As ranks of uninsured grow, charity care can be hard to come by at many hospitals

Cori Roberts of St. Cloud, Minnesota, incurred more than $8,000 in medical bills after she was diagnosed at CentraCare with early-stage cervical cancer. She says the health system told her she made too much — about $41,000 a year — to qualify for financial aid. Anthony Souffle/The Minnesota Star Tribune hide caption toggle caption Anthony Souffle/The Minnesota Star Tribune ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Cori Roberts was living in a rented basement four years ago when she was diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer. Recently divorced, the former stay-at-home mother had returned to work in her mid-40s, taking a human resources job that paid $41,000 a year. Then, despite having insurance, she was hit with more than $8,000 in medical bills. "I had my car and a basket of clothes," Roberts recalled. "Medical bills were not something I could have afforded." Roberts sought financial assistance from CentraCare, the St. Cloud-based health system that treated her. It's a nonprofit charity that receives millions of dollars in federal, state, and local tax breaks. In exchange, it's obliged to offer charity care to patients who can't afford their medical bills. But Roberts said CentraCare told her she made too much to qualify. Roberts instead scrimped on groceries and Christmas gifts for her kids and paid off more than $6,000 over two years. Then CentraCare sued her last year because she hadn't paid off all the debt. "They're supposed to be a nonprofit," Roberts said. …