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Coroner warns rising pathology fees and autopsy costs will pressure county budget
Summary
The Saluda County coroner described rising autopsy and related fees — limited exams +20%, external exams +55% and a new decomposed‑case fee (~$500) — and told council the professional services budget covers autopsy transport, toxicology and other unavoidable costs.
The Saluda County coroner told the county council May 26 that rising pathology fees and increased autopsy-related charges are a growing pressure on the county budget.
The coroner (speaker 9) said the office handles roughly 300 deaths per year and that this year the office had completed 11 autopsies so far; in prior years the coroner said they typically handle closer to 25–30 autopsies. He said fees from the county's contracted pathologist, Newberry Pathology, are increasing — he described a roughly 7% increase for complete autopsies, limited exams rising about 20% and external exams rising more than 55% — and that there is an added fee for significantly decomposed cases of about $500 on top of other charges.
Those professional services funds pay for autopsy transport, toxicology testing and occasional anthropological or specialist assistance when remains are found in the field. The coroner emphasized that autopsies are required in custody and certain child‑fatality cases and that the office cannot reliably predict caseload year to year.
Council members asked clarifying questions about line items for maintenance service contracts, software (including the coroner's case management tool Coroner ME), and the new app‑based IDEMIA fingerprint tool that links to SLED. The coroner said the office will continue to seek efficiencies but that many autopsy costs are outside local control.
No budget action was taken at the workshop; the coroner's presentation will be part of the June 8 hearing packet.
