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December 28, 2009

Franklin county funeral-cost losses to decrease

By DENISE A. RAYMO

MALONE — Funeral directors will lose less money than they have been when providing services to the poor in Franklin County next year.

Reimbursement for funeral expenses was increased from $1,850 to $2,175 for those 4 months old to adults, but the rate for children 3 months and younger will remain at $750 each.

The change goes into effect Jan. 1, according to a recent resolution passed by the Franklin County Legislature.

The last time the rates were changed was in 2006.

"We've been working on this for about a year," said County Department of Social Services Commissioner Lesley Lyon, who met with funeral directors and her staff to work out the details.

"They are taking a loss on this, and it isn't fair."

The basic funeral fee paid will include embalming, a casket, clothing the body and the use of the funeral home for services and a hearse. Mileage will be paid at a rate of $2.50 per mile.

The county will also pay the difference between the cost of an average-sized casket and that of an oversized casket for a larger person and pay up to $355 for a grave liner, a service that goes out to bid each year.

Mileage for delivery of the grave liner will be paid at a rate of $1.50 per mile.

The contribution from non-legally responsible people toward the cost of the funeral will be raised from $600 to $1,000 in the new agreement.

Any extra expenses associated with the person's death, such as the opening and closure of the grave, the cemetery plot, clergy services and cremation, can now either be billed separately to Social Services by the provider or be included with the bill from the funeral home, which then becomes the responsible party and must pay the service provider.

Another new aspect for funeral directors that started six months ago relieves them of the burden of having to seize assets and property from the indigent person's survivors to pay the rest of the funeral bill.

Past practice had the county deduct what the family could pay from the funeral home's payment and leave it up to the funeral directors to go after the assets.

But because Social Services already has staff members in place who know and work with indigent families, the agency decided to take over the task and free the funeral directors from it.

"We pursue any bank accounts we find," said Ona Rushford, the director of financial assistance at Social Services. "We don't want funeral directors having to do it at all."


E-mail Denise A. Raymo at: draymo@pressrepublican.com

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