(13) Vital Statistics

The department of vital statisticss (DoVS) is controlled by what?

The department of health and human services (DHHS)

The DoVS tracks major life events such as

Births
Adoptions
Marriages
Divorces
Deaths

Death reporting is regulated at a ___ level

state

The process of death reporting stemmed from

-Chadwick’s report
-Increased amounts of insurance fraud

The data collected by the DoVS is used to track many…

important pieces of data to paint a picture of scoeity. The picture that is painted often reflects the health and safety of every amercian. Also tracks trends

What else would DoVS do with their money?

-Use federal grant money to pay for treatment/prevention programs for certain conditions
-campaigned for certain social issues

How has vital statistics and death certificates helped social changes?

-back to sleep campaign
-chromium 6 leak

What are the various levels of death reporting?

-Local registrar (lowest)
-State department of vital statisticss
-US department of health and human service

DHHS also has ties to:

-US public health services
-centers for disease control
-US center for health statistics
-OSHA
-armed forces institute of pathology

What is NIOSH?

National institute for occupational safety and health
-research branch of osha

When you file a DC…

you geet your permits in some states

What is characteristic of a death certificate?

-prompt and accurate
-data is regulated and must be reported within a certain time frame designated by state governments
-pragmatic

Where do you file a DC?

ALWAYS in the registration district in which the person died

Who can sign a DC?

-Forensic pathologist
-Licensed physician (MD or DO)
-Coroner

Do emergency room physicians sign DCs?

NO. only attending physicians who are doing it as the continuum of care

What are attending physicians?

the physicians responsible for the care of, or who were on duty, when the person died (can often be the ones that pronounced the death)

What are certifying physicians?

the physicians that will essentially certify or sign for the death

Can apprentices sign death certificates?

No- most states will require a licensee’s signature and license number. most will require that the licensee be a licensee in the state in which they are filing

What is a certified copy?

A type of DC that is complete and watermarked with a state seal. Cost varies by jursidiction

What is included on a certified copy?

-car title transfers
-deed title transfers for real property
-financial institutions
-life insurance
-probate court

What is the uncertified photocopy type of DC?

can be taken by some institutions to satisfy

What causes a pending investigation DC?

-when coroner or ME is involved, the state recognizes families still need DC’s. It is a skeleton with minimal information. families can use the pending to take care of most immediate things. Verifies death occurred. COD as pending investigation. CANNOT USE A PENDING FOR LIFE INSURANCE

When are supplemental DC’s used?

issued when all toxicology and autopsy are final

Once DC’s are certified, they are…

Public record and public information; Unless records are sealed (blocked from public), anyone can go to the registrar’s office in the registration district in which the person died and obtained a certified copy. Online requiest form is available in most jurisdictions

States have been encouraged to move forward electronically with documents, including:

-reporting of life events to DVoS
-Physician/coroner/ME registration for faster processing
-Instant verification of social security status

What are the benefits of EDRS?

-Quick printing of burial permits
-Coordination with ME/coroners
-Faster registration
-Electronic transmission of data to SSA
-Standard categories

What are the bad things of EDRS?

-lack of standardization among 50 states
-Electronic updates/tech changes
-Transition for FD’s when things change

Information will need to be obtained in a variety of ways:

-first call information
-face sheets from facilities
-Local coroner/me
-family

What are affidavits?

Corrections of an error

Affidavits must be filed for things that are…

PERTINENT (SSN, date of death, misspelled names)
-Not every mistake requires one

What should you do if you bring a body into the registration district for burial or cremation?

In some states, you must “file” a certificate of service
-Can be filed the same way as a DC through EDRS
-helps jurisdictions account for bodies entering in after death
-will be a printed certificate just like a DC
-shows the family you are compliant with rules and regulations

What is fetal death?

the spontaneous intrauterine death of a fetus at any time during pregnancy. Fetal deaths later in pregnancy (at 20 weeks of gestation or more) can be referred to as still births

What do state and federal laws require of reporting fetal deaths?

-State: most require the reporting of fetal deaths
-Federal: mandates national collection and publication of fetal death data

Most states report detal deaths at…

20 weeks of gestation or more and/or 350 grams birth weight

A few states report fetal deaths for all periods of gestation in accordance with the grieving parents act- why?

This act gave parents who suffer a fetal death/stillbirth the legal means to properly bury and grive for their child. Includes things such as bereavement time from work

Who publishes annual fetal data?

National Center for health Statistics

If the baby took even one breath…

the fetal death certificate is NOT filed, rather a standard death certificate needs to be filed

If the baby never breathed…

the baby was stillborn and a fetal death certificate must be filed

Who are well versed in filling out fetal DCs?

Neonatologists- other physicians may struggle due to complexity

In 2016, what happened to roe v wade?

-Segregated abortion rights based on sex, race and ethnicity
-Forced abortion clinics to cremate or bury aborted fetuses

Who signed the social security act on august 14th, 1935?

Franklin Roosevelt

What does social security do?

Provides a foundation of income on which workers can build to plan for their retirement. It also provides valuable social insurance protection to workers who become disabled and to families whose breadwinner dies

Almost ___% of people 65 and older receive ss

90%

How is social security accrued?

payroll taxes

How are ss benefits determined?

Quarters of coverage accumulated- each quarter, you earn a certain dollar amount.
-Number of quarters will determine eligibility for full SS benefits at retirement. also determines amount survivors can obtain in the form of survivor benefits (spouse or child)

Who is eligible to receive SS benefits is determined by the…

social security administration

Lump sum payment (255) is paid in addition to the monthly cash survivor benefits in the following order of priority:

-surviving spouse
-minor/disabled children
-Dependent parent 62+
-if no survivors, no benefit is paid
-Application by filing SSA-8 form (MUST BE APPLIED FOR WITHIN TWO YEARS OF THE DATE OF DEATH)

With deaths, the SSA encourages FD’s to fill out what?

SSA-721 statement of death by funeral director form
-SS is then notified to stop payment of any further benefits and provides SSA with leads to people who may be eligible for other benefits

What if states don’t have EDRS systems?

you still must fax or manually send in the SSA-721

What makes it easy to file with states with EDRS?

you get immediate filing

How can you use SS as a continuum of care for families?

-This is just one more way to serve your families and should be taken seriously
-Huge economic impact
-Encourage them to visit local SS office in your community for further determination of benefits
-NEVER PROMISE ANYTHING
-if you are sending/receiving a body, always double check with funeral director

Some families will ask whether or not they can keep the ss payments that have directly deposited into their loved ones account, what do you do(???)

-SS payments are made usually on the 3rd of each month for the month prior
-the decedent needed to live the entire month to keep the payment
-until ssa is notified, they assume the person is alive
-they may not keep money- this is SS fraud
-although it is instantaneous with EDRS, still give some time for processing

What are the state victim of crimes of compensation fund?

Amount paid under certain circumstances if the death of an innocent person occurred while crime committed

What conditions must be met for state victim of crimes compensation fund?

-The decedent had no felony record for the last 10 years
-the decedent did not contribute to their own death
-the claimant must not have a felony record for the last 10 years
-no other funds are available to pay for funeral expenses
-a court made a finding that the death was a homicide

What is involves in the bureau of workman’s compensation fund?

-if the death occurs while on the job, the family may be entitled to some monetary benefits
-death cannot be due to natural causes
-must not have been contributory to their own deaths
-extensive administration process; not uncommon for it to take several months
-NOK submits claim to BWC and will need a copy of the funeral bill