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FEMA reported “technical difficulties” with its COVID-19 funeral assistance program, which launched Monday.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s program is paying a maximum of $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application.
FEMA reported receiving a high volume of calls on Monday, which caused “some technical issues,” a message on FEMA’s website says. “Some applicants are reaching operators, while others are receiving a busy signal.”
FEMA says it’s working to correct the technical issues.
“If your call was not able to connect, please try calling again later,” the website states.
People who want to apply for financial assistance must call FEMA first. The phone call should take about 20 minutes, according to FEMA. After getting an application number, people can upload supporting documentation to FEMA in a number of ways.
There have been more than 560,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the United States, including more than 5,800 in Iowa.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense grief for so many people,” acting FEMA Administrator Bob Fenton said in a release announcing the federal program. “Although we cannot change what has happened, we affirm our commitment to help with funeral and burial expenses that many families did not anticipate.”
There is no deadline to apply, according to FEMA. The following information — along with other resources — can be on the FEMA website for the program.
More: What is safe to do once you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19?
Who is eligible?
To be eligible for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions, according to FEMA:
- The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
- The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
- The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.
- There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien.
How to apply for funeral reimbursement
FEMA encourages people who have had COVID-19 funeral expenses to keep and gather funeral documentation. According to FEMA, the following types of information should include:
- An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
- Funeral expenses documents that include the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses happened.
- Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. FEMA is not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.
The application process opened Monday, April 12.
For assistance, you can call FEMA at 844-684-6333 or 800-462-7585 (TTY). Assistance is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT.
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13 of 13How are funds received?
Those eligible for funeral assistance will receive a check by mail, or funds by direct deposit, depending on which option you choose when you apply for assistance, according to FEMA.
FEMA warns about scams
According to FEMA, the funeral assistance program is working to reduce the chance of fraud. FEMA says it will not contact anyone until they have called FEMA or have applied for assistance. If you receive an unsolicited calls or emails, FEMA says you should not disclose information such as the name, birth date or Social Security number of any deceased family member.
If you doubt a FEMA representative is legitimate, FEMA says you should hang up and report it to its helpline at 800-621-3362 or the National Center for Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. Complaints also may be made by contacting local law enforcement agencies, FEMA says.
If you have questions about the program, FEMA has a FAQ page with more information.
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