Expert: Lisa Carlson - 9/24/2006

Question

-------------------------

Followup To: First let me think you for such quick respond to my question,Secondly my father was on medicaid,that the one and only thing he had going for him.so what if any assit can he get from the city,county or state.I'm in so really bad help for his burial.

Question -
My father yet just died about three days ago and to the best of my knowledge he has no insur.. or money saved.His second wife of whom he has been marriage to have know way to cover all the expense.Is there anyway we can get some type of State Or Goverment assit.

Answer -
Unless your father was on Medicaid, it is unlikely there is any financial assistance from the city, state, or county. Furthermore, I know of no organizations that help pay for funerals.

If the family has already had the body picked up by the funeral home, I can only advise you of the low-cost options you might consider, including donating his body to a medical school for study, if the body has not already been embalmed. The medical school will then cremate the body and return the cremated remains to the family after study is complete.

In most states, a family may handle all funeral arrangements without a funeral director, if all paperwork is in order. You can build the box and drive the body to the cemetery or crematory. You will have the expense of either, however, if you are not considering body donation.

Answer
A hospital or nursing home social worker would know. He must have had a Medicaid social worker, now that I think about it. The funeral director will also know, although he/she may try to pry a lot more money out of the family. In what state did your father die?