X-Message-Number: 9046
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 1998 01:22:47 -0500
From: "Stephen W. Bridge" <>
Subject: Questions from the Edge

To CryoNet
From Steve Bridge
Chairman of the Board
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
January 24, 1998
 
In reply to:    Message #9039
                From: "TheEdge" <>
                Subject: Intro and serious yet humorous questions
                Date: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 22:07:49 -0000
 
Dear The,
 
>What if something happens to a client's trustfund/investments, etc. that
>pay the fees to remain suspended?  Does the company let them thaw out
>somewhere and dispose of the body?
 
Most organizations, including Alcor, require that the full amount required
for long-term storage be available very soon after the suspension.  Alcor
requires a *guarantee* that this funding is in place before a person will
be confirmed as a suspension member.
 
So the funds are totally in Alcor's care, not in the care of outsiders.
These funds are administered by the Alcor Patient Care Trust Board, not
the Board of Directors.  The Trust Board are all Alcor Members, three of
who must be related to patients in suspension.
 
For a $120,000 whole body suspension, approximately $75,000 is invested to
provide the income for long-term care.  The Trust funds are NOT divided
according to patient; they are pooled.  No is thawed unless everyone is
thawed.  This is very unlikely.
 
We do not accept monthly payments, even if from a trust.
 
-Can a life insurance policy be taken out with the client as his/her own
beneficiary, receiving the benefits himself/herself upon their death, and
then using them to pay for cryonic upkeep or as funds at his/her disposal
upon "awakening" from cryonic sleep?
 
No, you cannot be the beneficiary of your own life insurance, as you will
be legally DEAD.  Your ESTATE or a TRUST could be the beneficiary; but
Alcor will not accept that.  In general Alcor must be the beneficiary of
the policy; although I could see situations where a properly set up trust
could be the beneficiary with the provision in the trust that the full
payment be *immediately* passed through to Alcor.
 
-What happens to all the clients if a company goes out of business?
 
In general, I think we can count on other groups to provide emergency
rescues where possible.  Many of those in suspension at other
organizations were friends of ours, too.  Besides, the general principles
of cryonics demand that we do whatever we can to rescue these people,
should such an emergency happen.
 
Realistically, we must consider the worst-case scenario where no rescuer
is on the horizon.  It is possible that such patients could be thawed and
buried by the state health department; but Arizona officials told me that
*no one* in the department of health would look forward to that.  I
suspect even they will want to help find rescuers, especially after
cryonics gets larger.
 
Steve Bridge

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