Northern Mono County List of Important Papers and Helps

Section A Important papers and documents you need to collect before the passing of a loved one.

Section B Guidance and paper work for contacting sheriff’s department at time of .

Section C Information on funeral arrangements: what is required by law and what is not, helps and tips.

Section A

List of important papers and information

LEGAL Social Security Number Name, phone number and address of lawyer Will or trusts Deed of trust for home Car title and registration Power of Attorney/Medical

FINANCIAL Location and key to safe deposit box Name, address and identification numbers of any bank, checking account, savings account. Sources of income and assets (pensions, IRA’s, 401K’s, interst) Name, address and information of any insurance (home, auto, life) Investment income (stocks, bonds, property) Copy of latest income tax return Liabilities, including property tax, outstanding bills, mortgages All utilities (gas, water, electric) Credit and debit cards and passwords/pin numbers

PERSONAL Birth certificate Marriage license Mother’s maiden name and place of birth Computer and Social Media passwords

MEDICAL Name, phone number and address of Doctors. List of medications Names, numbers and identification numbers of any Medicare or health insurance.

Section B

Northern Mono County Hospice Outline of Mono County Sheriff’s Procedures

Upon death of hospice patient, you must call the Mono County Sheriff’s office (760-932-7549) and inform them of the death and that they were a hospice patient. This should be done as soon as possible.

The Sheriff’s office will dispatch an officer as well as call Brune Mortuary 325 W Elm St. Bishop, Ca 93514 760-873-4266 The mortuary will send a transportation van to pick up the deceased. Note: Prior arrangements can be made with other funeral homes and or options. Get “Know Your Legal Rights” information from your Hospice care provider.

When the uniformed officer arrives, he/she has a defined procedure that he/she must go through in filling out the which includes: asking specific questions, examining the deceased, taking photographs of the deceased, remaining with the body until the transportation van picks up the deceased.

This can be an uncomfortable setting for all concerned. The officer will do his/her job with compassion and discretion.

To make this period as effective as possible, filling out the information sheet ahead of time will be helpful. Please fill it out completely and accurately. Once filled out, please keep the information available to hand to the officer when they arrive. This will help keep the questions to a minimum. If the patient had a “No Resuscitation” order, they will need to see a copy of it.

When the attending physician suggests that there is only about two weeks of life left, call the Sheriff’s office and inform them. Then when death occurs, they will be able to respond more effectively. Because of HIPAA regulations, this needs to be done with the patients consent.

Any property on the deceased (rings, ear rings, necklaces, etc.) will be cataloged and taken to the mortuary. It will be returned upon release of the body.

Mono County Sheriff’s Information Sheet Questions taken from “Corner’s Record” that the officer must ask in order to fill out the death certificate. Filling it out ahead of time will save time. Save it and give to officer when they arrive.

Name of Decedent: First ______

Middle ______

Last ______

Sex ______

Race ______

Ethnicity ______

Date of Birth ______Age ______

Birthplace of Decedent ______

Name and Birthplace of Father ______

Maiden Name and Birthplace of Mother ______

Decedent citizen of what country ______

Social Security Number ______

Marital Status ______

Name of surviving spouse (if wife enter birth name) ______

Primary occupation ______

Number of years this occupation ______

Employer ______

Kind of industry or business ______

(continued on back side)

Usual residence (street and number) ______

City or town ______

County ______

State ______

Name and address of informant – relationship ______

______

Decedent’s Previous illness or injury ______

______

Under care of physician, who, when, where ______

______

______

Hospitalization, why, when and where ______

______

Height ______Weight ______

Hair ______Eyes ______

Tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks ______

Name and address of relatives -if minors give age- list relationship:

Section C Common Funeral Myths

You must hire a funeral home for every death. It is perfectly legal in most states to care for the body privately, as a family, without hiring a funeral home. Families can choose to do some or all of the process. A family may want to wash and dress the body and keep it at home for several days as part of a private vigil, only calling the funeral home or crematory when they are ready to let the body go. In 42 states, families are allowed to take on the entire process, including the filling out and filing of death certificates and burial permits in addition to the care and transportation of the body. For detailed information, see your state’s chapter in the book, Final Rights: Reclaiming the American Way of Death.

