Senator Roger Marshall Sued 700 Patients Over Medical Debts; 81 Arrested

A New York Times investigation found that Senator Roger Marshall sued more than 700 patients for unpaid medical bills during his 25-year career as an obstetrician-gynecologist in Kansas. At least 81 patients were arrested after missing court dates. Marshall’s practice charged 18% annual interest and pursued debts as small as $101 in rural Barton County, where many patients lacked insurance. The report emerges weeks before his November reelection campaign.

How the debt collection worked

Marshall’s practice, Heartland Regional OBGYN, which he owned or co-owned from 1998 to 2019, sued patients under his name or the practice name. Court records show he charged 18% annual interest and pursued wage and bank garnishments. Many patients were new mothers billed for delivery or postpartum care. One woman was sued over a $129 postpartum visit bill when her baby was nine months old; her wages were later garnished.

Who paid the price

The lawsuits targeted low-income patients in a rural area where poverty and lack of health insurance were common. Meischa Zimmerman was arrested three times, in 2011, 2013, and 2016, over a $3,596 C-section bill. She said the debt grew to $7,000 due to interest. “I had to choose whether I’d pay my electricity or pay $50 to a doctor who didn’t need it,” she told the Times. Joe Vasquez and his wife were arrested in front of their grandchildren over a $4,561 emergency hysterectomy bill from three years prior.

Marshall’s response and political context

Marshall’s spokeswoman said judges, not doctors, issue arrest warrants for missed court dates. She noted Marshall treated patients regardless of ability to pay and that his practice provided “millions in uncompensated care.” Marshall, a Republican, stopped practicing medicine in 2016 when elected to Congress but continued collection efforts through 2021. He faces reelection in November against Democrat Adam Hamilton, a pastor. In 2025, Marshall introduced legislation to prohibit hospitals from suing patients who don’t publicly post medical prices.

What experts say

Sarah Kliff, the New York Times reporter who investigated the story, noted that Marshall used “more aggressive tactics” than typical. Experts told the Times that doctors have discretion in handling unpaid bills, and the volume and intensity of Marshall’s collection approach made him an outlier. The report comes as Republicans defend 22 Senate seats, with Democrats needing to net four seats to secure a majority in November.

Final Thoughts

The investigation raises questions about Marshall’s record on healthcare access and debt collection practices weeks before a competitive reelection race. Voters in Kansas will decide whether his medical practice history affects his fitness for a second Senate term.

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