Trump falsely says law required Marshall sue patients

President Donald Trump defended Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall over reports that Marshall sued more than 700 patients for unpaid medical bills during his career as an OB-GYN, claiming the law required him to pursue them and that he could otherwise face criminal liability. The claim is false: while federal Medicare guidance discourages routinely waiving patients’ copayments and deductibles, it does not require doctors to sue, and it allows exceptions for patients who cannot pay. Reports said 81 patients were arrested after missing court dates connected to the debt cases, intensifying criticism of Marshall’s collection practices. Trump also called Marshall a “Shylock,” a term widely regarded as an antisemitic slur.