CHENANGO COUNTY – Almost 18 months after the county made changes to its indigent burial policy, the cost to taxpayers for indigent burials are projected to increase substantially, making it likely that officials will revisit the policy again this year.
Actual county costs of indigent burials for 2014 are projected to top more than $200,000 this year, which is up approximately 42 percent from 2013. The Chenango County Department of Social Services is currently examining the policy to find a balance between providing indigent burial services and being fair to local taxpayers.
“We realize that people with little money still deserve a respectful funeral, but we are trying to be realistic to the taxpayer,” explained Daniel Auwarter, deputy commissioner for the Department of Social Services. “The reality is, every program that incurs costs on behalf of the taxpayer has to be looked at in terms of fiscal responsibility.”
New York State health law stipulates that the county provide indigent burial services that meet certain criteria. In 2013, the county changed its policy to satisfy the state law which says income can no longer be used as a factor in determining eligibility for burial assistance.
Under the latest policy, approval for burial assistance is not given if the deceased or their legally responsible relative has combined available assets and resources (such as cash on hand, money in a savings account, or money in a checking account) worth more than $1,500 on the date of death. Anything less qualifies for assistance.
The policy allows DSS to pay a flat rate to funeral home directors – up to $4,200 for an adult burial, $2,700 for a cremation, or $1,300 for those who make an anatomical donation.
“The policy has demonstrated that over time, it is subject to abuse. We have seen some cases where people who have been well known to take care of their own, just haven’t,” Auwarter said. Many who qualify for assistance under the current policy have had friends and family who use county funding to leverage what they pay for a more elaborate funeral, he added. “Budgets are getting tighter, so we have to be careful that we use resources for the people who really need help.”
County legislators have already discussed possible changes to the policy to prevent abuse. Suggestions on the table include lowering the eligibility threshold from $1,500 in assets to as little as $1,000 or less at the time of death, or taking a retroactive look at the assets of the deceased to find what financial resources were available in the weeks prior to death. DSS says if the accounts of the deceased were drained by loved ones the day prior to death, then the current policy still qualifies that person for indigent burial services as long as their assets are less than $1,500.
The Department of Social Services is also planning to solicit bids from local funeral homes to contract for indigent burial services. The Request for Proposal (RFP), modeled after another county’s policy, will allow the maximum amount for a funeral service to be set at $2,500.
Many funeral homes opposed the county’s current policy in 2013, citing costs of a burial that aren’t dictated by funeral homes. Some argued the flat rate the county pays to funeral homes does not take into account the rising costs driven by other entities that include casket makers, cemeteries, crematories, and expenses associated with transportation.
Indigent burial expenses to the county have fluctuated year to year. In 2010, total county costs for indigent burials totaled $116,350. Costs dropped to $98,516 in 2011, $61,633 in 2012, and increased significantly to $145,924 in 2013.
To date, the county has paid more than $143,000 for indigent burial services in 2014.