Embalming is required by law. is never required for the first 24 hours. In many states, it’s not required at all under any circumstances. Refrigeration is almost always an alternative to embalming if there will be a delay before final disposition.

Embalming protects the public health. There is no public health purpose served by embalming. In fact, the embalming process may create a health hazard by exposing embalmers to disease and toxic chemicals. In some cases, disease can still be found in an embalmed body. A dead body is less of a threat to public health than a live one that is still coughing and breathing.

An embalmed body will last like the “beautiful memory picture” forever. Mortuary-type embalming is meant to hold the body only for a week or so. Ultimately, the body will decompose, even if it has been embalmed. Temperature and climate are more influential factors affecting the rate of .

Viewing is necessary for “closure” after a death. Whether to view the body is an individual decision. There is no standard “need” that everyone experiences the same way. When the death has been anticipated, for example, family members have already started their “goodbyes.” They have relatively little need to see the body to accept the reality of death. Families facing a tragic or untimely death, by contrast, often express a desire to see and spend time with the body.

“Protective” caskets help preserve the body. While gasketed caskets may keep out air, water, and other outside elements for a while, the body will decompose regardless. In fact, a gasketed or “sealer” casket interferes with the natural dehydration that would otherwise occur. Fluids are released from the body as it begins to decompose, and the casket is likely to rust out from the inside.

“Protective” or sealed vaults help preserve the body. Nothing the traditional funeral industry sells will preserve the body forever. If there is a flood, however, such vaults have popped out of the ground and floated away. Mass graves after the plague in England were ultimately found to be without health problems, according to the 1995 British health journal Communicable Disease Report. Burial in containers, however, often kept the disease “encapsulated.”

Vaults are required by law. No state has a law requiring burial vaults. Most , however, do have such regulations because the vault keeps the grave from sinking in after decomposition of the body and casket, and thus reduce maintenance for the workers. Grave liners are usually less expensive than vaults. New York state forbids cemeteries from requiring vaults or liners, in deference to religious traditions that require burial directly in the earth. Vaults and metal caskets are not permitted in green burial grounds.

Vaults are required for the interment of cremated remains. Alas, with the increasing rate, many cemeteries are making this claim, no doubt to generate more income. There is no similar safety reason as claimed for using a casket vault. Any cemetery trying to force such a purchase should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission for unfair marketing practices: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382- 4357).

Cremation reduces the body to ashes. When people think of “ashes” they envision what you’d find in the fireplace or what’s left over after a campfire. However, what remains after the cremation process are bone fragments, like broken seashells. These are pulverized to a small dimension, not unlike aquarium gravel.

Cremated remains must be placed in an urn and interred in a cemetery lot or niche. There is no reason you can’t keep the cremated remains in the cardboard or plastic box that comes from the crematory. In all states it is legal to scatter or bury cremated remains on private property (with the landowner’s permission). Cremation is considered “final disposition” because there is no longer any health hazard. There are no “cremains police” checking on what you do with cremated remains.

It is a good idea to prepay a funeral, to lock in prices. Funeral directors selling preneed expect the interest on your money to pay for any increase in prices. They wouldn’t let you prepay unless there was some benefit for the funeral home, such as capturing more market share or being allowed to pocket some of your money now.

Prepaid funeral money is not well-protected against embezzlement in most states. Furthermore, if you were to move, die while traveling, or simply change your mind— from body burial to cremation, perhaps—you may not get all your money back or transferred to a new funeral home. The interest on your money, in a pay-on-death account at your own bank, should keep up with inflation and will let you stay in control.

Please note: We’re seeing more low-cost, low-overhead funeral operations opening up, so prices may go down in the future in areas with open price competition. With a preneed contract, I took care of everything. There are over 20 items found on many final funeral bills that cannot be included in a preneed contract because these items are purchased from third parties and cannot be calculated prior to death. Extra charges after an , clergy honoraria, newspaper notices, flowers, the crematory fee or grave opening are typical examples. All such items will be paid for by the decedent’s estate or family, in addition to what has already been paid for in the preneed contract.

