How important is the facility name on a death certificate?

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How important is the facility name on a death certificate?

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I just lost my father, and mom is still alive so this is all new for me. For the last two years, they have both lived in an ALF which is part of a very large age-in-place senior living community (Erickson's Eagle's Trace in Houston TX). The ALF has a different postal address than the independent living areas. The complex at this address also houses a skilled nursing center. So it has the same address as the ALF.

My father was living with my mom in the ALF when he was placed on hospice care, and he passed away in their bedroom in their apartment in the ALF. But the Facility Name where death occurred on the death certificate is "Eagle's Trace Skilled Nursing Home." He has never resided in skilled nursing. When I asked the funeral home about it, their response was that when they entered the address into their system, the skilled nursing home is what came up.

Erickson told me that even though they share the same address, the ALF, the skilled nursing center, and a memory care unit also located at that address are all licensed/accredited separately, with different facility names. So I am concerned that the death certificate is wrong, and wondering what the implications might be.

Does anyone know anything about this or have any suggestions?

Elder Law End of Life

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See which "facility" he was registered as residing in at the time of his death. It will be the place where his health records can be found.

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Shlomo: I often send first class mail to friend to Florida. She resides in an AL, but I was told by her DIL that sometimes the address was confusing to the staff, e.g. it arrived at another part of the complex. You could pose your query to the funeral director.

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I do not know about the state of Tx but when my mother passed away, after the Death Certificate was issued, there is an opportunity to provide corrected information to have the certificate reissued with the corrected information.

When she passed away, I requested 10 copies of the Certificate. And interestingly enough, those who I thought would want it - didn't, and those who didn't - did! For example, of course, the financial institutions wanted them, as did her life insurance company, and also from whom she received her pension checks as well. However, her medical insurance company didn't, BUT, her dental insurance company did (go figure). The power utility company wanted a copy of the certificate but others did not. And the property tax division wanted a copy as well.

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Let's put it this way -- on the advice of the funeral home I ordered a dozen death certificates. I've used exactly one of them, and that was for the bank. They made a copy and handed it back. They don't care where he died, just that he died.

I bought five certificates for Mom since she's the last of the two of them, and I thought settling the estate and closing the trust would possibly require multiples.

Again, only the bank wanted the death certificate, and no one else has asked. Where it happened seems to be irrelevant.

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Our funeral home gave the opposite advice. They suggested we only get one since anyone who wants to look at it will just make a photocopy. They said we could always get more later if needed. That there was no reason to get more than one now.

To date, no one has asked to see the one we have and everything has been settled.

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Not sure it matters much.
My experience is that corporate policies exist for many many decisions for ALF/Memory Care/SNF, to ensure consistent care and reduce liability.
Every state has their own regulations for all 3 levels of care, covering everything! SNF also has to meet Medicare guidelines if they are providing skilled rehab, and Medicaid guidelines if they bill Medicaid. Referred to as 'accreditations', sounds better for marketing purposes.
Facilities sometimes refer to 'regulations' in reference to both governmental requirements and corporate requirements.
As he was under hospice care - he was receiving skilled nursing care under the supervision of a doctor and registered nurses and licensed social worker.
Technically Medicare hospice benefit is in Medicare A, and rehab in a SNF is Medicare B, but not sure it matters in this situation.
Probably more than you need to know.

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From my experience, after my mother passed the insurance company just wanted a contact address and phone number (name of facility) I don't believe is that important as long as the mail they send gets where it needs to go to get the medical records the insurance company may require. I only had one of the insurance companies request any addresses etc. for medical records. They will advise what they need. So, honestly I don't believe it is that important as long as the other information they need is correct.

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Unless you are planning on suing the facility, why would it matter ?

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I don't know why. That's why I'm asking.

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Go with what the address on your contact says.

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In most states, if a person dies of natural causes in a home, that does not need to be disclosed to a future buyer. (We just bought a home where the man living there died in the master bedroom--it does not bother me one bit.)

HOWEVER, if someone commits suicide in a home, that must be disclosed.

In the long run, it doesn't really matter. People enter NH or ALF's..whatever, with the unspoken knowledge that this will be their final living place.

In my small knowledge of determining who's to be paid if someone dies in a NH in the middle of the month I believe you should refer back to the original input documents. Some facilities will refund any prepaid days, some will take the entire month's 'rent' no matter what day a person passed.

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In California you must disclose any deaths within three years of the home sale. I'm getting ready to sell my folks' house, and it'll be interesting to see if it matters to anyone. It's been 3 1/2 years, but the agent is advising we disclose since all the neighbors know and will blab.

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What does it matter in the big picture? I really and truly don't think there is any legal implications. There are so many other things to focus on that do matter. I'd let it go.

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Yes. I'm a total fish out of water on this subject, but I too am wondering what could possibly go wrong? I mean that sincerely, not sarcastically. I hear people saying "you never know" what the implications of such a mistake could be, but I'm wondering: what, specifically, is the fear? Is it a Medicaid concern, probate court concern, that someone will say "It says here your father resided in X of Eagle's Trace, so we're not going to compensate you for funds spent at Y of Eagle's Trace"?

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The doctor who wrote that on the death certificate that is who they work for .

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Would the skilled nursing home be getting compensation from Medicare if he resided there at the time of his death?

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My guess is that the mailing address for the facility, in the assessor's records, is the skilled nursing building. Because this is an official government document it may simply be a matter of the address given is the office address for the entire facility.

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The perfectionist in me and as an amateur genealogist, I like to see things recorded properly so future generations find the information as correct as possible. Legally, there may be no ramifications but if you can't correct it legally, perhaps attach your own disclaimer to your copy(s) you have so your records will be correct for your descendents. Not really a big deal for most people, but it can show a bit about family history how or why he died. Within the disclaimer you can even tell your version of the basic history of where he died. I sense from your comment the he died in "their bedroom in their apartment" and "never resided in skilled nursing" this is a major part of your concern because it would be for me... especially if he hoped he would never go into an SNF. Not dying in an SNF may be a part of respecting his wishes that you were able to grant and an important memory for you. I'm so sorry for your loss and now having to deal with this. However this turns out, know you did your best for him.

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Hey thanks for the thoughtful response KPWCSC. I too am an amateur genealogist - for two decades - and I use death certificates as supportive documentation for so many ancestral facts. That was clearly something I was thinking of when I posted the question about the legality of having incorrect information on the document.

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Here's how to do it:

Requirements for Changing Vital Records (texas.gov)

and the actual form:

Amendment_Death_Form_Final.pdf (texas.gov)

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thanks !

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I suspect it's for legal and corporate purposes. My first thought was that an LLC is involved, which makes sense.   I did find this:

EAGLE'S TRACE, INC. C/O ERICKSON LIVING MANAGEMENT, LLC on a Linked In page.

The corporation would have different legal and I believe tax issues from the LLC (which is also an entity that also has a different business structure.   LLCs have "members"; corporations have officers.    The former purchase a share in the LLC and reap earnings according to the number of shares.   Corporations are structured differently.

Check your parent's contract and see how the ALF is listed. It should be in the first paragraph of the contract.   That's what I think would be the appropriate designation for the death certificate.

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It is always advisable to have important documents have the correct information.
One never knows what could come of incorrect information.
It may seem a small matter to some, but I would want it correct.
I am sorry for your dads passing.

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thank you

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Here in California the reason, I was told, was that when a person dies in a place other than a hospital, a home for example, and when you sell said home you must disclose that to the buyer, if you sell the home within three years. It seems that with the records kept at the ALF it would be recorded in which part of the site he was in.
Hugs to you

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How important is the facility name on a death certificate?

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