A study conducted by Mary Shannon and Kathryn Koch—and published in JAMA Network Open—found that SLU and WashU sued nearly 1,000 patients over medical debt between January 2020 and May 2023.
- Wage garnishments were issued against employees of the universities and local health systems.
- Most cases ended in default judgments.
- Majority-black zip codes accounted for 41% of lawsuits and 48% of garnishments but only make up 22% of the region’s population.
- Over one $1 million in judgments were pursued.
- The smallest debt pursued was $104
The study highlights how even non-profit institutions, despite tax exemptions for charitable missions, contribute to economic and health disparities through aggressive debt collection.
For more, see the full study HERE.
