CMT Legal Compliance & Documentation in Funeral Services 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the FTC Funeral Rule, how long must funeral homes retain consumer price lists and other required disclosures?
- 1 year (Correct answer)
- 2 years
- 3 years
- 5 years
Correct answer: 1 year
The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral providers to retain copies of their price lists and other required disclosures for at least one year.
Question 2: Which document authorizes a funeral home to take custody of human remains from a hospital or care facility?
- Death certificate
- Authorization for removal (Correct answer)
- Burial permit
- Transit permit
Correct answer: Authorization for removal
An authorization for removal is the document that grants a funeral home permission to take custody of human remains from a hospital or care facility.
Question 3: A family requests that embalming be performed, but the deceased's religious beliefs prohibit it. What is the funeral director's primary obligation?
- Proceed with embalming per next-of-kin's request (Correct answer)
- Refuse embalming and document the religious objection
- Consult the state health department before proceeding
- Seek a court order to resolve the conflict
Correct answer: Proceed with embalming per next-of-kin's request
The legal next-of-kin holds the right to make disposition decisions, and their consent overrides the deceased's personal or religious preferences under most state laws.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a 'transit permit' in funeral services?
- Authorizes embalming across state lines
- Allows transport of human remains to another jurisdiction (Correct answer)
- Permits cremation in a different county
- Documents the chain of custody for cremated remains
Correct answer: Allows transport of human remains to another jurisdiction
A transit permit (or disposition permit) authorizes the transportation of human remains from one jurisdiction to another.
Question 5: Which federal agency has authority to investigate violations of the FTC Funeral Rule?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) (Correct answer)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Correct answer: Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the Funeral Rule and investigating violations.
Question 6: When must a funeral home provide a General Price List (GPL) to a consumer under the FTC Funeral Rule?
- Only when the consumer asks for pricing
- At the beginning of any in-person discussion of funeral arrangements (Correct answer)
- After the family selects services
- Only when funeral arrangements are finalized
Correct answer: At the beginning of any in-person discussion of funeral arrangements
The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to provide the GPL at the beginning of any in-person discussion of funeral arrangements, services, or merchandise.
Question 7: A state requires that a death certificate be filed within 72 hours of death. Who bears primary responsibility for ensuring this deadline is met?
- The attending physician
- The coroner or medical examiner
- The funeral director (Correct answer)
- The county registrar
Correct answer: The funeral director
The funeral director bears primary responsibility for initiating the death certificate process and ensuring it is filed with the appropriate authority within the state's required timeframe.
CMT Legal Compliance & Documentation in Funeral Services 2
Under the FTC Funeral Rule, how long must funeral homes retain consumer price lists and other required disclosures?