. BUT how on earth CAN IT
BE very effective- if out of all of the pages up on the world wide web, the ones that are listed here -
(under 20) are the ONLY (non commerical) ones with ANYcontent about the subject?
Except
A/Hast '97 headline "FROP Fracas: Critics Slam Funeral Home Offenders Program" in one their death care industry trade
magazine. In contrast, doing a search (google 5/1/00) "funeral homes" fetches 63,600 pages! Kind of out of balance big time! Does anyone REALLY Wonder why there are STILL any problems? Please spread this news far & wide. Our url here is http://www.ateammasters/Orders.html
See the text to the far right to read more in detail what the FTC frop program is All links below open new window
These are ORDERS that every funeral home in the states must follow. But the chances of the parlor being investigated are really slim.:-(
Then, a home is "warned" in some cases, that Federal Trade
Commission & those assisting them in a "sweep" (test shop), has chosen their area, for sometime in the future. Rules cast in stone, But one that has many cracks & crinkles yet.
The cost of the average funeral is in excess of $6,000.00 at the funeral parlor, Plus the cost of the grave and the marker,
opening & closing costs, it often exceeds $10,000.00 and up!
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If you have any information to offer, please use our feed back form
Part of the problem is many people don't know what the Funeral Rule means, what it covers and who to let know that they have been wrongly treated as a consumer, with this issue.
If no one ever does any thing much about it, those in power - will not know anything is wrong. You need to COMPLAIN - to let people know, so it will not happen time after time again! You can contact us by:phone 800-595-1313 Fax ~ by e:mail at a-team@stratos.net ~ CLICK by Phone & by mail! (fax phone & address next row).
Together as informed individuals & consumers, rules are made better, stronger & more effective, BUT it takes knowledge, effort & action!
The funeral trade is being
regulated more and more, simply because it is so open to fraud, unfair practices & deceptions. But the good news is of course, if one does their homework, they learn only to patronize the firms that uphold high ideals. Find out who really owns the business, if they have any complaints at the local Better Business Bureau,
(and complain like others have and ask for references, just like you would when making other purchases. . FAQ page It is worth repeating - FTC imposes a $11,000.00 fine for FROP offenders -
it is that serious! Don't keep this a secret any longer. By not handing you the GPL and other anti-informitive requirements, you are open to the uncomplying funeral homes and their "tactics" for overspending with that parlor. Let's all not stand for that and complain loud and clear to more than one of the agencies listed on this page. Make them hear! If 10% of the morturaries are non complying, while 90% are, that is super, if all of the 23,000 were checked, however.......when you see the math -it is lousy.. Look at how many funerals there were, now see only 200 some were "sweeped!". Or out of over 2 million funeral arrangements, only 240 were "test shopped" in one year!
While most funeral directors and their employees may be professionals, you read the bad press about the ones who are not. Be part of the fix and be informed then take action if needed. We sponsor click lg view 2002 image
1-800-595-1313 for toll free or 440-942-8769 for local calls and fax 440-951-6871 line Part of the "Knowing " is
who to call! A Team Master's Casket store 262 Shelton Blvd. Eastlake, Oh 44095, Betty Brown, CEO - and I welcome
your feedback. A Team Masters is a Division of Bob's A-Team Assoc. Inc. a 20 yr. old WBE certified site preparation, demolition & trucking firm. We ship all of our USA quality made product state wide.
[This is copied from one of the FAMSA sites,12/ 1995 issue of The American Funeral Director] Also, the FTC is considering an update of the Funeral Rule this fall of 2000. Since the Funeral Rule of the Federal Trade Commission went into effect, in 1984 (the Rule was revised in 1994), the public has relied on its provisions to apply
pressure to the industry and expose misrepresentations and other unethical practices. Decreases in funding have made the job of enforcement more difficult. Under pressure from Congress and industry lobbying, the FTC has proposed a new
program, the Funeral Rule Offender's Program (FROP), which would be administered jointly by the FTC and the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). FTC Commissioners and the NFDA expect the program to be approved,
although no one knows when. (IT WAS!, kicking all the way, part of another fight "Petition for Review - Federal Trade Commission's Amended
Funeral Industry Practices Regulation Rule" which NFDA/Pa sought, & failed ;-) link) The idea behind FROP is to give a funeral home caught violating the Funeral Rule a chance to get the whole sorry affair over with as quickly as possible with, the industry hopes, as little damage to reputation and business as possible.
