The average amount awarded per death is $6,500, according to FEMA.
“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.
On Tuesday, the agency is launching 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.”
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.
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.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Who Qualifies For $6 Billion In Student Loan Forgiveness Announced By Biden AdministrationLast week, the Biden administration announced that it had identified 100,000 borrowers who will qualify for $6.2 billion in student loan forgiveness — but the loan forgiveness has been preliminarily approved under a specific program. Here’s who qualifies:
Read more »
US funeral assistance for COVID tops $2B, more eligibleThe federal government has provided more than $2 billion to help cover funeral costs for more than 300,000 families of people who died from COVID-19.
Read more »
U.S. funeral assistance for COVID-19 tops $2 billionThe federal government has provided more than $2 billion to help cover funeral costs for more than 300,000 families of people who died from COVID-19.
Read more »
Covid-19: Five Covid-related deaths and 506 in hospitalThe total number of deaths linked to the virus reported by Stormont's Department of Health is 3,258.
Read more »
Covid: Parts of Lincolnshire see Covid infections double in a weekHealth chiefs in Lincolnshire say the figure could be much higher due to fewer people testing.
Read more »
Covid-19: One Covid-related death and 463 in hospitalThe total number of deaths linked to the virus reported by Stormont's Department of Health is 3,253.
Read more »