Free funerals?

[KMaC]

It appears we are well on the way to taking care of citizens literally from birth to death.
I was unaware that the covid relief bill included $2B for reimbursement of funeral expenses for covid deaths. Can someone explain to me why funeral costs have become a public responsibility.

"The Federal Emergency Management Agency is on track to implement in early April its funeral assistance program, which will reimburse funeral expenses to those who have lost family members to COVID-19."
https://fox59.com/news/fema-on-trac...for-families-who-lost-loved-ones-to-covid-19/

They're sure to add more money to the fund as $2B/500,000 deaths is only $4,000 person.

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

Sounds cheap. Minnesota paid $27 million for George Floyd's.

 

[Expat]

All people should have the right to be buried with dignity. The real question is why should any of us be deprived of such a basic right was free funeral services and burial.

 

[Twangbanger]

All people should have the right to be buried with dignity. The real question is why should any of us be deprived of such a basic right was free funeral services and burial.

Wow...Jen Kawasaki's got nothing on you

Now, over to you, Leadeye ("funeral homes have been gobbled up by corporate giants represented by thousand-an-hour DC lobbying firms...")

As usual, we have to pass the bill to find the porkchop in it.

 

[funeralweb]

This will get interesting. For the most part, this will be a reimbursement directly to families.

If the deceased was receiving Medicaid benefits at the time of their death, their expenses were possibly covered by a Medicaid Burial Allowance In Indiana that's a maximum of $2000 ($1200 for funeral expenses, including cremation, $800 for cemetery expenses) paid by the State and the family on the hook for not more than $2150 (maximum of $1750 to the funeral home and $400 to the cemetery), funeral home and cemetery expenses all in. Any excess funds due these families will be subject to collection by Medicaid to offset costs of supporting the individual while they were alive.

In many cases in 2020, during the worst of the lockdowns, families that desired -in some cases even had prepaid- a traditional funeral with ground burial changed their wishes to direct cremation, since funeral homes in most counties were limited to 10 attendees. Some counties allowed only 5 attendees. This decreased the cost of their disposition.

I wonder if those who complied with every ridiculous mandate in the past year will be entitled to some sort of reward over and above the multiple Chicom Chump Change Stimulus Checks?

 

[HoughMade]

I don't know enough about the particulars as to this, but local governments frequently pay for burials.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I don't know enough about the particulars as to this, but local governments frequently pay for burials.

Bro! How are you gonna ruin the outrage before we even get to the second page??? I’m gonna tell Denny you’re encroaching.

 

[HoughMade]

Bro! How are you gonna ruin the outrage before we even get to the second page??? I’m gonna tell Denny you’re encroaching.

Is it my fault that I've had the "pleasure" of litigating cases that involve burial and cemetery law?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I don't know enough about the particulars as to this, but local governments frequently pay for burials.

Under what circumstances (beyond Medicaid/Medicare benefits that funeralweb described)? A bad flu season?

 

[Ark]

Slip the coroner $100 to add covid-19 to the death certificate so you can get a check?

Dunno how much I like splitting up causes of death and subsidizing them based on deservedness. Poor person who dies in a car wreck is less deserving than one that dies at 85 in a nursing home?

 

[KMaC]

Low income families are hard hit by funeral expenses regardless of the cause of death. I was under the impression that pauper's funerals paid by the township trustee were cremations. I'm trying to understand why a covid death creates special circumstances where the taxpayers should pay $7,000 for the funeral.
I found an article about the program but the author doesn't know what the qualifications are to receive payment. It is only assumed that this is for low income families.
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finan...u-can-apply-for-7000-soon-heres-what-we-know/
We don't yet know exactly who will be eligible to receive these funds, or if it will be based solely on income level or some other set of factors.

 

[phylodog]

Keep buyin them votes, the shallow of mind can’t sell em fast enough.

 

[KMaC]

P.S. The funeral payment is only available to those that died in 2020. So if your loved one died in the January surge, no payment for you.