Health care bankruptcies are more than a battle over money and control of a company, because they potentially place the health of a debtor’s patients in danger if handled incorrectly. Health care cases present a risk that people without representation in the bankruptcy case could be seriously injured or unnecessarily lose their lives. This risk is particularly acute when the patient group is vulnerable or has few alternative options for care, such as for nursing homes and rural hospitals. Because of this reality, health care bankruptcies impose a distinct calculus and burden on the U.S.