Three years ago I moved my 97 year old mother from Virginia to Massachusetts to live with me. I am in the process of finding a memory care facility for her. After self pay, she will need to apply for medicade. Funeral expenses were put in place 10 years ago, but the cost of transporting her remains back to Virginia was not taken into account. Will medicare allow a second pre-need funeral arrangement for that expense, what about the cost for a headstone?
If you could consider cremation you could fly or drive those remains without too much added cost.
I would look into these possibilities first. Cremation is becoming much more common and is generally a much easier option especially if a situation has the difficulties of different locales. As far as I know if one is flying with remains the necessary paperwork is death certificate and proof of remains having been cremated. I experienced this when my step grandmother's remains were flown to SC from CT.
From internet:
"Your total funeral costs may include fees for the funeral director’s professional services; funeral home facility and staff charges; transportation; a casket, vault, urn or similar merchandise; and cash advances for death certificates, crematory, cemetery, etc. SSI/Medicaid allows these charges to be funded in a properly established irrevocable account tied to a prepaid funeral contract, such as the New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund."
It happens to be for the State of New Jersey. Have no idea what your own state is, so may vary.