Marshall charged 18% on bills, above other Kansas doctors

What the records show

Marshall charged annual interest of 18% on medical bills, a higher specified rate than any other Kansas medical provider identified in a review of thousands of court documents. The Kansas City Star found no other provider using 18% or any stated annual rate above 12%.

That comparison places Marshall’s rate at least six percentage points above the highest specified rate found for another provider. A six-point gap means the 18% rate was 50% higher than a 12% rate. If calculated as simple interest with no payments, outstanding for one full year would generate at 18%, compared with at 12%.

What the comparison means

The finding concerns annual interest stated in court documents tied to medical-bill collection cases. The relevant comparison is among annual rates expressly stated in the reviewed filings; a filing without a specified rate cannot establish a higher or lower percentage.

A stated rate alone does not show the total dollars added to a patient’s bill. That total depends on the unpaid balance, how long it remained outstanding, any payments and the method used to calculate interest. The comparison also does not determine whether a bill was valid or what happened in an individual court case.