Maryland Department of Aging Section 5A

      (a)      In this section, the following words have the meanings indicated.

            (1)      "Nursing home" means comprehensive care facilities and extended care facilities.

            (2)      "Unclaimed deceased nursing home resident" means a resident of a nursing home who has not prearranged and prepaid for the disposal of his body and for whom no person has claimed the body and assumed funeral or burial responsibility upon the death of the resident.

      (b)      The Secretary shall set guidelines for nursing home administrators with regard to funeral and burial arrangements for unclaimed deceased nursing home residents with the cooperation of the State Anatomy Board. The guidelines shall be consistent with § 5-406 of the Health - General Article.

      (c)      The administrator of a nursing home shall immediately notify the Department of the death of an unclaimed deceased nursing home resident and shall obtain the prior approval of the Department for the burial and funeral arrangements for that resident.