Senator Marshall Calls Lawsuit Report a Political Attack

A Republican senator engaged in a competitive race in Kansas has labeled a recent report alleging numerous lawsuits against his former patients as a politically motivated “hit job” orchestrated by prominent Democrats.

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., spoke to Fox News Digital regarding an article from The New York Times. This report outlined allegations of hundreds of lawsuits concerning missed medical bills from his previous OB-GYN practice, some resulting in arrests, which he attributed to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

“Kansans see this for what it is. It’s like something out of the National Enquirer. This is clearly a hit job from left-wing media, all financed by Chuck Schumer,” Marshall stated during an interview at the Republican National Committee midterm convention in Dallas.

Marshall previously co-founded the Great Bend Regional Hospital and managed his own practice, Heartland Regional OB-GYN, before entering Congress in 2016.

The report alleges that he, alongside his lawyers, had brought lawsuits against over 700 patients with overdue medical bills, applying an 18% annual interest rate. According to The New York Times, 81 patients reportedly faced arrest due to court date absences, and the publication spoke with some of these individuals.

“I want to be clear: I would never want anyone arrested for owing money to me or the hospital,” Marshall emphasized. “We had standard policies in place. Once a case went to collections, I no longer had any role in that process. The collection actions were handled by professional companies.”

He pointed out that as one of the few doctors who accepted Medicaid in the region, many patients had to travel significant distances for his services.

Additionally, he mentioned that typically a collection agency would only be approached after a wait of about nine months to a year. When necessary, they worked with the same agency that most local doctors and hospitals utilized, identifying it as a common practice.

“My guiding principle with my office manager was that if someone is making a $5 monthly payment, that’s perfectly acceptable,” he noted. “Communication is key; if they miss a payment, just reach out.” He continued, “Only a small fraction of unpaid bills end up in collections, and once they left our office, we had no control over the future decisions.”

This report arrives as Marshall campaigns for a second Senate term, facing competition from Adam Hamilton, a Democrat and megachurch pastor leading the nation’s largest United Methodist congregation.

Tyson Brody, a spokesperson for Hamilton’s campaign, commented, “Roger Marshall’s own lawyer indicated that Marshall specifically requested an 18% interest rate, which is significantly higher than the legal rate in Kansas.” He added, “Marshall allowed his lawyer to pursue warrants, leading to the arrests of new and expectant mothers. Some patients reported being pressured to pay in full despite requesting payment plans.”

In spite of Kansas leaning Republican, Vice President JD Vance, a key figure from the Trump campaign, endorsed Marshall last week. While praising him as a strong supporter of Trump’s agenda, Vance was interrupted by a protester mentioning The New York Times article.

“What happened is that someone decided to come and lie about my dear friend Doc Marshall. The truth is, Doc Marshall has been standing up for everyday Americans constantly during his time in the Senate,” Vance remarked.

Before the Vance event, however, Marshall defended his office’s operations, questioning The New York Times’ narrative. “I’m not going to give The New York Times the privilege of reading their piece. I trust our judges far more than what they’re painting,” he expressed. “Our judges wouldn’t act as described in that report. There had to be more to it.”

“It’s incredible to think that I’m the only OB-GYN here with a population of 60,000, on call every night for nearly 30 years—taking care of so many and writing off numerous bills. This entire situation is a gross misrepresentation of the reality,” he concluded.