Story perspectives

Minnesota Hospitals Provide Less Than 0.5% Charity Care

5/12/2026

Summary

Story summary

Minnesota hospitals rank among the nation’s least charitable, spending about one-third of the average U.S. charity-care share.
The investigation found that 62 of Minnesota’s 123 hospitals allocated less than 0.5% of operating budgets to charity care between 2020 and 2024.
Attorney General Keith Ellison said the hospitals’ nonprofit tax breaks require more charity care, citing Cori Roberts, who was denied aid, sued CentraCare, and repaid over $8,000 with a retirement-plan loan.

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Story summary

Minnesota hospitals rank among the nation’s least charitable, spending about one-third of the average U.S. charity-care share.
The investigation found that 62 of Minnesota’s 123 hospitals allocated less than 0.5% of operating budgets to charity care between 2020 and 2024.
Attorney General Keith Ellison said the hospitals’ nonprofit tax breaks require more charity care, citing Cori Roberts, who was denied aid, sued CentraCare, and repaid over $8,000 with a retirement-plan loan.