To invoke the program a firm must admit guilt (after being cited, of course) and pay a fine to the U.S. Treasury equaling 0.8% of the firm's average gross annual revenue over the past three years: for example, a firm with average revenue of $1
million would pay an $8,000 fine. FROP's other requirements include a three-hour Funeral Rule training session, run
by NFDA. and quarterly reporting to show that the firm is in compliance. Employees must sign statements that they attended the training program and are complying, and will forever comply, with the Funeral Rule. In return, FTC does not
release news of an alleged transgression to the press. FROP is not automatic: FTC has the right to deny the program to offenders, according to NFDA sources. While the FTC's wish to unburden itself of enforcement responsibilities wherever feasible is understandable, the FROP program -and especially the non-disclosure feature -- is clearly detrimental to consumer interests. One can even imagine Funeral Rule violators displaying a handsome certificate from NFDA indicating that they have received FTC approved training on the Funeral Rule, while no mention is made of their violation! All death care industry tradespeople and the public should work to block this proposal, or at least expose it to the others (and the media). As a starter, you might consider writing your congressional representatives If you think this is not a big deal, think again. If that firm is not following the law and is still keeping people in the dark on purpose, chances are, you are NOT getting the best service your money can buy. You are not getting what you are
supposed to here, where else is the rule BENT or even done away with? And why? So you WILL OVERSPEND! It's like
reading the fine print - Buyer beware.
Become informed and complain if you should! Keep that GREEN in
YOUR pocket!
Our intent is to be part of the public's trusted
source for information in the death care industry and business. Also to be a great source for all burial items at prices that save several hundred dollars from what the funeral home's product will cost you. A Team Master's Casket store ships all USA. See the link near the bottom for more information.Please use feedback form if you want to have this information (or site URL where to save on burial items )sent on to a friend.
Spending money at the funeral home is not in any way a pleasure. While it doesn't have to be made out like you are being cheap, or even getting the cheapest bang for the buck (and yes, we have low cost caskets, starting at $589.00 for plane pine box type with wood rope handles or $160.00 for nice coffin type unit for cremation ). Everyone is a firm believer, you SHOULD be entitled to know what you are getting for your hard earned money! Anything else is criminal and everyone should play by the same rules. The FTC has the public at heart with the Orders to all the trade, let's make them all tow the line. Report any complaints promptly. Protect the firms that uphold the intent of the funeral rule and help stomp on the ones who abuse it at the cost to the public. How sad it is some do that, (during another's grief?). By complaining it might just shine a light on all of the good firms too, by getting rid of the offenders - repeating offenders. By hitting them in THEIR pocketbook. See how THEY like their wallet hurting too! An (eleven thousand!) $11,000.00 fine can and is imposed by the FTC to the same offenders (more than once) -if that happened to the same firm several times, it might close them up. Or they would be closed by getting so many complaints in this matter, by the FTC - leaving just the outstanding & law abiding firms.
Atm - Casket Store & More! Products less than at the Dealers! - Stop high cost Funerals / Caskets & burial items ~ Save money, Time & perhaps grief too. Delivery to address of your Choice.Buy from A Team Masters, not at the 'Dealers' ours are ~ Direct to public. Save Big $$'s 10" and 7" caskets - desktop or Barbie size - Misc. items A Team Masters has for
sale, small caskets and tombstones for the desk, small pet or other use.
by Phone & by mail! (fax phone & address next row).
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