If you have a serious medical illness or medical equipment in your home, you may be eligible for a Public Service Commission Medical Certification form. The Medical Certification Form states that the termination of your utility service would aggravate an existing serious illness or would prevent you from using life support equipment. This form must be signed by a physician, nurse practitioner, or a physician’s assistant and then sent to your utility company to have on file.

     Having a signed Medical Certification form on file with your utility has several benefits. The key is that the utility must know about the medical illness before any service termination. For questions or assistance, contact your utility company directly.

 

Benefits of a Medical Certification form

There are benefits to having a Medical Certification form on file with your utility.

• If you have a pending shut-off notice, it will pause the termination for 30 days if you enter into a payment agreement during those 30 days.
• Verifying your well-being and providing assistance to you in the event of a weather-related emergency, as possible. However, submitting this form will not provide you with priority in restoration of electricity service.
• There are extra protections in terms of terminations.

     If you or someone in your home is medically vulnerable, you may consider sending this completed form over to your utility company.

 

Steps to get a Medical Certification form on file with your utility

1. Call your utility and tell them that there is a medical issue in the home and that you are working on getting a Medical Certification form filled out by your healthcare provider.
2. Get the form filled out and signed by your physician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant.
3. Make at least 3 copies of the form.
4. Call your utility company and tell them that you want to send them a completed medical certification form. Ask them where to send the form.
5. After you send the utility the completed form, call to confirm with your utility that they have it on file.