U.S. Senator Roger Marshall faces a class-action lawsuit filed October 29, 2026, in Barton County District Court, accusing the Republican incumbent and his former medical practice of charging patients an illegal 18 percent annual interest rate on unpaid medical debt during his career as an obstetrician-gynecologist in Great Bend, Kansas.
The legal challenge drops just days before the November 3 midterm elections as Marshall defends his Senate seat in a race that has tightened unexpectedly. Meischa Zimmerman, an obstetrics patient of Marshall’s in 2009, filed the complaint on behalf of herself and other patients after reporting detailed how the senator’s practice sued hundreds of patients in rural Barton County over outstanding medical bills.
Lawsuit Alleges Predatory Debt Collection Against Heartland Regional OBGYN
The lawsuit targets Marshall and his former medical practice, Heartland Regional OBGYN, alleging a callous and predatory
debt-collection scheme that routinely subjected low-income, uninsured, and underinsured mothers to illegal interest rates. Kansas law explicitly caps allowable interest at 15 percent per annum.
Zimmerman stated the practice sued her over a $3,596 bill for the delivery of her child, assessing the 18 percent annual rate on top of the principal. Court documents show that collection efforts linked to the debt led to her arrest on three separate occasions after missed court dates.
Marshall originated in El Dorado, completed his medical training at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1987, and spent seven years as an Army Reserve captain. He practiced as an OB-GYN in Great Bend for more than twenty-five years. Regarding his legislative duties, Marshall has concentrated on healthcare and agricultural issues while holding seats on prominent Senate panels, such as Agriculture, Finance, Budget, and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
During his time managing his practice, Marshall or his business entities filed more than 700 lawsuits against patients who could not pay their medical bills. Some of these lawsuits pursued balances as small as $101. A significant portion of Barton County’s rural population experiences poverty and lacks health coverage; individuals recounted scraping by paycheck to paycheck, frequently forced to decide between purchasing food and clearing medical arrears. Over 80 patients faced arrest warrants after missing court dates tied to these collections.
Obviously, I think a jury will place a dollar value on our complaint over charging 18% usury rate on medical debt, but I will let the legal document speak for itself.
Kent Roth, local counsel on the lawsuit
Causes of Action and the Statute of Limitations
Filed in Barton County District Court, Thursday’s complaint asserts causes of action against the senator and his former practice, including common law usury and breaching fiduciary duty by failing to disclose that charges exceeded state caps.
To overcome potential filing deadlines, the lawsuit invokes fraudulent concealment, arguing that patients only discovered the illegal nature of the rates through investigative news reports. Plaintiffs are seeking class-action certification, restitution, damages, and a jury trial with pre- and post-judgment interest.
Political Fallout in the Tight Kansas Senate Race
The timing of the litigation complicates the final stretch of Marshall’s reelection campaign against Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton, a Methodist minister from Johnson County who raised about $10 million in the third quarter of 2026, compared to less than $1 million raised by Marshall according to campaign finance disclosures.
Hamilton seized on the debt collection history during a debate last month to criticize his opponent’s record.
there are 2,000 verses in the Bible that speak to caring for the poor. This is not happening under this man.
Adam Hamilton, Democratic Senate candidate
Polls show a tighter race than conventional expectations for a reliably red state. Recent surveys show Hamilton has a slight advantage over Marshall, and the White House confirmed plans for President Trump to campaign in Kansas ahead of Tuesday’s election.
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