County likely to increase pay rate for indigent burials

Posted by Howard Owens on August 31, 2009 - 10:08pm
Tagged in
Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly versionSend to friendSend to friend

The cost of burials are going up, as much as 40 percent in recent years, according to Eileen Kirkpatrick, Genesee County's social services commissioner.

Today, the Ways and Means Committee approved her request to implement a new payment schedule to cover funeral costs for indigent people.

In 2010, the basic allowance will increase from $1,556 to $1,634, and up about 5 percent in each of the next two years.

Kirkpatrick said the pay out is still less than some surrounding counties, and she certainly didn't want to see her department going the way of Niagara County, which even reimburses families who choose to buy special urns and oversized caskets.

"I don't want to get into the funeral business," Kirkpatrick said. "We expect funeral homes to bury people with dignity and compassion and we will pay for a basic rate."

Kirkpatrick said in a typical year, the county will pay for 35 to 40 burials.

Posted by Doug Yeomans on August 31, 2009 - 10:37pm
Where do I apply for the job? Start pay is $57,190 to $65,360 for 3 to 4 burials per month.
Posted by Howard Owens on August 31, 2009 - 11:01pm
The money is paid to funeral homes, and the families select which funeral homes to use.

And while I don't know what funeral homes would charge the non-indigent families, I believe it is significantly more than these rates.

so if you're impressed with the numbers, apply for an undertaker's license ... but it's a very competitive business with a lot of overhead. Stiffs don't just fall into your lap.
Posted by Karen Miconi on September 1, 2009 - 11:22am
Ill just take a pine box. They can bury me in the back yard, with all the pets that have passed before me. LOL
To bad it is illegal to do that.
Posted by Doug Yeomans on September 1, 2009 - 7:27pm
Hmm..I thought burial just meant "burial." So no, I'm not interested in becoming an undertaker. I was picturing a guy on a backhoe digging the grave, lowering the casket and covering it back up. I should've known it sounded too good to be true.

I was always under the impression that indigent people were cremated in a cardboard or pine cadaver container and their ashes buried in a common plot.

Who knew that dying could, would or should cost so much? Cremation and scattering should cost but a couple hundred dollars. I know the costs are considerably more and what a ripoff.