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Medical Examiner
 

Funeral Home Policies

Medical Examiner Policy - Funeral Homes with Outstanding Balances

  1. OBJECTIVE:
    Pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 59.36 and 59.38(1), which authorize the County Board to set fees for all services rendered by the medical examiner and require that such fees be collected by the Medical Examiner, this policy establishes procedures to ensure compliance. The fees may not exceed the amount reasonably related to the actual and necessary cost of providing the service, and Wis. Stat. § 59.365 places additional restrictions on the manner and extent of fee increases.

    The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures for funeral homes with significant outstanding balances owed to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office (MCMEO). This policy is designed to ensure timely payment for services rendered and to promote equitable and consistent treatment of all funeral homes.
     
  2. OVERVIEW:
    This policy applies to any funeral home that has an outstanding balance of $25,000.00 or more.
     
  3. PROCEDURE:
    • Upfront Payment Requirement - Funeral homes that meet the above threshold are required to pay all MCMEO fees up front for new cases until their past due balances are fully paid.
      • Fees include, but are not limited to:  Death Certificate, Cremation Permit, Body Transport, BioSeal, or other allowable fees.
    • Cremation Permits -  For funeral homes that meet the above threshold cremation permit fees must be paid by check at the time of the Medical Examiner’s viewing of the body at the MCMEO or at the funeral home. The body will not be viewed or a cremation permit issued until payment is received.
    • Body Releases - In cases where the decedent’s body is in the custody of the MCMEO, all fees (Death Certificate, Body Transport, Cremation Permit, and other applicable fees) must be paid by check at the time of pick-up.
    • Indigent Cases - In the event that a case initially paid up front is later determined to be indigent, the upfront payment will not be refunded. Instead, those funds will be applied to reduce the funeral home’s past due balance at the discretion of the MCMEO.
    • Enforcement - Failure to comply with this policy will result in the funeral home’s outstanding balance being immediately referred to state or private collections for enforcement and recovery. Nothing in this Policy precludes the MCMEO from sending any past due balances to state or private collections at any time they deem appropriate.

***Nothing in this policy shall be construed to limit the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office’s authority to require prepayment for services from any funeral home and/or to refer any outstanding balances to state or private collections, regardless of outstanding balance status, and such determinations shall be made solely at the discretion of the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office.***