Insurance is a good way to pay for a funeral. Interest accrued by an insurance policy may be outpaced by funeral inflation and is generally less than what is earned by money in a trust. When a funeral is paid for with funeral insurance, either the will absorb the loss (and many reluctantly do)—or figure out a way for your survivors to pay a little more: “The casket your mother picked out is no longer available. You’ll have to pick out a new one, and the price has gone up.”

If you have life insurance, not funeral insurance, it may be considered an asset when applying for Medicaid. In that case, you’ll have to cash it in, getting pennies on the dollar. The same may be true if you’re making time payments on your funeral insurance, and, in hard times, you decide to stop making payments. In fact, the company may be able to keep everything you paid, as “liquidated damages.”

How To Choose A Funeral Home

Perhaps your loved one is nearing death and you must find a funeral home quickly. Or you have decided to pick a funeral home for yourself long before it’s needed, to spare your family the ordeal of making this decision while grieving and pressed for time.

If you have used a funeral home in the past, don’t automatically assume it’s the best choice. Without comparing prices and services, you can’t tell whether their fees are reasonable, or you’ve been overcharged generation after generation.

Use this step-by-step guide to help you find the best funeral home for you and your family. By learning how to choose wisely, you could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and improve your overall satisfaction with the services you receive.

1. Consult your family and decide on a budget

Have you and your family discussed a budget, and decided on an amount that’s affordable for you—that you’re willing and able to spend without hardship? Shopping for a funeral should be like making any major purchase—you know what you can afford before you start shopping. Don’t make the mistake of buying a funeral the way many people do—accepting the funeral home’s price then scrambling to find the money.

Ask your family some specific questions. Do they have preferences about the type of final arrangement? If you are planning for a loved one, did he or she leave any written instructions? Have arrangements at a certain funeral home already been prepaid, perhaps years ago? Be sure to look for any documents that will help in the decision- making process before going forward.

2. Learn about your funeral rights

Next, review your rights as a funeral consumer. Briefly, the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule affirms your right to:

• Get price information over the telephone • Receive a written, itemized price list when you visit • Buy only the goods and services you want • Choose not to have embalming • Use an alternative container instead of a casket for cremation • Provide the funeral home with a casket or urn bought elsewhere without incurring additional fees • Receive a written statement after you decide what you want, but before you pay

3. Weigh your priorities

Ask yourself: How important is a convenient location? Do you prefer proximity to your home, place of worship, or cemetery? Is price a critical factor? How flexible is your budget? If you or your family used a funeral firm in the past, how satisfied were you? Do you have special religious or cultural requirements? If you want a viewing or service, will you need a large facility with ample parking, high-tech video screens, or handicap- accessibility? Or is simplicity your first priority?

If both price and location are important, remember that most funeral homes will travel 20 to 30 miles to pick up the deceased without any extra charges. If the funeral home will not be a gathering space for family, why choose the place closest to your home? Which is better—saving $1,000 or 15 minutes of driving time?

4. Choose the type of arrangement

• You might donate your body to a medical school for research, which in some cases incurs no charge for survivors • Other very economical choices are “direct cremation” or “direct burial” with no embalming or visitation • You could consider a funeral service held at home • Green, or , in a shroud or simple box, can be very affordable and ecologically friendly • Perhaps you prefer a traditional earth burial with embalming, visitation and an elaborate funeral service

Whatever you decide, write down your wishes in detail. The arrangement choice is the biggest factor in helping you determine the best, and most reasonably-priced, funeral home for your needs. 5. Get a list and compare prices

First, check with your local Funeral Consumers Alliance to see if they have a survey of prices in your area. If so, check the range of costs for your chosen arrangement, and pick out some affordable funeral homes. You may find a huge price difference for the same option, so doing a cost comparison might save you several thousand dollars. Often those specializing in cremation offer the lowest prices for that service, but not always—be sure to double check.

