Posts Tagged ‘federal trade commission’

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Thomas Lynch in article at the Huffington Post has bamboozled, and hijacked the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights for his own agenda. In the Huff Post article he puts online Casket sellers in the same league with as Clayton Smart and the archbishop of  Detroit, funeral criminals.

Yes the Bereaved Consumers Protection act will regulate online casket sellers, which now constitute  a big threat to the funeral industry and the home town funeral home. They do disclose their prices, so what is the big deal?

“Online Caskets are hurting the traditional funeral homes business big time and helping the funeral consumer. Lynch Goes after the Funeral Corporations in his article. I agree with that. He says there should be no religious exemption to HR 355. I agree. But the situation right now there is that exemption in the new legislation.

Snippet from Huff Post:

A bill currently working its way through the US Congress, known as The Bereaved Consumer Bill of Rights (HR 3655) would bring all “vendors” of mortuary wares — Amazon and Costco, archbishops and their factotums — under the same consumer protections the Federal Trade Commission applied to funeral homes back in the mid-1980′s. It was stalled in May by an amendment proposed to exempt church-owned cemeteries. It comes up for a Energy and Commerce Committee vote in the coming week.

That amendment should be rejected and the bill should become law. When archbishops partner with moguls, whether prayed over or preyed upon, consumers need all the protections they can get.

Thomas Lynch is a writer and a funeral director in Milford, Michigan.”

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Funeral Industry|Funeral News|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy


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Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
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The Bereaved  Consumers Bill of Rights Act, HR 3655  Land Mark Cemetery legislation has made it through the House Energy Commerce Committee by a vote of 15-12.

This is a significant step forward to ending Future Scandals like those that occurred at Burr Oak Cemetery, Eden Memorial Park, in 2009.

Amendments to the legislation where allowed for religious and non profit cemeteries.

This legislation  if Passed  by the United States House of Representatives will require that the large cemetery corporations like Service Corporation International and Stewart Enterprises will have to disclose Their prices to customers asking for cemetery and crematory services.

H. R. 3655, the “Bereaved Consumer’s Bill of Rights Act”

(ordered favorably reported to the House, amended, by voice vote)

via http://energycommerce.house.gov/

This is good news for the funeral and Cemetery Consumers  for the enactment of Funeral Rule 2.

Prices will have to be disclosed in advance  at for profit cemeteries. Folks who have  a complaint on how they have been  mistreated at cemeteries. may soon be able to complain to the Federal Trade Commission.

This legislation is also known as the Rush Bill. It was presented by Congressman Bobby Rush.


Funeral Industry| Funeral News|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.


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Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
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The Federal Trade Commision (FTC)in 2008 found funeral homes to be out of compliance with the law. The most basic compliance under the funeral rule is to give each customer a general price list and show the customer a casket price list.

Many funeral homes have little regard for the law only the money

FTC enforcement of the Funeral Rule  is usually  minimal. There is no excuse for these violations. Funeral Directors know the law and as shown below often have little regard for it.

FTC inspections during 2008 revealed a mixed compliance record:

  • In Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska, two of 11 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; five had minor compliance deficiencies.
  • In Northeastern Arkansas, 11 of 15 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; four had minor compliance deficiencies.
  • In Orange County, California, two significant violations were found among 18 funeral homes inspected; nine had minor compliance deficiencies.
  • In Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, one of 16 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; seven had minor compliance deficiencies.
  • In Nassau County, New York, two of 18 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; three had minor compliance deficiencies.
  • In Toledo, Ohio, one of 15 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; nine had minor compliance deficiencies.
  • In San Antonio, Texas, seven of 11 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; one had minor compliance deficiencies.

via www.ftc.gov

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog  by Your Funeral guy


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Friday, March 19th, 2010
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A Casket on sale at Walmart for less than $1000 USD

Connecting Directors.com and the Funeral Consumers Alliance are saying that the sale of third party & Walmart Caskets are causing funeral homes to raise their prices on their basic service fee.

The walmart casket purchase has the funeral industry up in arms. Finally after 17 years some funeral homes appear to be embracing third party caskets. This can be seen as good for the funeral consumer and coming in under the average cost of a funeral.

But at the same time many of these funeral homes are raising their  basic service fees to compensate. Connecting directors.com is advocating this-essentially consumer rip off while the Funeral Consumers Alliance  is reporting it as not a helpful thing to those who want to save on Funeral Expenses.

One thing is certain purchasing a casket at walmart will contribute to openness and honesty in the Funeral Industry.

Take note the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)has recently ruled that you can negotiate the basic services fee on alternative services. o this and you will come in under the average cost of a Funeral.

Funeral directors willingly accepting third party caskets and raising their basic service fee is significant funeral news.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

You can come in under the average cost of a funeral in 2010-Click Here

Your Funeral guy has been a member of the Funeral Consumers Alliance and ConnectingDirectors.com but has not received compensation beyond member benefits.

Your Funeral Guy is not affiliated with WalMart


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Monday, December 28th, 2009
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A group of Independent Funeral directors have Reported on the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act. The Order of the Golden Rule (OGR)  has reported on the new Cemetery Reform legislation in the Congress.  The legislation was  created in response to the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal near Chicago, Illinois.

Burr Oak Cemetery

Burr Oak Cemetery

U. S. Rep. Bobby Rush, Ill., introduced the Bereaved Consumer’s Bill of Rights Act, Oct. 3 in the wake of the Burrr Cemetery scandal in Chicago last summer when law enforcement officials charged four Burr Oak employees for moving buried bodies in order to re-sell the burial plots., Rush chairs the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection. In a written statement, Rush says his act would bring more regulations to the cemetery industry across the country. He says it would help prevent another Burr Oak from occurring. in late September a state panel investigating the matter also called on more government oversight of the cemetery industry. The four Burr Oak employees have pleaded not guilty. Following the Burr Oak discovery in July, Rush held hearings and promised to find some way to avoid another Burr Oak by protecting consumers. On Monday, he introduced a bill that gives more teeth to an already existing Federal Trade Commission rule that prohibits deceptive practices by the funeral industry. The bill will require cemeteries to keep clear records.”-Read more

via ogr.org

The Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act is also known as the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy


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