Former Patient Sues Sen. Roger Marshall Over 18% Medical Debt Interest
A former patient filed a class-action lawsuit in Kansas state court on Thursday, October 29, 2026, accusing Senator Roger Marshall and Heartland OBGYN of charging an illegal 18% interest on unpaid medical bills.[1]
The suit says Kansas law generally caps court-enforceable interest at 15% absent a qualifying contract, and it seeks class status to challenge the 18% rate.[1] A New York Times investigation found Marshall sued more than 700 patients and that at least 81 patients were arrested after missing court dates.[1] Marshall is a first-term Republican senator, and the suit arrives amid a close 2026 Kansas Senate race against Democrat Adam Hamilton.[1]
A New York Times investigation reported that Marshall's clinics had sued more than 700 patients and that the new complaint draws on those findings to describe a broader pattern of aggressive collections.[1] The complaint alleges the 18% interest exceeds the 15% cap Kansas law sets for court-enforceable rates without a qualifying contract and asks for class relief to stop collection at that rate.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, October 29, 2026, a former patient filed a class-action lawsuit in Kansas state court against Sen. Roger Marshall and Heartland OBGYN.
- The lawsuit challenges an 18% interest rate on unpaid medical bills as potentially illegal under Kansas law, which generally limits court-enforceable interest to 15% without a qualifying contract.
- A prior New York Times investigation found Marshall sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills and that at least 81 patients were arrested after missing court dates.
- Marshall is a first-term Republican senator in a close 2026 Kansas race against Democrat Adam Hamilton.
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