If you can’t find a price survey, look online or in the phone book for funeral home listings. Call five or six and get their prices for your chosen arrangement; perhaps ask about casket and urn prices as well. If a particular funeral director seems uncooperative, cross him off your list. Do the costs fit within your budget? If not, you may have to consider a more affordable type of arrangement, look beyond your immediate area for lower prices, or eliminate extra expenses like embalming or visitation.

6. Narrow your choices

Keeping in mind your personal priorities, do further research. Visit the funeral homes’ websites. Ask your family, friends and colleagues for their experiences with any of your choices. You could also check online customer review sites, or ask your local Funeral Consumers Alliance if they have received any complaints about any of them. Then focus your attention on two or three of the most promising choices.

7. Visit several funeral homes

Make an appointment to visit those funeral homes if possible. Bring a list of questions and a friend or family member less emotionally invested in the funeral than you are. Ask the funeral home for their General Price List and have the director review it with you. You might want to see an array of urns or caskets, ask about their billing policy, or meet the staff. Do you like the facility? Does the funeral director seem helpful and trustworthy, and answer questions willingly? Is he or she sensitive to your values and cultural or religious needs? Don’t select a funeral provider unless you feel completely comfortable with the director and the premises.

8. Get quotes

At each funeral home, discuss your specific arrangement choices and ask for an itemized statement. It will list the goods and services you have chosen, the price of each item, and total cost. Do not sign anything yet. Take a copy of each statement home to review more carefully, then compare and discuss them with your family.

9. Make a decision

When you have thoroughly evaluated information from several funeral homes, choose the one you like best. If the funeral is imminent, call the funeral home to begin the arrangements. At this point, you could fill out the funeral home’s pre-need planning form and pay a deposit if required. But remember, never sign a contract for more than you or your family can afford to pay! If you are prearranging your own funeral, do not be tempted to pay for it yet. Many states have inadequate safeguards to protect consumers’ prepayment funds, and your money could be at risk. Read FCA’s article “Should You Prepay Your Funeral” for further guidance.

10. Put your wishes in writing

If you are planning a funeral in advance of need, be sure to tell your loved ones about your decisions. Write down your specific instructions and funeral home choice. Give copies of your instructions to your family members or close friends, lawyer, and/or spiritual advisor. Do not put your written plans only in your Will or safe deposit box— they might not be found and read until too late—after your funeral is over. Traditional Burial

What is a “traditional” burial?

The concept of “traditional” burial has evolved over time. Earlier in America’s history, the family cared for the body after death, wrapped it in a shroud or placed it in simple wooden coffin, and buried it at home or in a nearby cemetery. Today, for most Americans, it is considered “traditional” to use a funeral home, embalm the body, and bury it in a casket and vault in a public cemetery. But few of these traditional elements are required by law, and families do have a wide range of choices.

Must I use a funeral home?

In the majority of states, a family, community or religious group can handle a death without hiring a funeral director. You can do everything on your own or hire a consultant or death midwife to assist. You can prepare the body for burial, acquire the necessary paperwork, hold a vigil or service, and transport the body to the burial site. Ten states, however, require the use of a funeral director: Alabama, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, and New York. For advice in those states, write [email protected].

Is embalming required?

Embalming is rarely required by law. While it can be useful in some situations (for example, a long period between death and viewing), no state requires it when burial or cremation will take place within two days, and in most states, refrigeration is a viable alternative. Though it is never a legal requirement for viewing a body, many funeral homes insist on embalming before an open casket viewing or funeral.

Must I buy a casket?

Except for green burial sites, most cemeteries require the use of a casket or other container to enclose and transport the body. However, you can specify an alternative container, a simple wood, fiberboard or cardboard box, which is much less costly than a casket. You may also build your own casket or buy one from a local retailer or online at a fraction of the price charged by some funeral homes. Funeral providers are required by law to accept a suitable homemade casket or one from an outside vendor. They cannot charge you a fee for doing so, or require you to be on site when the casket is delivered. If you choose a plain casket, you can inquire if the funeral home will rent you a fancier one for the service.

How much does a casket cost?

