January 2012

Dear Members,

Identification Fees The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently issued an opinion letter indicating that unless your state legally mandates identification of the decedent prior to cremation, the funeral home may not require the family to purchase identification services in order to cremate. Pennsylvania does not have any law that mandates identification prior to cremation. However, it is this author's opinion not to require identification would constitute negligence. There are numerous cases where funeral honmes did not insist on identification and have been successfully sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars because the wrong body was cremated. The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) disagrees with the FTC on this matter and has requested reconsideration of their opinion letter. We will keep you informed on any developments in this matter. Source: Kathleen K. Ryan, PFDA General Counsel

Instruction Manual for Completing a Death Certificate The Division of Vital Records 2012 Instruction Manual for Completing a Death Certificate is available to download on the PFDA website. Go to the PFDA website at www.pfda.org, click on "Member Resources", next under Division of Vital Records in the left column click on "Death Cert Registration Manual." You have the option to read the manual online or to print it. The current instruction manual provides the information for funeral directors, physicians and others responsible for completing and filing death certificates in Pennsylvania. In addition to the general instructions you will find responses from the Division of Vital Records to frequently asked questions related to death certificates.

UPDATED: Pennsylvania Deaprtment of Public Welfare County Burial Reserve Limits You can obtain a listing of the updated PA Burial Reserve Limits by county on the PFDA website at www.pfda.org. On the Home Page, click on "Member Resources", click on "Department of Public Welfare" and then "Burial Reserve Limits." In some counties, the amounts allowed have been increased while in a few other counties the amounts have been decreased.

We will never forget ... 9-11-01... In Shanksville, a private funeral was held at the Flight 93 National Memorial for Remains from Flight 93. The funeral in Shanksville on September 12, 2011, was for the first heroes of the War on Terror and their families. The funeral took place at the newly completed memorial for those heroes of Flight #93. Although remains were recovered from that sacred crash site and returned to families, there were also remains that were found but unable to be positively identified. Those remains were placed in one of three caskets and, for 10 years, those caskets were secretly entombed in a mausoleum in Windber, PA about 30 miles from Shanksville. Click here to read the rest of this article. Source: Patrick Lanigan, CFSP, Lanigan Funeral Homes, East Pittsburgh.

NFDA Calls for Formaldehyde Research The National Funeral Directors Association was one of 21 associations and trade organizations to sign a letter calling on the Department of Health and Human Services, to commission a definitive study on the alleged link between formaldehyde exposure and leukemia. The letter was sponsored by the American Chemistry Council (ACC). Earlier this year, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) issued a substance profile that asserts formaldehyde is a "known human carcinogen."

The NTP's action contradicted the findings and conclusions of a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) independent scientific review of a draft formaldehyde assessment by the Environmental Protection Agency. While the NTP stated that the NAS committee's review is of limited applicability to its own formaldehyde evaluation, according to the ACC, the varying pronouncements have led to unnecessary public anxiety and significant, negative commercial consequences for the numerous uses and applications of formaldehyde. Source: NFDA

2011 Funeral Directors Survey Results Concerns about profitability and a variety of related business issues topped the list of findings from the 2011 Funeral Directors Survey conducted by Citrin Cooperman. n this regard, many respondents are making efforts to cut or control costs. Funeral directors have resumed taking action to improve their pricing structure. Average pricing for services has increased significantly, especially for direct cremation and immediate burials, as funeral directors seek to replace lost profits. These price increases were seen across all service types and all regions surveyed. Average salaries for funeral directors stayed relatively unchanged. The one exception to this was for funeral directors with over 15 years' experience. For this group, compensation continues to rise as their experience adds greater value to an industry that requires ever-increasing customization of funeral services.

For the first time in the history of this survey, the specter of cremation did not appear as the biggest issue or the most negative change affecting the industry. Instead the principal concern became the public's increased desire for non-traditional, low-cost funerals and the shift away from full service replaced cremations as the most important and problematic issue in the industry.

Responses also show that the industry is adapting to change through increased service and product offering options and greater flexibility. The sale of customized merchandise is gaining increased acceptance among both funeral directors and the families they serve.
This year's survey showed modest, yet significant increases in average prices for services. The average price for basic services was up over 5% compared to 2010. There were also across-the-board increases in all service categories and in virtually all regions. There were increases in the average prices for direct cremation (6%) and immediate burial (5%) - services that have traditionally yielded minimal profits.

Interestingly, some regions that had higher charges for the "typical" traditional funeral (NJ, CT and downstate NY) showed some of the largest increases in pricing. In contrast, service prices for lower cost PA and upstate NY funerals had smaller increases. Contact Ed Horton at www.citrincooperman.com to obtain the full report. Source: Executive Summary - September 2011 of Citrin Cooperman Funeral Directors Survey CN, NJ, NY & PA with additional data from elsewhere in the U.S.

