County coroner’s office outlines revised indigency policy, columbarium plan and application process

A county official presented a draft update to Natrona County’s indigency policy on Aug. 5, aiming to clarify when the county will pay for final disposition of unclaimed or indigent decedents and to add procedures for the county columbarium and unmarked gravesites. The presentation matters because the policy defines when county funds will be used, how funeral homes and families will be asked to contribute, and how the county will handle coroner and non‑coroner cases. What the draft would change: the presenter (identified in the meeting as Jim) said the updated policy mirrors state statute where applicable and fills gaps where statute is vague. Key clarifications include: whether a decedent is “indigent” (the determination applies to the decedent, not the family); distinctions between coroner and non‑coroner cases; an application (rather than an affidavit) to request county assistance; added guidance for out‑of‑county decedents (that county should not assume financial responsibility for residents of other counties); inclusion of an option for county burial in unmarked county-owned gravesites when cremation conflicts with cultural or religious practices; and removal of language that assigned the coroner responsibility to determine veteran status (the presenter said the Department of Veterans Affairs makes that determination). “I've been able to find people all over the world,” the presenter said in describing efforts to locate next of kin. He told commissioners the office had reduced a caseload from an initial higher number to 33 people who currently are in county custody and planned a ceremony next Wednesday to inter them in the columbarium. Financial details and claims process: the presenter said his office will use an application to place responsibility on friends or family to identify other funding sources (for example, Medicare, Medicaid or private donations) before the county becomes the payer of last resort. He gave an example: a simple cremation he described as running approximately $2,503, with county reimbursement capped at $1,500 under current practice; where families can come up with part of the bill, the county’s share would be reduced accordingly. Commissioner questions and staff input: commissioners asked whether the county should make claims against estates in cases where the decedent left an estate; the presenter said such claims are rare but could be pursued and could be added to policy. Commissioners also asked about cross‑jurisdictional cases when a decedent died in Natrona County but was a resident of another county; the presenter said the county has handled a handful of such cases and that the policy clarifies those should be handled by the decedent's county of residence when possible. County attorney and next steps: the county attorney told commissioners she had reviewed the changes and that she was satisfied with the direction. The presenter said he and staff had worked with local funeral homes and other stakeholders on language and that a final policy and a standardized application would return to the commission for formal adoption. What commissioners heard citizens and stakeholders say: funeral homes were consulted and asked for clarity so they could explain the process to families; commissioners and staff discussed whether the county should routinely file claims against estates and confirmed the state reimbursement process applies in some cases. No formal adoption occurred at the meeting; staff indicated they will return with a final policy and the associated application for the commission’s approval.