes wrong. When medical events occur, credit cards often become a lifeline. They bridge lost wages. They cover travel to appointments. They absorb deductibles and prescriptions. They fill the gap when savings are gone. A bankruptcy filing cannot distinguish between “medical debt” and “debt incurred because of medical strain.” But the pattern is familiar. The 340B Drug Pricing Program allows participating hospitals to purchase outpatient drugs at significant discounts. The program was designed to help hospitals stretch resources and support financially vulnerable patients. Hospitals are not required to pass those savings directly to patients. But when a 340B-participating hospital appears as a major unsecured creditor in a Chapter 7 filing from someone with $4,635 in total assets and $86 of monthly margin, the policy tension becomes clear. The record shows no excess. It shows narrow margins. It shows a five-figure hospital claim. And it shows liquidation. Medical bankruptcy is not always a single catastrophic bill. Sometimes it is a hospital charge — followed by months of credit card survival. And when the largest medical creditor is a 340B hospital, the question is no longer abstract: If the safety net exists, where did it apply? Tags: [340B](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/340b) [Bankruptcy](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/bankruptcy) [Maine](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/maine) ## Related Posts [View All News ](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates) [Federal Policy](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/federal-policy) Jul 20, 2026 [We Read 903 Bankruptcy Filings Across Six States. "Safety-Net" 340B Hospitals Were the Creditors.](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/340b-hospitals-as-creditors-in-medical-bankruptcies) [Read More ](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/340b-hospitals-as-creditors-in-medical-bankruptcies) [340B](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/340b) Jul 13, 2026 [$180,000 Medical Debt in Wisconsin Bankruptcy | Froedtert Case](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/180000-medical-debt-in-wisconsin-bankruptcy-froedtert-case) [Read More ](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/180000-medical-debt-in-wisconsin-bankruptcy-froedtert-case) [340B](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/tag/340b) Jul 12, 2026 [$92,350 Medical Debt in Louisiana Bankruptcy | North Oaks Case](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/medical-bankruptcy-louisiana-92350-north-oaks-debt) [Read More ](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/medical-bankruptcy-louisiana-92350-north-oaks-debt) ## Get Updates In Your Inbox Sign up for updates about our patient education, support and advocacy programs and initiatives. [![Patients Rising](https://www.patientsrising.org/hubfs/raw_assets/public/PatientsRising-u4m/templates/images/footer-logo.svg "Patients Rising")](https://patientsrising.org) Empowering every patient in America to advocate for reforms placing them, alongside their doctors, in control of their healthcare choices. Headquarters: 700 12th Street, NW Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 750-1186 [info@patientsrising.org](mailto:info@patientsrising.org) - [![facebook](https://www.patientsrising.org/hubfs/PatientsRising-u4m/images/facebook.svg) ](https://www.facebook.com/PatientsRising/) - [![Twitter](https://www.patientsrising.org/hubfs/PatientsRising-u4m/images/twitter.svg) ](https://x.com/patientsrising?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) - [![instagram](https://www.patientsrising.org/hubfs/PatientsRising-u4m/images/instagram.svg) ](https://www.instagram.com/patientsrising/?hl=en) - Policy & Insights - [Policy Center](https://www.patientsrising.org/policy) - [Patient Stories](https://www.patientsrising.org/patients-rising-stories) - [The Latest](https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates) - About Patients Rising - [Our Mission](https://www.patientsrising.org/about-patients-rising) - [Our Principles](https://www.patientsrising.org/patients-rising-principles) - [Our Team](https://www.patientsrising.org/team) - [Partners & Coalitions](https://www.patientsrising.org/partners) - Get Involved - [Become an Advocate](https://www.patientsrising.org/become-an-advocate) - [Join Our Community](https://www.patientsrising.org/community) - [Share Your Story](https://www.patientsrising.org/storyshare) - [Events](https://www.patientsrising.org/events) - [Contact Us](https://www.patientsrising.org/contact-us) #### Get Updates In Your Inbox Sign up for updates about our patient education, support and advocacy programs and initiatives. © 2026 Patients Rising. All rights reserved. - [Contact Us](https://www.patientsrising.org/contact-us) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.patientsrising.org/privacy-policy)   - [Terms of Use](https://www.patientsrising.org/patients-rising-terms-of-use) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Terry Wilcox", "url" : "https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/author/terry-wilcox" }, "dateModified" : "2026-05-22T21:13:13.689Z", "datePublished" : "2026-02-24T15:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "340B Hospital Medical Debt in Maine | Chapter 7 Case Study", "image" : [ "https://www.patientsrising.org/hubfs/Medical%20Bankruptcy%20%20Maine-02.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.patientsrising.org/advocacy-updates/medical-bankruptcy-maine-02", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.patientsrising.org/hubfs/Patients%20Rising%20Logo%20RGB%20(1).jpg" }, "name" : "Patients Rising" } } ```