IN THE NEWS/OF INTEREST
In The News/Of Interest
Your family member or person who you have/had financial power-of-attorney for died over a year ago. Your loved one was formerly covered by Medicare Parts A & B. You just received a medical bill for services provided before their death.
What do you do?
Click here to find out.
Date: November, 2024
(Share with us all by Member, P.D. Thank you, sir!)
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The quest to alter our last ‘toxic’ act: Inside the rise of human composting.
By: Jeanette Marantos, Staff Writer
Date: May 22, 2024
(Share with us all by: Former Board Member, Janet Cornwell. Thank you, Janet!)
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By: Louise Pachella
Mon, January 22, 2024 at 9:59 AM PST
(Share with us all by: Former Board Member, Janet Cornwell. Thank you, Janet!)
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Funeral homes come up with 'digital human' to mourn the dead
By: Hu Min, SHINE
19:44 UTC+8, 2023-12-22
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Remains of at least 189 people removed from Colorado funeral home, up from 115, officials say
By: JESSE BEDAYN AND MATTHEW BROWN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
OCT. 17, 2023 4:58 AM PT
By: Danielle Abreu • Published September 26, 2023, NBC Los Angeles
Updated on September 27, 2023 at 6:45 am
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The next generation of funeral directors prepares for change
June 13, 2023
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Members of the Media: If you have questions about the statistics below, would like additional information or data, or would like to interview an expert, please contact National Funeral Director's Association (NFDA's) public relations team.
60.5% vs 34.5%
cremation vs. burial: according to nfda’s 2023 cremation and burial report, the 2023 cremation rate is projected to be 60.5% and the burial rate is projected to be 34.5%. click here to learn more
$7,848
cost of a funeral: the national median cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial in 2021 was approximately $7,848 while the median cost of a funeral with cremation was approximately $6,971. click here to learn more.
60%
interest in green funeral options: according to NFDA’s 2023 consumer awareness and preferences report, 60% would be interested in exploring “green” funeral options because of their potential environmental benefits, cost savings or for some other reason, up from 55.7% in 2021.
53.1%
non-traditional funeral locales: according to NFDA’s 2023 consumer awareness and preferences report, 53.1% of respondents have attended a funeral at a non-traditional location.
31.7%
cremation ... and burial: according to NFDS’s 2023 consumer awareness and preferences report, 31.7% would prefer to have their cremated remains buried or interred in a cemetery, as opposed to kept in an urn at home, scattered in a sentimental location, split among relatives, kept in a place of worship, or some other option.
$16.323 billion
funeral homes are vital businesses that contribute to our nation in ways both seen and unseen. nearly 87% of funeral homes are family- or privately owned, creating a significant tax base and jobs. according to the latest data (2012) from the U.S. census bureau economic census, the funeral industry generates $16.323 billion in revenue (funeral homes and funeral services: $13.004 billion; cemeteries and crematories: $3.319 billion). the U.S. census bureau economic census also reports that the funeral industry employs 141,002 people, creating $4.7 billion in wages (funeral homes and funeral services (108,385; cemeteries and crematories: 32,617).
89.2%
still family owned: approximately 89.2% of funeral homes in the united states are privately owned by families or individuals.
20,000
NFDA members: founded in 1882 and with more than 20,000 individual members representing nearly 11,000 funeral homes in 50 countries, NFDA is the largest association in the world for the funeral service profession and is dedicated to supporting its members in their mission to provide families with meaningful end-of-life services at the highest levels of excellence and integrity.
113
small businesses: the average NFDA-member funeral home serves 113 families per year and has three full-time and four part-time employees.
Click HERE to download a PDF of the article.
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More than 115 bodies ‘improperly’ stored at 'green' funeral home
By: Chloe Kim, BBC
October 7, 2023
Click HERE to download a PDF of the article.
Special Note: While no one can guarantee 100% of the time any business is being run according to all current industry codes, rules, regulations, and laws, visiting the State of CA Department of Consumer Affairs, Cemetery and Funeral Bureau (CFB) is a strong recommended step to better assure you are dealing with a compliant and non-violative cemetery, mortuary, or funeral home.
CFB's Website Home Page: https://www.cfb.ca.gov
CFB's Enforcement and Disciplinary Actions webpage: https://www.cfb.ca.gov/enforcement/index.shtml
CFB's Telephone Number: (916) 574--7870
CFB's Email Address: emailcfb@dca.ca.gov
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How I planned my own green funeral
By: Becca Warner, BBC
August 21, 2023
Click HERE to download a PDF of the article.