State Board Disciplinary Actions A listing of disciplinary or corrective measures taken by the State Board of Funeral directors is available on the PFDA website at www.pfda.org. Click on "Member Resources", "State Board Activity" and then "Board Disciplinary Actions".

New OSHA Publication Reviews Employer Rights and Responsibilities Following an Inspection OSHA has published a new booklet, available free to employers, entitled "Employers Rights and Responsibilities Following a Federal OSHA Inspection." The booklet contains information about what happens after an inspection; the types of OSHA violations and penalties that can be assessed; how to contest an OSHA violation, among other important issues related to an inspection. It also provides contact information, such as phone numbers for free OSHA consultations and compliance assistance.

The publication can be downloaded from the "Publications" page on the OSHA website at www.osha.gov. You may also call OSHA to order a printed copy of the brochure at no charge. Call 1-800-321-OSHA and request OSHA document number 3000-09R 2011.

It's a New Year - Time to Fire Up Your Business:

"Profit-building conference - regardless of the size of your business"

PFDA WINTER MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
February 21 - 23, 2012
The Inn at Leola Village, Leola (Lancaster)

Take a look at the line-up of speakers & their programs - the goal is ALL content and NO fluff!!

• Come hear Bill McQueen, CFSP, CPA, Esquire --- one of the most forward thinking business people in the funeral profession today, whose family firm has taken funeral services to new levels of success by making simple changes that are paying off BIG!!
  • Here's how you will benefit from Bill's experiences - you will learn where to focus your efforts in order to Maximize your Dollars - Bill will give you the information, including the tools, tips, & ideas --- on increasing business opportunities!!!
  • Technology - like it or not -is here to stay! Learn ways to use Smartphones & other Digital Media to boost sales & serve more families - it's the way of doing funeral business today.
  • Plenty of opportunities to speak about your own questions & concerns related to your business.
  • Earn up to 6 approved hours of CE credits
  • Lots of Fun & Fellowship time built into the agenda

REGISTER TODAY to attend the WMC & "be sure to treat your loving partner to a fun-filled few days."

The Inn at Leola Village has a variety of activities - pampering spa, restaurants with good food, great shopping opportunities & many attractions in nearby Lancaster - they will have a wonderful time!

CIRCLE June 11- 14 on your calendars

Plans are well underway for the PFDA Convention & Expo

"Achieve What You Believe"

Holiday Inn Harrisburg/Hershey, Grantville, PA
9th benefit Golf Classic - June 12 at Manada Golf Course

Birth and Death Records New legislation recently approved by Governor Corbett amends the Vital Statistics Law providing for disclosure of records by adding that when 105 years have elapsed after the date of birth or 50 years have elapsed after the date of death, the records shall become public records. The records shall be maintained by the State Archives. Act 110 shall take effect on February 12, 2012.

New Requirements at Arlington National Cemetery The following are several procedural and process changes at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). Please take note of these and, if you have any questions, contact Arlington National Cemetery's Customer Service Call Center at 877-907-8585.

 A copy of the Death Certificate is required as of January 1, 2012.

 Cremation Certificate must be brought to the cemetery for all cremated remains for inurnment or interment.

 Receipt of Remains: In order to establish the chain of custody for casketed remains, the agent of the licensed funeral service provider (funeral home or surface transportation service) will be required to sign a statement identifying the remains and transferring custody to ANC.

 Shorter Waiting Period for Call Back: When a family or a funeral director calls ANC to schedule a funeral the caller is given a case number. ANC calls families and funeral directors in the same sequence as their case number. According to ANC, funeral homes are being called back within 2-3 days and families are called back within a week.

 Saturday Funerals will be scheduled only for cremated remains when no military support is required. A family that would like to inurn cremated remains in the columbarium would have to supply their religious support and hand carry the remains themselves. ANC is also scheduling in ground burial of cremated remains on Saturday. There is usually no waiting period for a Saturday funeral.

 Urn Liners: ANC provides a concrete urn liner to all families that have elected in ground burial of an urn. The concrete urn liner will virtually eliminate the risk of an urn being separated from its grave or of cremated remains being misidentified.

In Remembrance

William H. Labenberg, age 76, died on November 28, 2011 in the Lehigh Valley Hospital. He was the husband of Judith (Schmoyer) Labenberg. Bill was a former teacher in the East Penn School District and assisted his family at the Schmoyer Funeral Home in Breinigsville for over 50 years.

Complete obituary is available on the PFDA website at www.pfda.org