The average casket purchased today costs about $2,000. An alternative container may range from $50 to over $1,000, depending on the model and markup. A simple cloth- covered wood casket might cost $1,000, or you could pay over $30,000 for a deluxe bronze model. According to the FTC’s Funeral Rule, you have the right to see a written price list for caskets, with descriptions and prices, before seeing the actual caskets or finalizing arrangements.

How do I choose a cemetery?

As with all death-related costs, shop around ahead of time. Consider the convenience of the location, and whether the cemetery meets your family’s religious requirements, if any. Visit several cemeteries, ask for a tour of the various burial areas, and get a printed, itemized price list for all services and merchandise. Be sure to check restrictions, including the type and size of monuments, whether vaults and markers can be purchased elsewhere, and the type of grave decorations allowed.

What types of plots are available?

Most common is a single plot for one full-size casket. Some cemeteries allow cremation urns to be combined with a casket in one grave. Smaller plots are sometimes available for child or infant size coffins. Double plots, usually sold to a couple, can be two plots side by side, or a single plot with caskets stacked on top of each other. Many cemeteries also sell much larger family plots.

What will the plot cost?

You will find a wide range of prices for graves, depending on the cemetery and region. In many rural areas, small nonprofit cemeteries will sell you a full-sized grave for $400 or so. Some urban cemeteries—particularly those owned by for-profit companies—can charge $5,000 to $10,000 for one. Remember that burial plots are free for veterans and their spouses in national veterans cemeteries and free or nearly free in many state-run ones.

What is a vault? Is it required?

A vault, made of concrete, steel or lightweight fiberglass-type materials, completely encloses the casket in the grave, while a less expensive concrete grave liner covers only the top and sides. No state or federal law requires the use of a burial vault, but most cemeteries do. The vault prevents the grave from sinking in after decomposition of the body and casket, making it easier to mow with heavy equipment. Some religious traditions require burial directly in the earth without a vault, and some cemeteries have areas set aside for this purpose.

How much does a vault cost?

You could pay about $500 or so for a simple concrete grave liner, to over $15,000 for a fancy metal-clad vault. Before showing you any outer burial containers, the funeral provider must give you a list of prices and descriptions. You may find it less expensive to buy one from a third-party company than from a funeral home or cemetery.

What are other cemetery charges?

• Perpetual or endowment care

Some cemeteries bill a family annually for upkeep of a grave site and cemetery grounds. But more typically, a one-time maintenance fee, usually 5% to 15% of the plot price, is added into the cost of a grave. Most states require cemeteries to deposit this into a trust fund separate from other operating expenses.

• Opening and closing fee

In addition to the cost of the grave, the cemetery will charge an opening and closing fee at the time of burial. This covers the cost to dig the grave and fill it in once the casket is placed. The rate may vary according to the size of the grave, and time of day, week or year; it can range from about $300 to $1,500.

• Marker

The marker or headstone for a grave can be purchased from the cemetery, monument company, or even online, depending on the cemetery’s restrictions. Because regulation of cemeteries is lax, some will insist that you buy the headstone from them, or impose a ludicrous “inspection fee” for markers purchased elsewhere. This is legally questionable, but almost never investigated, unfortunately. Any engraving will be an extra charge, and installation can cost several hundred dollars. Expect to spend about $1,000 or more for the headstone, engraving and installation.

Are there less costly options?

• Cremation

More than half of the final arrangements today involve cremation. The ashes may be scattered, buried, placed in a columbarium niche, or kept at home. Some cemeteries permit more than one container in a regular grave, or sell small, less expensive plots in a special urn section. See our Brochure “Cremation Explained” for more details.

• Green burial

This simple, often low-cost choice is popular with those interested in preserving natural areas and conserving resources. The body is buried in a biodegradable coffin or shroud without a vault in a green or natural cemetery, or special section of a conventional cemetery. Our brochure, “Green Burial: An Environmentally Friendly Choice,” has more information.

• Home burial

If you or your family members own rural property, home burial may be an affordable option. Most states allow burial on private property outside city limits, but be sure to check your municipality’s zoning requirements and get the necessary permits. Keep in mind that unless you have established a family cemetery on your property, the land may be sold for other purposes. Courts generally recognize a right of access for descendants, but this is not guaranteed.