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Human composting: The rising interest in natural burial
By: Ben Tracy, SUNDAY MORNING, CBS NEWS
June 18, 2023
Click HERE to download a PDF of the article.
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Become a diamond or get launched into space —
7 alternatives to burial or cremation
By: Karen Garcia, LA TIMES
May 19, 2023
Click HERE to download a PDF of the article.
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Why human composting with ‘green burials’ is the next big thing
By: Gavin Newsham, New York Post Jan 21, 2023
Click HERE to download a PDF of the article.
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7 interesting burial options conducted in US state of California
By: DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR - DPA | EDITED BY BUSE KESKIN DAILY - SABAH
May 24, 2023
Click HERE to download a PDF of the article.
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When the dead don't stay buried: The grave situation at cemeteries amid climate change
By: Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY
September 14, 2023
Click HERE to download a PDF of the article.
[Thanks, Former Board Member Janet Cornwell, for sending us this article.]
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Imposters prey on families preparing for the funeral of a loved one
By: Alvaro Puig, Consumer Education Specialist
June 15, 2023
Click HERE to download a PDF of the article.
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(While the first article was first posted by the Federal Trade Commission in 2022, it is timeless and provides valuable info for us all. Be sure to share a link to this page with someone you care about.)
Funeral providers must give accurate information
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION CONSUMER ADVICE
By: Bridget Small, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC
April 22, 2022
Click here to visit the State of CA Department of Consumer Affairs Cemetery and Funeral Bureau which includes a lot of helpful info, including but not limited to current and past lists of businesses that were investigated by the Bureau as well as those businesses that received enforcement and disciplinary actions.
Click here to see the list of our participating mortuaries who do not "play games with people." (The rows of our participating providers are highlighted in green.)
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Hidden Funeral Costs Can Add to Your Loss
Kiplinger's Retirement Report
March 2023
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When somebody dies, what happens to the body?
THE CONVERSATION
By: Mark Evely, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Mortuary Science, Wayne State University
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
September 15, 2020
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What is human composting? Experts explain how the eco-friendly burial option works.
yahoo!life
June 8, 2022 at 5:00 AM (8 min read)
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Yes, anybody can be buried at sea. Why people pick the ocean as their final resting place sea?
Los Angeles Times
By Deborah Netburn, Staff Writer
April 12, 2022
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Colorado lays to rest first legally composted
NBC News
Monday, Mar 21, 2022 (3 min read)
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For Sale: Cemetery Plots: Two women learn the demand for gravesites is weaker than it used to be
AARP THE MAGAZINE
Monday, Feb 21, 2022
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Reef ball burials: The New Trend for Becoming
The Guardian
Monday, Feb 21, 2022
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The Last Pandemic Aid Anybody Wants to Need
New York Times
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California Expected to Legalize Human Composting, an Eco-Friendly Burial Method
Green Matters
Aug 12, 2021
(Special thanks to FCALA Member, Lisa Edmondson, for submitting this article.)
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Website of the United States of America
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during, and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.
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If you care about the planet, decide what to do with your body when you die
Bangor Daily News, Maine
By Sam Schipani
May 3, 2021
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Why Funerals Are So Expensive In The U.S.
In the past decade, dying has become an increasingly expensive thing to do. More and more families are choosing cremation or simply scaling down on memorial services for their loved ones. Both of which bring in less revenue for funeral businesses that tend to rely on extravagant services and expensive caskets and burials. So with traditional funeral rituals becoming more obsolete, increasingly expensive, and entrenched in criticism, what does this mean for the death-care industry?
CNBC
Produced by: Dymond Green
Senior Producer: Jacqui Frank
April 24, 2021
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South Coast AQMD Issues Emergency Order for Crematoriums due to COVID-1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 17, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT: Kim White, (909) 396-3456, Cell: (909) 323-9479
Nahal Mogharabi, (909) 396-3773, Cell: (909) 837-2431
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A physician and human ethicist argue that modern society has lost sight of the cultural, spiritual, and practical resources we need to confront our mortality.
COLUMBIA MAGAZINE
By: CHERIE HENDERSON '14 SPS | WINTER 2020 - 2021
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Financial steps to take immediately when spouse dies
Consider hiring an estate planning or probate attorney to help with these tasks.
GRIEF CAN impair judgment. Be careful about making big
changes in the year after a spouse’s death.
