Bill > H195

This bill modifies state regulations regarding funeral expense assistance by introducing several key provisions. The Department of Transitional Assistance will now require funeral establishments to publish their general price list on their website to qualify for full payment or reimbursement from state agencies. The bill establishes that when calculating funeral expenses for state assistance, certain "cash advance items" (services not directly provided by the funeral home and not included on their general price list) will be excluded from the total cost calculation. The state will continue to provide up to $2,000 in funeral expense assistance, but this assistance will only be available if the total funeral and final disposition costs do not exceed $7,000, again excluding those cash advance items. This change aims to increase transparency in funeral pricing and ensure that state assistance is more precisely targeted to direct funeral home services, potentially helping low-income individuals and families manage end-of-life expenses more effectively by clarifying what costs can be covered by state aid.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H195