How to Get Medicaid Funeral Assistance in Massachusetts

Massachusetts funeral assistance pays up to $1,100 toward the cost of burying or cremating a state resident whose estate cannot cover the bill. The program is run by the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and is often called “Medicaid funeral assistance,” but you do not need to have been on Medicaid, MassHealth, or any other public benefit to qualify. Two numbers govern everything: the total funeral and disposition bill cannot exceed $3,500, and the state will pay no more than $1,100 of it.

Who Qualifies

Three requirements, all set out in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 118, Section 2, decide eligibility. The deceased must have been living in Massachusetts at the time of death. The total cost of the funeral and final disposition cannot exceed $3,500. And the estate, together with any legally responsible next of kin, must lack enough resources to pay the bill.¹

There is no requirement that the deceased was enrolled in Medicaid, MassHealth, or any DTA program, and there are no immigration status requirements. The program is a last resort for anyone who dies without enough money for a basic funeral, whether or not they ever received public assistance.²

The $3,500 Total-Cost Ceiling

This is where most applications fall apart. The $3,500 cap applies to the combined cost of funeral services, cremation or burial, cemetery fees, and every associated charge. If the total comes in even a dollar over $3,500, the application is denied outright. DTA will not pay $1,100 toward a larger bill.³

What counts in that total: all items and services provided by the licensed funeral establishment, plus final disposition costs like the cemetery plot, opening and closing the grave, crematory charges, and related fees.³ If you are working with a funeral director and plan to apply, say so at the first conversation and make clear the total has to stay at or below $3,500. In practice, a direct cremation without a viewing or ceremony is one of the few options that reliably fits inside that limit; a burial requires shopping between funeral homes and cemeteries to keep combined charges under the ceiling.

How Assets Are Counted

DTA looks at the liquid assets of both the deceased and the legally responsible next of kin, which means a surviving spouse or, for a minor child, a parent. Liquid assets include cash, bank accounts, life insurance policies, other death benefits, and even money raised through fundraisers organized to cover the funeral.²

Those resources are subtracted from the funeral bill. DTA pays the shortfall, or $1,100, whichever is smaller. If the funeral costs $3,200 and the family has $2,500 available, DTA pays $700. If the shortfall is $1,400, DTA pays $1,100 and the family covers the rest.¹

There must still be an outstanding balance when you apply. If the bill has already been paid in full, DTA will not reimburse you after the fact.²

Life Insurance and Pre-Paid Plans

Life insurance is one of the most common reasons families expect help but do not get it. Proceeds from a policy on the deceased are counted as a liquid asset and subtracted from the bill. A $3,000 life insurance payout on a $3,400 funeral leaves a $400 gap, and $400 is what DTA would pay.

Burial-specific insurance is treated differently. A policy that is irrevocable and can only be used for funeral and burial expenses is generally not counted. Massachusetts places no dollar cap on irrevocable funeral trusts, though the trust must include an itemized goods and services statement listing exactly what will be purchased.

Pre-paid funeral contracts follow the same logic. A pre-paid, non-cancellable arrangement does not count, because the money is already committed. A cancellable pre-paid plan can be treated as a liquid asset, because the funds could be withdrawn. Burial plots, headstones, vaults, and related items already owned by the deceased are excluded from the resource calculation.

How To Apply

The application is a joint form filled out by you and the funeral home. Your part and the funeral home’s part are both on the F&FD-1, “Application for Funeral and Final Disposition Benefit.” Most Massachusetts funeral homes are familiar with the program and can walk you through their portion.²

A family member of the deceased is the usual applicant. If no relatives are available, the funeral director may apply on behalf of the estate.²

Along with the completed F&FD-1, you must submit:

A copy of the death certificate.
Itemized bills from the funeral home and cemetery showing every service and its cost.
Receipts for any payments already made, including partial payments by family or third parties.
Policy details and beneficiary designations for any life insurance held by the deceased.
Bank statements for the deceased and the legally responsible next of kin.
Any pre-paid funeral or burial contracts.

Missing documents are the most common reason applications stall.⁴ If DTA asks for more information after you submit, you have 30 days from the date of that request to send it.

The application cannot be filed online. Send it by mail to Department of Transitional Assistance, P.O. Box 4406, Taunton, MA 02780-9975, or fax it to (617) 887-8765. DTA pays the benefit directly to the funeral establishment, not to the family.¹

What $1,100 Actually Covers

The $1,100 maximum is aimed at the most basic funeral and disposition costs: transportation of the body, preparation for burial or cremation, a simple casket or urn, and cemetery or crematory fees. It will not fund a traditional funeral. Families using the program generally need to plan the arrangements around the $3,500 ceiling first, then apply for DTA to fill the remaining shortfall.

If Your Application Is Denied

You have the right to appeal a denial through the DTA Division of Hearings. The deadline is 90 days from the date on the denial notice. If DTA acted without sending proper notice, the deadline is 120 days from the date of the action.⁵

You can file an appeal by mail to DTA Hearings, P.O. Box 4017, Taunton, MA 02780-0314; by fax to (617) 348-5311; by phone at (617) 348-5321 with a detailed message; or in person at any local DTA office. The appeal must include your name, mailing address, a description of what you are appealing, your DTA Agency ID number (found on any DTA notice), and a phone number where you can be reached.⁶

Other Sources of Help

The $1,100 DTA cap rarely closes the full gap. A few other programs can add to it.

The Social Security Administration pays a one-time lump-sum death benefit of $255 to a surviving spouse. If there is no surviving spouse, certain dependent children may qualify. You must apply within two years of the death, either through your Social Security account or by calling (800) 772-1213.⁷

Veterans may qualify for burial benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including a burial allowance, a free plot in a national cemetery, and a headstone or marker. These benefits are separate from DTA assistance and can be received in addition to it.

Some Massachusetts cities and towns run local burial assistance funds, and charitable organizations in various communities help with funeral costs. Your funeral director or local DTA office can point you to what is available in your area.

Fraud and the State’s Right to Get Its Money Back

DTA investigates every application. Providing false information or hiding assets can result in more than a denial; it can lead to prosecution for fraud.

Even after DTA pays, Massachusetts keeps a preferred claim for reimbursement against the deceased’s estate. If assets surface later, such as an undisclosed bank account, a delayed insurance payout, or a small inheritance, the state can recover what it paid from those resources.¹

1
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Part I, Title XVII, Chapter 118, Section 2
2
Mass.gov. Funeral and Burial Payment Assistance Eligibility
3
Mass.gov. Frequently Asked Questions About Funeral and Burial Payment Assistance
4
Department of Transitional Assistance. How To Apply for Funeral and Burial Payment Assistance
5
Mass.gov. FAQ on DTA Appeal Process
6
Department of Transitional Assistance. File an Appeal With DTA
7
Social Security Administration. Lump-Sum Death Payment