Q&A: Can I Request An Autopsy For A Loved One?

Michelle Andrews, KHN’s “Insuring Your Health” columnist, answers a question from a reader on what recourse she has after a doctor refused to authorize an autopsy for her mother-in-law.

See other Q&As from Michelle Andrews

This is an occasional video feature. Please submit your question to Michelle: questions@kffhealthnews.org.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

<h1>Q&A: Can I Request An Autopsy For A Loved One?</h1>
<div>		<time class="posted-on" datetime="2011-08-29T22:46:02-04:00">
			August 29, 2011		</time>
		</div>
<p>Michelle Andrews, KHN’s “Insuring Your Health” columnist, answers a question from a reader on what recourse she has after a doctor refused to authorize an autopsy for her mother-in-law.</p><ul><li><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/legacy/2EF881E8-1C35-49C1-A9ED-B1128D766767">See other Q&As from Michelle Andrews</a> </li><p /><li>This is an occasional video feature. Please submit your question to Michelle: <a href="mailto:questions@kffhealthnews.org">questions@kffhealthnews.org</a>. <p>     </p></li></ul><ul><li><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/andrews-q-and-a-on-authorizing-autopsies/?share=x">				Click to share on X (Opens in new window)				X			</a></li><li><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/andrews-q-and-a-on-authorizing-autopsies/?share=facebook">				Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)				Facebook			</a></li><li><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/andrews-q-and-a-on-authorizing-autopsies/?share=linkedin">				Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)				LinkedIn			</a></li><li><a href="mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Q%26A%3A%20Can%20I%20Request%20An%20Autopsy%20For%20A%20Loved%20One%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fkffhealthnews.org%2Fnews%2Fandrews-q-and-a-on-authorizing-autopsies%2F&share=email">				Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)				Email			</a></li><li><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/andrews-q-and-a-on-authorizing-autopsies/#print?share=print">				Click to print (Opens in new window)				Print			</a></li><li>				<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/andrews-q-and-a-on-authorizing-autopsies/view/republish/">					Republish This Story				</a>			</li></ul><em><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us">KFF Health News</a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about <a href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a>.</em><p><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-briefing/">Subscribe</a> to KFF Health News' free Morning Briefing.</p><p>This <a target="_blank" href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/andrews-q-and-a-on-authorizing-autopsies/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://kffhealthnews.org">KFF Health News</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://kffhealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/kffhealthnews-icon.png?w=150" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://kffhealthnews.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=10509&amp;ga4=G-J74WWTKFM0" style="width:1px;height:1px;"></p>

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