Former patients of U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall’s Kansas obstetrics practice who were charged more than 15% annual interest on unpaid medical bills may be covered by a proposed class action filed October 29, 2026, alleging the practice’s 18% rate broke Kansas’s interest cap. No class has been certified and there is nothing to claim.
Allegations Only · No Settlement
This article describes a class action complaint. The statements below are unproven allegations. Roger Marshall and Heartland Regional OBGYN have not been found liable, there is no certified class, and nothing to claim at this time. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
What Is This About?
A former patient filed a proposed class action on October 29, 2026 in the District Court of Barton County, Kansas against Roger Marshall, the Republican U.S. senator from Kansas, and Heartland Regional OBGYN PA, the obstetrics practice he owned in Great Bend before entering politics. The case is Zimmerman v. Marshall, No. BT-2026-CV-000136.The complaint alleges that Marshall and the practice had patients sign contracts setting 18% annual interest on unpaid bills, billed that interest on account statements, and sought it in collection lawsuits. Kansas law, the suit says, caps contract interest at 15% a year. The case was filed days before the November election, in which Marshall is running for reelection. Marshall declined to comment on the suit, according to news reports.
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What the Complaint Alleges
According to the complaint, the practice routinely sent “Statements of Account” showing periodic finance charges above 15% a year, and its collection petitions in Barton County demanded interest at 18% on the outstanding balance. The suit quotes the practice’s collection attorney telling the New York Times that Marshall “set the 18% interest rate in a contract he had patients sign.”The lawsuit builds on reporting. It cites a New York Times analysis published September 8, 2026, which found Marshall and the practice had filed collection suits against more than 700 former patients, including new and expectant mothers, over bills ranging from $101 to thousands of dollars, and that 81 patients were arrested for missing court dates after the practice’s attorneys requested arrest warrants. It also cites a Kansas City Star review of roughly 150 medical practices that found no other provider charging a specified interest rate above 12%.
The named plaintiff says the practice sued her in December 2009 over a $3,596 bill for the delivery of her child, plus 18% interest, and that she was arrested three times in the course of the collection effort. These are allegations; the court has not ruled on them.
The Legal Claims
The complaint brings four counts on behalf of the plaintiff and the proposed class:- Usury, based on K.S.A. 16-207, which limits agreed interest on a written instrument for the payment of money to 15% a year unless another law specifically allows more;
- Unjust enrichment, seeking return of interest collected above the legal rate;
- Breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in the patient contracts; and
- Breach of fiduciary duty, on the theory that a doctor owes patients a duty of loyalty and candor that was broken by charging, and not disclosing, an unlawful rate.
Who Is in the Proposed Class?
The complaint proposes a class of “all patients of Marshall who were charged greater than 15% annual interest by Marshall and Heartland on unpaid balances.” It estimates the class at least in the hundreds. It asks for damages or restitution, pre- and post-judgment interest, a declaration that the conduct was unlawful, and a jury trial. No class has been certified.The plaintiff is represented by Shapiro Haber & Urmy as lead counsel, with a local Kansas attorney.
What Happens Next?
Marshall and the practice will have the chance to respond to the complaint, and the court will decide whether the claims can proceed and later whether a class can be certified. As of October 31, 2026, no response had been reported. OpenClassActions.com will update this page with rulings or any settlement. Other medical debt cases are covered in the Corewell Health medical debt collection lawsuit.Questions
What is the Roger Marshall class action about?
A former patient alleges that Sen. Roger Marshall and his former obstetrics practice, Heartland Regional OBGYN in Great Bend, Kansas, charged patients 18% annual interest on unpaid medical bills, above the 15% maximum in Kansas law, and pursued that interest in collection lawsuits. These are allegations; no court has ruled on them.
Who is in the proposed class?
The complaint proposes a class of all patients of Marshall who were charged more than 15% annual interest by Marshall and Heartland Regional OBGYN on unpaid balances. It estimates the class at least in the hundreds. No class has been certified.
What is the interest limit in Kansas?
The complaint relies on K.S.A. 16-207, which allows parties to a written instrument for the payment of money to agree to interest at a rate not to exceed 15% per year unless another law specifically authorizes a higher rate.
Can former patients get money from the Roger Marshall lawsuit?
Not now. The case was filed October 29, 2026; there is no certified class, settlement or claim process. If a class is certified or the case settles, class members would be notified through the court process.
Sources
• Class Action Complaint, Zimmerman v. Marshall, No. BT-2026-CV-000136 (Barton Cnty. Dist. Ct., Kan.)• Kansas Reflector: Marshall Sued for Charging 18% Interest Rate on Medical Debt
• KWCH: Former Patient Suing Sen. Roger Marshall
