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Any family member or close friend of the deceased may ask for an autopsy, but the autopsy must be properly authorized. Additionally, some autopsy examinations are required by law because they fall under the jurisdiction of a coroner, justice of the peace, or medical examiner.

Autopsy reports are considered a matter of public record in Tennessee. If questions arise about information in the autopsy report, the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy at the Regional Forensic Center should be contacted.

Autopsies are not covered under Medicare, Medicaid or most insurance plans, though some hospitals -- teaching hospitals in particular -- do not charge for autopsies of individuals who passed away in the facility. A private autopsy by an outside expert can cost between $3,000 and $5,000.

This can be as long as 4 to 6 months after the death, but it is usually sooner. In cases where the cause and manner of death are certified at the time of the autopsy, the autopsy, investigative, and toxicology reports can still take between 3 to 5 months to be completed, finalized, and approved by supervisors.

The cost of disinterment and autopsy shall be paid by the state as provided in § 38-1-104. 38-7-108.

Usually the deceased can be released within a few days. The autopsy and other tests can, on occasion, delay the release of the deceased to the next-of-kin. The final results and completion of the autopsy report may take 60–90 days.

The cost of disinterment and autopsy shall be paid by the state as provided in § 38-1-104. 38-7-108.

No. Forensic autopsies are paid for by the county ordering the investigation and the state. How do I get a copy of the autopsy report? Copies of the autopsy report are available through The Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner at to 1-844-860-4511 or at https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/oscme.html.

But why does it take so long to get a report from a typical autopsy? The answer lies largely in the backlog of the lab which processes autopsy samples, such as toxicology and histology samples, from the procedure.

10. If the medical examiner declines jurisdiction or decides an autopsy is not required, can I have a private autopsy completed? Yes. The cost of private autopsy will be borne by the legal next-of-kin or as commissioned by the legal next-of-kin and is traditionally paid prior to the autopsy being performed.