Question: We provide money for burial costs, including headstones, for patients who do not have resources to pay, and in-house memorial service costs for family members who have lost a loved one in our facility. Should we report these expenses as community benefit?
Recommendation: We do not recommend reporting the cost of memorial services for patients. This would be considered an extension of the excellent, compassionate care you are giving.
If you help pay for head stones and burial costs for a family who cannot afford the cost on their own, we recommend reporting the expense under Community Health Improvement A3.
(Updated November 2015)