Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether The University of Kansas Health System has pursued medical debt collection lawsuits against patients who may have qualified for financial assistance under the health system’s policies.
An October 2026 investigation by The Beacon and KCUR identified hundreds of medical debt collection lawsuits involving the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas and Missouri during 2026. The reporting also examined the hospital’s financial assistance policies, which may provide free or discounted care to qualifying insured and uninsured patients, including certain patients facing unusually high medical expenses.
Federal law requires nonprofit hospitals, such as University of Kansas Health System, to inform patients about financial assistance and follow specified procedures before pursuing lawsuits and other extraordinary collection actions. University of Kansas Health System patients who qualify for assistance may be entitled to reductions in the amounts they are billed.
What Consumers May Have Experienced:
- Receiving a lawsuit from the University of Kansas Health System over unpaid medical bills;
- Having wages garnished or facing other collection actions after a judgment was entered;
- Being pursued for medical debt despite having limited income or substantial medical expenses;
- Being unaware that the hospital offered financial assistance to certain insured and uninsured patients;
- Paying substantial out-of-pocket expenses without knowing that they might qualify for financial assistance.
Potential Claims May Include:
- Violations of Section 501(r) requirements concerning financial assistance and extraordinary collection actions;
- Failure to properly screen patients for financial assistance;
- Improper collection of amounts owed by financially eligible patients;
- FDCPA violations involving third-party debt collectors, where applicable;
- Improper garnishment or collection of amounts not legally owed.
Signs You May Be Affected:
- You received a collection lawsuit from the University of Kansas Health System;
- Your wages or bank account were subject to collection activity;
- You had household income that potentially qualified you for financial assistance;
- You were insured but still faced substantial hospital bills that you could not afford;
- You were not informed about financial assistance before being referred to collections.
If the University of Kansas Health System sued you over an unpaid medical bill, subjected you to collection activity, or charged you for medical care despite your potential eligibility for financial assistance, Migliaccio & Rathod LLP would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520.