News & Media
Medical Certification Form offers utility customers suffering from medical conditions protection from shutoffs
By Nick Assendelft, Michigan Public Service Commission
Doctors and other health care professionals may soon start seeing a new form that could protect patients from having their utility service disconnected.
The Medical Certification Form was recently approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission as part of its update of utility billing rules that make it harder for gas or electric service to be shut off due to nonpayment of bills. A physician or public health care official must complete the form to verify a patient’s medical condition justifies restoring service or putting a hold on disconnecting service.
To qualify for the shutoff protection, the critical care customer must submit a filled out and signed copy of the form to his or her service provider annually. The forms will be available on utilities' websites. There are sections for the customer, the utility account holder and the medical professional to fill out.
"The new rules guarantee important protections for Michigan residents who are dealing with life-and-death situations," MPSC Chairman Sally Talberg said.
A critical care customer is defined in the MPSC's updated Consumer Standards and Billing Practices for Electric and Natural Gas Service as someone requiring home medical equipment or a life support system and for whom any interruption of service would be immediately life-threatening.
Under the new rules, utilities also are prohibited from remotely disconnecting households that have a critical care customer. Michigan is believed to be the only state where such protections for critical care customers are part of public utility commission rules. Those participating in the program are still urged to apply for help to pay their utility bills.
The protection for critical care customers grew out of discussions among MPSC staff, utilities, health care organizations and consumer advocates to revamp and combine two sets of rules that had been in place for nearly a decade with few substantive changes.
The rules also keep in place provisions for avoiding shut-offs, with extensions, for up to 63 days if a customer or a member of a customer's household has an emergency medical condition that will be aggravated by a lack of utility service. These customers must also submit a completed Medical Certification Form to their utility to qualify for the extension.
"Customers depend on their electricity and gas services for their health and general wellbeing," Commissioner Rachael Eubanks said. "Our rules are not effective if they are not harmonious with customers' needs and we thank the health care organizations that participated for helping us shape the new, more protective rules."
A sample form can be found here. The new rules took effect in mid-December.