(Matt Born Associated Press)
By: liz weston
december 29, 2020 | la times
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Funeral Costs Are Driving Families Hit by
COVID-19 to Desperate Measures
Clockwise from top left: The Hinojosa family; Hannah Hae In Kim
and her parents (2); The Kellogg family
By: melissa chan
december 21, 2020 | time
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Part of The Coronavirus Pandemic: What You Need to Know
How to Have 'The Talk' During COVID-19
The pandemic is the prime time to discuss end-of-life matters
Kai, his dad, and Kai's little sister | Credit: Courtesy of Kai Drewry
By: bruce horovits
december 7, 2020 | caregiving
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When someone dies, what happens to the body?
The Conversation - Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Program Director and Assistant Professor of Mortuary Science, Wayne State University
September 20, 2020 (But still informative.)
(Special thanks to FCALA Board Member, Janet Comwell, for submitting this article.)
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New York City funeral home was storing bodies on ice in U-Haul trucks
By: Jonathan Dienst and Tim Stelloh
aPrIL 29, 2020 | NBC News Digital
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The children of Julia Flaherty, who died from COVID-19 on April 13, feel they were overcharged by the funeral home for her arrangements. From left, Daniel Flaherty, Maureen O'Leary, and Sean Flaherty visited their parents' grave in St. Joseph Cemetery, in West Roxbury, holding a photo of their parents on their wedding day.
By: sEAN P. MURPHY, GLOBE STAFF
JUNE 4, 2020 | BOSTON GLOBE
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Death Industry Is No Safe Haven in a Pandemic
By: spencer jakab
aPrIL 11, 2020 | WALL STREET JOURNAL
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Ecuador builds emergency cemeteries amid rising deaths, coronavirus cases
By: reuters | aPrIL 8, 2020
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March 27, 2020
Video - 2020 FCA Postponed Funeral Video by FCA's Executive Director: Josh Slocum
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She got coronavirus at a funeral and died. Her family honored her with a drive-up service
By: SUSANNE RUST, CAROLYN COLE
april 8, 2020 | l.a. times
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In Stanislaus County, how coronavirus is affecting the way mortuaries do their work
By: erin tracy
March 27, 2020 | modesto bee
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March 25, 2020 | BLOG - THE DAILY DIRGE
March 20, 2020 Video - Funerals during a pandemic
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Dust To Dust - I Don't Relish Joining My Cremated In-Laws on our Bookcase. Luckily, There Are Alternatives
By: amy goldman koss
March 8, 2020 | LA Times
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Death is Forever: Cemeteries, as they currently exist, might not be
By: Bess Lovejoy
FEBRUARY 26, 2020 | CONSIDERABLE
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Compost your departed loved one and save the planet, L.A. lawmaker says
By: melody gutierrez | staff writer
FEBRUARY 24, 2020 | LA TIMES
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Beverly Hills Man Says He Didn't Get Fair Share of His Wife's Ashes
By: hannah fry | staff writer
december 31, 2019 | la times
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Hidden Funeral Prices: An Evaluation of California Funeral Home Price Disclosure and Lack of Disclosure
CONSUMER FEDERATION OF AMERICA
September 30, 2019 | Report
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51% of California Funeral Homes Hide Prices or Make Them Hard to Find Online, Consumer Groups Say
Five years after passage of law, some price lists are difficult to find on websites and others are nowhere to be found
By TERI SFORZA | tsforza@scng.com | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: September 30, 2019 at 5:55 pm | UPDATED: October 1, 2019 at 2:43 pm
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FCA News -
September 27, 2019
PRESS TELE-CONFERENCE ADVISORY
September 30, 2019 at 1:00 PM Eastern
Call-in: 800-247-5110
Passcode: CFACALL
Contact: Josh Slocum, FCA, 802-865-8300
NEW REPORT ON FUNERAL SERVICES: ARE CALIFORNIA HOME FOLLOWING THE ONLINE PRICE DISCLOSURE LAWS
Adequate Disclosure of Funeral Home Costs Critical to Fair Prices
Washington, D.C. – At a 1 p.m. EST, press teleconference on Monday, September 30th, Consumer Federation of America, Funeral Consumers Alliance, Funeral Consumers Alliance of California and Consumer Action will release the results of a new report on the adequacy of online price information from funeral homes in California. The report analyzed this information for more than 200 funeral homes in six large urban areas (Sacramento, Alameda County, City of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego). In addition, Stephen Brobeck, a Senior Fellow at CFA and Josh Slocum, FCA’s Executive Director will address how a loophole in the California online price disclosure law is allowing some funeral homes to bypass the intent of the law.
To be released at the press teleconference:
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The difficulty of obtaining funeral pricing information online and how that impacts prices
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City by city and company by company differences in the posting of funeral pricing
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What California legislators must do to protect grief-stricken consumers
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Why the Federal Trade Commission needs to take steps to protect bereaved consumers in California and across the country