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Rob’s Association Update 01/12/2020

Published: January 13, 2020
by Randi Kimes

Welcome to Rob’s Corner where I get to share items of interest in the funeral service profession within our state and on a national level.

In 2020 the FTC will conduct a rule review on whether or not to “open the rule”. When this occurs, there will be a period of comment submission. Then a decision will be made to “open the rule” or to leave it as it is. Even if it is opened up, there is little to no chance that cemeteries will be placed under the rule. No time table has been set. Hurry up and maybe something will happen rule revision…. federal government at its finest.
NFDA may move leadership to Washington D.C. every other year to coincide with its Advocacy Summit.The latest statistics show increased cremation percentages with the most popular cremation “disposition” being scattering, cemetery usage is decreasing, and casketed sale funerals are decreasing, pet funeral services and sales are on the rise.
If you don’t have an Employee handbook at your facility…you should consider having one developed, especially with a social media standard.19 states now allow alkaline hydrolysis. Human composting is now an option in the Pacific Northwest, and now we have Promession. Promession is the process of freeze drying an individual then vibrating the deceased until the body breaks down small pieces and then placed into a bio-degradable bag then buried. Proponents of this process is looking to forward this process through the state of Kansas. This procedure has only been tried upon animals and has not been actually done to a human.
The 2020 Legislative session has started and I will keep you up to date as bills that may affect us are dropped into the session. Some of the topics that may come up this session are: solicitation of business, WV Board of Funeral Service (all Chapter 30 boards), professional license changes, and indigent burial program.
Speaking of the indigent burial program, the program still has funds and should through the fiscal year. If the funds start to get to critical levels or look to run out, the DHHR has sent out notices in the past and I would let the membership know immediately.
Federated Insurance is our new preferred provider replacing State Auto as the Associations recommended insurance provider of your business assets and workers compensation.
The WV Pre-need Trust had a nice year. At the end of November, the Trust was at 11.11%, we expedited our claims procedures and developed a plan for those monthly installment deposits from clients. We now offer the ability to have funds withdrawn from a client’s account directly to their funeral trust account without the funeral home doing paperwork each month and sending the deposit in for them. If you have questions on the trust, call me at 304-345-4711.

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