Overview
The Department of Human Services (DHS) will help to pay for the burial or cremation services of some deceased citizens who faced financial hardships.
The DHS payment goes directly to the funeral director. The resources reported by the funeral director plus the DHS burial payment must be the entire bill for burial services. The funeral director may not accept payment from any other source to supplement the burial payment.
Determining Countable Resources
Your county assistance office (CAO) will determine the type and amount of available resources when payment is requested. The CAO will look at the following resources:
- The estate of the deceased;
- Other sources payable on the deceased’s behalf; or
- Contributions from relatives and friends.
The CAO notifies the funeral director in writing of all available resources that reduce the payment. The funeral director notifies the CAO of any available resources.
Calculate the DHS payment by adding the total value of countable resources and contributions by an agency or person.
Calculate Your Payment
You can calculate the burial payment by adding the total value of countable resources and contributions by an agency or person. The maximum payment is $750 if the total value of countable resources is $1,500 or more.
If the total value of resources is:
- Equal to or greater than $1,500 — DHS will not pay for burial or cremation, or both.
- Less than or equal to $750 — DHS’s payment is $750.
- Greater than $750, but less than $1,500 — DHS’s payment is the remainder after subtracting the amount from $1,500.
Burial Payment Eligibility
Burial expenses may be paid for a deceased person who meets at least one of the following requirements.
- Eligible and authorized for cash assistance at the time of death. Cash assistance includes:
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- State Blind Pension (SBP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- State Supplementary Payment (SSP)
- Title IV-E Placement Maintenance
- A former cash recipient whose benefits were discontinued due to hospitalization and who died while in the hospital or within three months of the date of admission.
- This includes a person whose cash assistance (TANF, SBP or SSI) was discontinued because of institutionalization and who died within three months from the admission date. This applies to institutionalization in a nursing home, assisted living facility or an inpatient psychiatric facility.
- A person whose cash assistance is discontinued due to imprisonment and who dies while incarcerated does not qualify for a burial payment regardless of the begin date for the imprisonment.
- A cash recipient’s stillborn child or child who died so soon after birth that assistance could not be authorized.
- A member of a cash recipient’s family if the following conditions are met:
- The deceased person formerly received assistance with the family.
- The deceased person was living with the family at the time of death
- The deceased person was planning to apply to be added to the assistance unit or the recipient had plans to apply for the person, and
- The person would have been eligible, but died before cash assistance could be authorized.
- A person who was receiving payment toward the cost of Long-Term Care (LTC) prior to January 1, 1973 and has continuously received LTC since that time.
NOTE: These conditions apply even if the person did not die in Pennsylvania.
Application Process
You can make a request for burial payments at your local CAO. Request can be made orally or in writing. When the CAO receives your request, it will determine if the following criteria are met before sending a Burial Payment Request Form (PA 118) to the requestor:
- The deceased person’s assistance status meets the requirements to qualify for payment.
- The request is made by an acceptable representative.
- The initial request is made prior to the actual burial. If not, determine the reasons for the delay.
- The funeral director is an enrolled provider. If not enrolled, refer the funeral director to the Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP) for enrollment.
The total value of the deceased person’s countable resources is $1,499 or less.
The request for payment should be made by one of the following:
- A relative
- A legal guardian
- A friend
- A representative of a state institution
- A representative of a fraternal society of which the deceased was a member
- A representative of a charitable or religious organization
The CAO will not accept an initial request from a funeral director or from anyone acting for the funeral director. The funeral director may arrange with the CAO for a request for payment on behalf of any of the persons listed above.
A request originated by a person other than those listed above must be accompanied by an "unfit" certificate issued by the Human Gifts Registry, Department of Health, declaring the body unfit for anatomical purposes.
The request for payment is normally accepted only when it is made before burial. If the request is made after the burial, the CAO will determine the reasons for the delay. The CAO will not deny a burial payment because it received the request after the burial.
The CAO must submit a Burial Payment Request Form (PA118) within 30 days of the date of death. If the request is made after 30 days from the date of death, the CAO will include a statement explaining the reasons for the delay.
Payment for burial is made to funeral directors who are enrolled with OMAP. Funeral directors are subject to the same enrollment procedures and requirements as medical providers. Payment cannot be made to funeral directors who are not enrolled with OMAP. If the CAO does not know if the funeral director is enrolled, it must use the MA Provider Inquiry transaction to determine the funeral director’s status.
Funeral directors may call 1-800-537-8862 to request enrollment information or to receive a paper copy of the application. The funeral director may also enroll by completing an enrollment application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Calculate the DHS payment by adding the total value of countable resources and contributions by an agency or person.
If the total value of resources is:
- • Equal to or greater than $1,500 – DHS will not pay for burial or cremation, or both.
- • Less than or equal to $750 – DHS’s payment is $750.
- • Greater than $750, but less than $1,500 – DHS’s payment is the remainder after subtracting the amount from $1,500.
Example: The deceased was a member of a local fraternal organization that donates $800 towards funeral expenses.
$1,500 - $800 = $700
The DHS payment is $700.
Total funeral expenses cannot exceed $1,500 after combining the total value of countable resources and the DHS payment.
Count the total value of the following resources to determine the amount of the burial payment:
55 Pa. Code § 283.22
- A burial reserve and burial space.
- Contributions of money or goods such as a casket, urn, burial plot, crypt or vault.
- Cash on hand in the estate of the deceased.
- Other personal property in the estate of the deceased that can be readily converted into cash and is not required to meet the basic needs of the survivors.
- Life insurance death benefits paid to a person or organization when that person or organization paid the insurance premiums and had an agreement with the insured to use the benefits for the deceased's burial, cremation, or both.
- Burial or cremation benefits, or both, from a lodge or fraternal organization.
- A lump-sum death benefit from the Social Security Administration (SSA) payable to a surviving spouse or to a funeral director:
The person who assumed responsibility for payment of the funeral expenses may authorize that the lump-sum payment be paid to the funeral director. DHS, at the funeral director’s request, may authorize that the lump-sum payment be paid to the funeral director if one of the following occurs:
The person who assumed responsibility for payment of the funeral expenses does not authorize the payment to the funeral director. The SSA determines that the person who arranged burial, cremation, or both did not assume responsibility. The DHS will not pay costs for burial or cremation, or both, until the funeral director provides definite information about payment of the lump-sum death benefit. - A lump-sum death benefit from railroad retirement payable to a surviving spouse or a funeral director.
- Benefits available from county commissioners on behalf of deceased widows of deceased veterans.
- Benefits available for burial in a national cemetery.
- Workers compensation benefits designated for burial or cremation, or both, if death results from an accident or injuries sustained in connection with the deceased’s employment.
- Awards resulting from accidental death not connected with the deceased’s employment. Pending awards do not reduce DHS’s payment. When an award is pending, DHS will pay for burial or cremation, or both, and seek recovery when the award is made.
- Department of Veterans Affairs death benefits.
- Death benefits from the United Mine Workers of America welfare and retirement or health and retirement funds.
Do not count these resources in determining the amount of the burial payment:
Small contributions such as the value of articles of clothing, transportation of the funeral party, newspaper obituaries, flowers and religious services
Pennsylvania offers assistance and other services to people and families in need at locations in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 county’s. Caseworkers are available to help you and answer your questions in person or over the phone, if the office is closed to the public. Find a Pennsylvania CAO location near you.
Funeral directors may call 1-800-537-8862 to request enrollment information or to receive a paper copy of the application. The funeral director may also enroll by completing an enrollment application.