July 7. The FCA national office and staff, with input from other FCA leaders, have discussed the implications of the bill Congress passed in 2021 directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reimburse Americans up to $9,000 for the cost of funerals when a death is attributed to COVID-19. These discussions resulted in a white paper to bring forward issues for lawmakers to consider when addressing this funeral cost reimbursement program, or similar programs, in the future. Here’s an excerpt from that white paper:
“Funeral Consumers Alliance does not take a policy position on whether the government should or should not reimburse Americans for funerals. However, we are concerned that policymakers may not have been fully informed about the wide range of pricing in the funeral industry, and the options available to all Americans to control funeral costs, before this program was enacted. We offer the following for consideration.
No American is compelled by law, or by lack of options, to buy a $9,000 funeral package. The “average” or “minimum” cost of a funeral varies by region, and by the options one chooses to add to basic services. The Federal Trade Commission’s “Funeral Rule”, since 1984, has given consumers the legal right to choose as many or as few optional services from funeral homes as that family desires and can afford.
This Rule also mandates that nearly all American funeral homes offer simple, nonceremonial, less expensive options such as direct burial or direct cremation. This is available to every American.
Cost-comparison surveys of funeral homes completed by member organizations in FCA’s federation illustrate the wide range of prices available in various regions for a full-service funeral. For instance, in Washington state, the prices for a full-service funeral range from $2,200 to $11,100. In Vermont, the same prices range from $3,256 to $7,560.”
You can view or download the 4-page white paper here.