Category Archives: Funerals

Bio Cremation bill passed in California

Recently we wrote about a new, green form of cremation – bio cremation from resomation.   On Thursday, May 6th the California State Assembly unanimously approved a bill which makes this process legal in California. 

In 2008, more than 45% of the deceased in California were cremated.  With that large a percentage choosing cremation, it’s good to know that there will soon be another, more environmentally safe alternative available. 

Because the equipment for this process is quite expensive, it is impossible to predict how quickly bio cremation will come to a funeral home near you.  However, one mortuary in Corona has already voiced interest in using this process and more will definitely follow now that it’s legal.

Bio Cremation – a new, green form of cremation

This week the California legislature is voting on a bill that will make bio cremation another legal way to dispose of human remains; it will provide an eco-friendlier alternative to the current choices – burial or cremation.

What makes bio cremation via resomation different? 

The current alternatives – traditional cremation and burial pose threats to the environment.

Cremation uses fossil fuels which are regulated by environmental officials and which have the potential to add to pollution because of their green house gas emissions.  Burial poses another environmental threat, primarily because of the chemicals such as formaldehyde that are used in embalming fluids; formaldehyde is a toxic chemical that eventually leaks into the ground as the body decomposes.

Bio cremation via resomation, on the other hand, does not use anything toxic or harmful to the environment.  According to a representative of Matthews International, exclusive distributor of bio cremation equipment for the United States, this new option uses a process called alkaline hydrolysis.  This process reduces a body to dry bone residue which can be buried in a cemetery or returned to the family in an urn just like the currently available options.  In case you’ve never heard of alkaline hydrolysis, it’s basically the same natural process that occurs in our small intestines to aid digestion of foods after we eat.  But for bio cremation it’s done in a big stainless steel cylinder and uses 95% water in an alkaline solution.

What does bio cremation cost?

In the short run, the cost to the consumer should be no more than $300 – $500 higher than that of traditional cremation, a small premium to pay to better protect our environment.  This premium is necessitated by the high initial investment that will need to be made by crematoriums, etc. to purchase the necessary equipment. 

Where is the process legal?

Although the bio cremation process has been legal in Europe for awhile, it is just gaining approval in the United States.

Florida was the first state to legalize this process, followed closely by Maine and Minnesota.  It is anticipated that the California legislature will approve bio cremation this week.  And approval by legislatures in Colorado, Nebraska, Arizona and Washington State is expected soon.

Adoption will be slower in other states, due in part to the fact that many of their legislatures don’t meet again until 2011.

What do consumers think?

Consumer testing of the concept has been very positive with some people commenting that they are pleased that there is finally a funeral service offering that is relevant to today.

Medical Identity Theft

  • Identity theft is a huge problem in this country, not only for the living but for the deceased as well. Thieves steal Social Security numbers and other identity information and then apply for credit in the name of someone else. It can take years to untangle the ensuing mess that occurs once the theft has been discovered. A book, shortly to be released by Die Smart, “Grave Robbers – How to Prevent Identity Theft of the Deceased”, gives valuable information on what to do so this doesn’t happen to the identity of a family member or other loved one who has died.

There’s another kind of identity theft, one that’s not as well known but equally as critical an issue – that of medical identity theft. It occurs when someone steals your personal information (like your name, Social Security number or Medicare number) in order to obtain medical care, buy drugs or submit fake billings to Medicare in your name.

In addition to disrupting your lie and damaging your credit rating, the damage can be life threatening to you if the wrong information ends up in your medical records.

There are steps you can take to stop medical identity theft from happening to you.

  • Guard your Medicare and Social Security numbers. Treat them in the same way as you treat your credit cards.
    Be suspicious of anyone who offers you free medical equipment or services and then requests your Medicare number. Similarly, be suspicious if someone offers you free groceries or transportation in exchange for your number.
    If someone calls you claiming to be conducting a survey and asks for your Medicare number, hang up.
    Don’t give information to people who claim to be from Medicare or Social Security and ask for payment over the phone or the internet.
    Check all of the medical bills, Medicare summary notices, explanation of benefits and credit reports you receive.

When reviewing paperwork, ask the following questions:
Were you charged for any medical services or equipment that you didn’t receive?
Do the dates of services or charges look unfamiliar?
Were you billed for the same thing twice?
Does your credit report show any unpaid bills for medical services or equipment you didn’t receive?
Have you received any collection notices for medical services or equipment you didn’t receive?
If the answer to any of the above is “yes”, contact your healthcare provider. There may just be a mistake on your bill.
If your complaint isn’t resolved by your healthcare provider, contact Medicare.

If you suspect Medicare fraud, contact the Department of Health and Human Services Officer of Inspector General.
If you think someone is misusing your personal information, contact the Federal Trade Commission.
If a family member is receiving medical care and is unable to check his or her own bills, be sure to validate all of the information on them every time a new invoice is received. Don’t let medical identity theft happen to you or someone you love.

Source: http://www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/idtheft/

Maybe you can’t buy a casket online – in Georgia!

Costco has been selling caskets over the internet for the last five years. But, because of regulations that make a sale in that state unattractive, they are not selling them in Georgia.

As soon as Walmart recently announced that they are also going to be selling caskets online, they received a letter from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office. That letter told them that they are required to register with the state if they want to sell funeral merchandise and, until that process has been completed, they cannot sell caskets in Georgia.

So if you live in Georgia and want to buy a casket, at least for now you’ll have to do it the old fashioned way – buy it from a casket store or a funeral parlor. You won’t be able to buy it from Costco or Walmart online.