If you have lost a loved one due to COVID, FEMA may be able to reimburse you for some funeral expenses.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already spent more than $1.5 billion dollars on funeral expenses since the pandemic began and there is still more money available.
FEMA says many people don't know about the benefit. To be eligible to have some funeral expenses covered, FEMA needs a death certificate dated after May16th of 2020 that clearly says the death is the result of COVID. Deaths that occurred earlier than that date could be covered if there is a note from a medical examiner.
Reimbursement money goes directly to families and now funeral homes are offering to help families apply for the benefit. In Texas, 21,000 families have applied for more than 141-million dollars in funeral expense help. More than 74,000 Texans have already died from COVID-19 and with new cases spiking again, medical experts worry that number could reach 100,000 later this year.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD