Does Medicaid Offer Funeral Assistance?

• by Christian Worstell
• January 12, 2024
• Reviewed by John Krahnert

Many people will rely on Medicaid for health care assistance during the final months, weeks or days of a loved one’s life. But what about after a person’s passing?

In this guide, we explore whether or not Medicaid provides any financial assistance for funerals, burials or cremations.

Does Medicaid pay for funeral expenses?

Medicaid does not generally provide any financial assistance for funeral services.

Medicaid benefits are determined by the individual state in which they are offered, however, and some states do provide Medicaid assistance for burials and funerals. Some states may also offer funeral assistance outside of the state’s official Medicaid coverage.

It’s worth noting that most state Medicaid programs exclude burial funds and burial spaces from countable resources used to determine Medicaid eligibility. This means a funeral plot or other type of memorial won’t be counted as a financial asset and won’t affect your Medicaid eligibility.

Below is a summary of state funeral assistance offered in each state.

Which state Medicaid programs don’t cover funerals?

None of these state Medicaid programs offer funeral cost assistance at the state level.

It’s important to note that if you live in one of these states, you may be able to find other resources or other local programs in your county to help pay for a funeral.

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California (unless the death falls under the California victim’s compensation program)
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Washington

Again, the state Medicaid programs listed above may provide some funeral and/or burial assistance at the county or municipal level despite not offering any statewide benefits. You may also be able to find other non-Medicaid resources to help pay for funeral costs.

Which state Medicaid programs help cover funerals?

Alaska

Up to $2,500 is available to tribal members through the General Relief Assistance program. 

Colorado

Colorado Medicaid has a burial assistance program that provides up to $1,500 toward the cost of a funeral as long as the total cost of the services are no more than $2,500 and all other Medicaid eligibility requirements are met. 

Connecticut

Those covered under the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Aid to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled (AABD) may qualify for up to $1,000 in assistance. 

Delaware

Indigent individuals may receive up to $1,500 toward a burial is one of the state’s pauper cemeteries.

Hawaii

Up to $400 for burials and $400 for funeral services are available when certain eligibility requirements are met.

Illinois

Assistance is available to those receiving support from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Aid to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled (AABD), All Kids Assist and other programs. Up to $1,103 for funerals and $552 for burial or cremation is available. 

Indiana

Up to $1,200 for funerals and $800 for burial services are available for those eligible for specific categories of Medicaid.

Maine

The Maine General Assistance Program offers up to $785 for cremation and $1,125 for burials and is administered through the local municipality. 

Maryland

Burial and funeral assistance is available to individuals who receive aid through the Maryland Department of Human Services. Benefits are capped at $650 for funerals that do not exceed $2,500 in costs. 

Massachusetts

Those receiving state assistance may be eligible for up to $1,100 in funeral and burial aid. The funeral or burial may not exceed $3,500 in costs. 

Michigan

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services offers up to $600 in assistance through its Home and Burial Services program.

New Jersey

Up to $2,246 for funerals and $524 for cemetery costs is available through the New Jersey Department of Human Services. Family contributions may not exceed $1,570. 

New Mexico

Those receiving financial and medical assistance can receive up to $200 to put toward funeral expenses and up to $600 for burial costs. 

Pennsylvania

Up to $750 is available through the county Human Services offices to those receiving Social Security benefits or who are eligible for benefits through the Department of Human Services. 

Rhode Island

The state’s General Assistance program, which is administered through the Department of Human Services, offers up to $900 for burial expenses. 

Vermont 

Vermont offers burial assistance through its General Assistance program administered through the state’s counties with up to $1,100 in available aid. 

Virginia

Assistance is available to those enrolled in the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Benefits vary by county. 

West Virginia

The Indigent Burial Program offers up to $1,250 in burial costs. 

Wisconsin

Up to $1,500 in funeral expenses may be reimbursed through the Wisconsin Funeral and Cemetery Aids Program. Eligibility requires enrollment in one of Wisconsin’s various assistance programs such as Medicaid. 

Wyoming

The Department of Family Services offers up to $500 in most cases with veterans qualifying for additional aid. 

Does Medicaid cover cremation?

Cremations are generally not covered by Medicaid, but some states may offer financial assistance for cremations either inside or outside of the state’s Medicaid benefits. 

Many of the states listed above that funeral cost help may include cremation costs, so check with your individual state for more information. 

Does Medicare cover funerals?

Medicare does not provide any cost assistance for funerals, burials or cremations. However, there are a number of Medicare benefits related to hospice care and other end-of-life care.

Those who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid may be able to enroll in a type of Medicare Advantage plan called a Dual-eligible Special Needs Plan, or D-SNP.

These plans are specifically tailored to the needs of someone with both Medicare and Medicaid. Speak to a licensed Medicare agent to learn about any D-SNP plans available where you live.

About the author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.

 

 

​

Read less