Not enough Americans taking advantage of government assistance to pay COVID-19 funeral costs
Activists gather during a vigil in Lafayette Park for nurses who died during the COVID-19 pandemic on January 13, 2022, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - The federal government has provided more than $2 billion to help cover funeral costs for more than 300,000 families of people who have died from COVID-19, yet not enough people either know about the access to funding or have applied to get help.
According to a report from Kaiser Health News, fewer than half of eligible families have even begun their applications to cover funeral costs, something that has been provided for by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since April 2021.
On average, the families that have received funding have obtained an average of $6,500, yet many families are still unaware that the money is still available.
To solve this problem, FEMA said in March that it is launching a new campaign to raise awareness about the aid to eligible families.
The number of people killed by COVID-19 in the United States reached 1 million, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University on May 18.
While the average amount awarded per death is $6,500, according to FEMA, the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program provides up to $9,000 per funeral and covers COVID-19 related deaths since Jan. 20, 2020.
"FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program has helped provide over 300,000 people with critical financial relief during a time of such unexpected, unimaginable and widespread loss," said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell in a statement.
The agency has already launched a new paid ad campaign in California, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas targeted at areas with large rates of COVID-19 deaths but lower rates of reimbursement requests to help connect people to available assistance. The agency is also reaching out to community groups and local media outlets to help publicize the program.
"Our new outreach campaign is designed to reach families, especially across underserved communities, where the cost of a funeral can be a financial burden to a loved one," said Criswell. "Our goal is to help families apply for assistance, as well as submit all required documents for existing applications."
How do I receive the funds?
To be eligible for reimbursement, death certificates for those who died after May 16, 2020, must indicate that the death was attributed to COVID-19.
For deaths that occurred in the early months of the pandemic — from Jan. 20 to May 16, 2020 — death certificates must be accompanied with a signed statement from a medical examiner, coroner or the certifying official listed on the certificate indicating that COVID-19 was the cause or a contributing cause of death.
What do the funds cover?
Expenses covered under the FEMA program include funeral services, cremation and interment, as well as the costs for caskets or urns, burial plots or cremation niches, markers or headstones, transportation or transfer of remains, clergy or officiant services, and the use of funeral home equipment or staff.
The program was first signed into law in the waning days of President Donald Trump’s administration but began accepting applications weeks into President Joe Biden’s term. The initial bill provided $2 billion for funeral assistance, which was exhausted in recent days. Funding going forward will come from Biden’s 2021 relief bill known as the "American Rescue Plan."
How to apply?
FEMA is not accepting online applications for the reimbursement program. People eligible are directed to call the agency’s helpline 844-684-6333 where they will be prompted to submit the required documentation.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.