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Medical examiner reports 129 investigated cases, projects autopsy budget up to about $109,800 in 2027
Summary
The county medical examiner told commissioners the office investigated 129 cases in 2025 and performed 39 autopsies; staff estimated current autopsy costs at about $1,500 each and projected a maximum budget of roughly $91,500 in the current projection and about $109,800 at $1,800 per autopsy in 2027.
The Hillsdale County medical examiner presented the office's 2025 activity and budget considerations to the Board of Commissioners. The examiner reported 129 investigations and 39 autopsies for the year and summarized case mix, locations and manners of death. "We investigated 129 cases in Hillsdale and we performed 39 autopsies," the medical examiner said, and noted the office aims to keep autopsy rates in the low 30% range when feasible.
The presenter provided a budget illustration: assuming a conservative planning maximum (two standard deviations from the historical mean), the office could see up to about 153 investigations and a range of 33'61 autopsies per year. With autopsy unit costs reported at approximately $1,500 now, the presenter calculated a projected maximum autopsy budget of about $91,500; using an anticipated unit cost of $1,800 in 2027, the projected maximum rises to about $109,800.
Commissioners asked how to reduce autopsy rates. The medical examiner said many autopsies are ordered by prosecutors or requested by law enforcement and that scene presentation drives some decisions. "The prosecutor can order us to do an autopsy," the examiner said during questioning, noting that some autopsies are performed to protect litigants and to document trauma or suspicious circumstances.
The report presented case-level breakdowns by age and location: the majority of deaths investigated were among residents over 50 (about 85%), 57% of investigated deaths occurred at home, 35% in medical care facilities and 8% at the scene; the presenter said that drug-related deaths comprised roughly 4% of investigations in the county and that autopsy-determined manners of death were 46% natural, 21% accidental, 21% suicide and 12% indeterminate among those autopsied.
Why it matters: The autopsy cost projections are part of budget planning for the county and could affect the medical examiner budget line. Commissioners requested additional facility-level detail and the presenter agreed to explore whether the MDI log or other data sources could be queried to provide a facilities breakdown.
Next steps: Staff said they will work to provide facility-specific data if available and will continue to itemize autopsy costs as part of budget preparations.
