Do hospitals charge for the morgue?

Asked by: Wava Marks  |  Last update: June 23, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (50 votes)

Most hospitals have a morgue to store bodies even upto a month. Most charge extra for this service. Some hospital require full payment for the treatment only then they will send the body to the morgue. Depending on the embalming procedure a body can stay intact for a week or two.

What do hospitals do when a body dies?

After a death

The body will then be laid out and kept in the hospital mortuary until you arrange for the funeral directors, family or whoever you chose to collect it. If you choose, funeral directors will take the body to their chapel of rest until the funeral takes place.

How long can a body stay in a hospital morgue?

State guidelines and legal requirements. California law states that a body should not be held in a morgue for more than 24 to 72 hours unless specific circumstances necessitate a longer period.

Do you pay to keep a body in the morgue?

Funeral homes have a daily charge for storing a body, even if it is embalmed. Other homes may charge a lump sum for a set number of days. Storage fees range from $35 to $100 per day.

Who pays for a mandatory autopsy?

If somebody dies under suspicious circumstances, a state or county may call for a forensic autopsy. Taxpayers foot the bill in those situations. In cases where the government sees no need to mandate an autopsy, the family of the deceased can request one — but they may have to pay for it out of pocket.

Inside The Hospital Mortuary

27 related questions found

Are hospitals required to offer autopsy?

Hospitals are not required to offer or perform autopsies. Insurers don't pay for them. Some facilities and doctors shy away from them, fearing they may reveal malpractice.

How to get a free autopsy?

Sometimes the hospital where the patient died will perform an autopsy free of charge to the family or at the request of the doctor treating the patient. However, not all hospitals provide this service. Check with the individual hospital as to their policies.

Do hospitals charge for morgue?

Hospital Mortuaries are part of hospital services. Use of a hospital mortuary is free of charge for the first 3 days following admission. No transportation fees may be charged. A private mortuary is a private structure to receive remains waiting for burial or cremation.

What do funeral homes do if you can't pay?

If the funeral home already has custody of the body and the family refuses to pay, the funeral home will pause all funeral services and planning , store the body in the cooler, and charge the family a storage fee for every day the body is there.

What happens to a body if no one can pay for a funeral?

You don't necessarily need to worry about what happens to your body if you can't afford a funeral. Signing a form at the county coroner can authorize the release of your body to the state or county for burial or cremation. It may be possible to pay a fee to recover your ashes if your family would like them.

Who picks up dead bodies from hospitals?

A Body Removal Attendant, sometimes referred to as a Mortuary Transporter or a Body Transport Specialist, is a professional responsible for the respectful and dignified handling and transportation of deceased individuals.

Do bodies in the morgue sit up?

The short answer is: absolutely not! If a body ever sat up on me at the funeral home, trust me, my funeral would be next! Bodies are physically incapable of sitting up. That's just a horror movie trope.

Does the hospital cremate a body?

No, there are transfer services that will move the body from the hospital or place of death and transport it to the chosen funeral home or crematorium.

What not to do immediately after someone dies?

What Not to Do When Someone Dies: 10 Common Mistakes
  • Not Obtaining Multiple Copies of the Death Certificate.
  • 2- Delaying Notification of Death.
  • 3- Not Knowing About a Preplan for Funeral Expenses.
  • 4- Not Understanding the Crucial Role a Funeral Director Plays.
  • 5- Letting Others Pressure You Into Bad Decisions.

What do funeral homes do with the blood from dead bodies?

What Do Funeral Homes Do with the Blood from the Dead Body? The funeral home drains off the blood via the veins. They then send the blood and other fluids such as lymph into the municipal sewage system. In turn, the waste disposal officers treat these fluids before entering the town's wastewater system.

What happens if a person dies on Friday?

The profound hadith, 'No Muslim dies on the day of Friday, nor the night of Friday, except that Allah protects him from the trials of the grave,' offers us a comforting reminder of Allah's mercy. It highlights the special sanctity and blessings associated with Fridays in Islam.

What funeral directors don't want you to know?

10 Things the Funeral Home Won't Tell You
  • Pre-plan, but don't pre-pay. ...
  • You can rent a cremation urn or casket for the memorial service. ...
  • You can purchase cremation urns or caskets online at much cheaper prices. ...
  • Funeral homes usually keep the low-cost caskets and urns in the back.

Who pays for your burial if you have no money?

If you have no relatives to pay, if your relatives cannot pay, or they refuse to pay, a government program (usually through the county or state) will likely take care of your final arrangements. In this case, you might receive an "indigent" burial or cremation which will provide very simple, economical arrangements.

What happens when a family member dies and you can't afford it?

If you find that even low-cost burial options are too expensive for you, then you can reach out to your county coroner's office. Most coroners will pitch in to bury or cremate the remains of your loved one if you can't. You will have to sign release forms permitting the county to cremate the body.

Do you have to pay hospital bills after someone dies?

In some states, you are always responsible for your spouse's debt after death, but only if the debt was accumulated while you were married. These are called “community property states”; they include Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin (as of 2022).

How long can a body stay in the morgue before a funeral?

The effects of a death on public health usually take several days to manifest. In the absence of embalming within 24 hours, it is not advised to embalm the body immediately. A morgue can preserve a body for one week at most. About a week passes before embalmed bodies decompose.

How do hospitals get bodies to the morgue?

Concealed Transport

Equipped with large swivel casters, these lightweight carts can be pushed to the bedside with minimal effort. The nurse then simply uses the hand crank to adjust the cart to the height of the bed, and transfers the deceased to the morgue tray.

Why is the tongue removed during autopsy?

Both terms essentially mean "examination after death." Why is the tongue removed during autopsy? The tongue is removed during autopsy to thoroughly examine the oral cavity, access other throat structures, document any abnormalities, take tissue samples for further examination, and eliminate obstruction.

How much does an autopsy cost out of pocket?

They Are Expensive. Autopsies are not covered under Medicare, Medicaid or most insurance plans, though some hospitals -- teaching hospitals in particular -- do not charge for autopsies of individuals who passed away in the facility. A private autopsy by an outside expert can cost between $3,000 and $5,000.

What deaths require an autopsy?

Under What Circumstances Will an Autopsy be Performed?
  • The death is known or suspected to have been caused by apparent criminal violence.
  • The death is unexpected and unexplained in an infant or child.
  • The death is associated with police action.