Utility Discounts for Medical Devices or In-Home Patients

No matter what your income, you may be eligible for a discount on your utility bill if someone in your home is dependent on a medical device that uses electricity. Or if you need heating and air-conditioning to care for someone with special needs. To find programs you may qualify for in your area you must search 1) your city or township government, 2) your county government, 3) your state government, 4) local nonprofit agencies and local development corporations, 5) as well as your utility company. Make sure you check with all of the following offices for help in locating appropriate organizations in your area like: 1) your local library, 2) your local elected officials, 3) your local United Way and, 4) all housing agencies in your area. Local government offices can be identified at www.govengine.com and your local United Way can be identified at http://national.unitedway.org/myuw/. Listed below is a sampling of similar local programs around the country. You can also contact your local Area Office on Aging by calling 1-800-677-1116 or go to http://www.aoa.gov/eldfam/How_To_Find/Agencies/Agencies.asp. You should also seek out your local community action agency near you to see if they have a program to help you. You can find your local agency at www.communityactionpartnership.com/about/links/map.asp or by contacting Community Action Partnership in Washington, DC at 202-265-7546

A lot of Local Utility Programs can be identified on the web by going to www.hud.gov then choose your state under the title “Information by State.” Most state pages have a link called “Renting Help Page.” Click there even if you are a home owner. Most Rental for both renters and homeowners. Help pages have a link called “Help With Your Utility Bills” which describes programs for both renters and owners.

Listed below is a sampling of the types of programs that are available around the country.

1) 30% Rate Discount to Run Medical Equipment or Care for Paraplegic, Hemiplegic, Quadriplegic or MS Patient
Medical Equipment Discount Rate, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Sacramento, CA
http://www.smud.org/residential/services/med_rate.html

2) Rate Discounts for Life Equipment or Special Needs
Services For Medical Baseline and Life-Support Customers, Pacific Gas and Electric California
http://www.pge.com/res/financial_assistance/medical_baseline_life_t/

3) Pay No More for Extra Electricity to Run Medical Machines Heating and Air-conditioning for Patient
Medical Baseline Allowance, Utility Consumers’ Action Network
San Diego, CA
http://www.ucan.org/consumer_info/Elec_Bill/reduce_utility_bill.htm

4) Get 25% Discount on Utility Bills with No Income Requirement
Medical Residential Assistance Programs, Municipal Services Division
Santa Clara, CA
http://www.ci.santa-clara.ca.us/pub_utility/pu_help_paying.html

Income Eligibility: varies from program to program. Contact a program near you to learn specific requirements.