OAR 860-021-0410
Emergency Medical Certificate for Residential Electric and Gas Service


(1)

An energy utility shall not disconnect residential service if the customer submits certification from a qualified medical professional stating that disconnection would significantly endanger the physical health of the customer or a member of the customer’s household. “Qualified medical professional” means a licensed physician, nurse-practitioner, or physician’s assistant authorized to diagnose and treat the medical condition described without direct supervision by a physician.

(2)

The oral certification to the utility must be confirmed in writing within 14 days by the qualified medical professional prescribing medical care. Written certifications must include:

(a)

The name of the person to whom the certificate applies and relationship to the customer;

(b)

A complete description of the health conditions;

(c)

An explanation of how the person’s health will be significantly endangered by terminating the service;

(d)

A statement indicating how long the health condition is expected to last;

(e)

A statement specifying the particular type of utility service required (for example, electricity for respirator); and

(f)

The signature of the qualified medical professional prescribing medical care.

(3)

If a medical certificate is not submitted in compliance with sections (1) and (2) of this rule, the energy utility may disconnect service after providing a five-day notice to the customer. The notice shall comply with the requirements of OAR 860-021-0405 (Notice of Pending Disconnection of Residential Electric or Gas Utility Service), except subsection (1)(b), subsection (2)(e), and section (4) of this rule shall not be applicable.

(4)

An emergency medical certificate shall be valid only for the length of time the health endangerment is certified to exist, but no longer than six months without renewal for certificates not specifying chronic illnesses and no longer than twelve months for certificates specifying illnesses identified as chronic by a “Qualified Medical Professional” as defined in this rule. At least 15 days before the certificate’s expiration date, an energy utility will give the customer written notice of the date the certificate expires unless it is renewed with the utility before that day arrives.

(5)

A customer submitting a medical certificate is not excused from paying for electric or gas service:

(a)

Customers are required to enter into a written time-payment agreement with the energy utility when an overdue balance exists. Terms of the time-payment agreement shall be those in OAR 860-021-0415 (Time-Payment Agreements for Residential Electric and Gas Service (Nonmedical Certificate Customers)) or such other terms as the parties agree upon in writing;

(b)

When financial hardship can be shown, a customer with a medical certificate may renegotiate the terms of a time-payment agreement with the energy utility; and

(c)

Time-payment arrangements in effect when a medical certificate terminates remain in effect for the balance then owing. If a customer fails to pay charges incurred after the certificate terminates, the provisions of OAR 860-021-0415 (Time-Payment Agreements for Residential Electric and Gas Service (Nonmedical Certificate Customers)) (standard time-payment provisions) shall apply to payment of the arrearage incurred after the medical certificate expires. The terms of the medical certificate time-payment plan continue to apply to the arrearage accrued during the disability.

(6)

If a medical certificate customer fails to enter into a written time-payment agreement within 20 days of filing the certificate, or to abide by its terms, the energy utility shall notify the Commission’s Consumer Services Division of its intent to disconnect service and the reason for the disconnection. The energy utility may disconnect service after providing a notice 15 days in advance of disconnection for nonpayment, or five days before disconnection for failure to enter into a written time-payment agreement. The notice shall comply with the requirements of OAR 860-021-0405 (Notice of Pending Disconnection of Residential Electric or Gas Utility Service), except paragraph (2)(d)(C) shall not be applicable. A hearing may thereafter be held to determine whether the energy utility should be permitted to disconnect service to the customer.

(7)

An energy utility may verify the accuracy of a medical certificate. If the energy utility believes a customer does not qualify, or no longer qualifies for a medical certificate, the utility may apply to the Commission to terminate the service of the customer.

Source: Rule 860-021-0410 — Emergency Medical Certificate for Residential Electric and Gas Service, https://secure.­sos.­state.­or.­us/oard/view.­action?ruleNumber=860-021-0410.

860‑021‑0000
Applicability of Division 21
860‑021‑0005
Scope of the Rules
860‑021‑0008
Definitions for Regulation of Utility Services
860‑021‑0009
Applications for Utility Service from an Energy or Large Telecommunications Utility
860‑021‑0010
Information for Utility Customers and Applicants
860‑021‑0011
Multilingual Notices
860‑021‑0015
Dispute Resolution
860‑021‑0017
Designation of Third Party to Receive Notices
860‑021‑0019
Restrictions on Entering a Customer Residence
860‑021‑0021
Interruption of Utility Service
860‑021‑0033
Annual Fees Payable to the Commission by an Electric Utility
860‑021‑0034
Annual Fees Payable to the Commission by Gas Utility or Steam Heat Utility
860‑021‑0036
Annual Fees Payable to the Commission by a Large Telecommunications Utility
860‑021‑0037
Estimated Annual Fees Payable to the Commission
860‑021‑0045
Installation of Electric Service
860‑021‑0050
Installation of Gas Service
860‑021‑0051
Main Extensions for Gas Service
860‑021‑0055
Temporary Utility Service
860‑021‑0057
Connection of Residential Energy Utility Service
860‑021‑0120
Meter Readings and Bill Forms
860‑021‑0125
Due and Payable Period
860‑021‑0126
Late-Payment Charge
860‑021‑0130
Meter Test
860‑021‑0135
Adjustment of Utility Bills
860‑021‑0170
Billing Error Reporting
860‑021‑0200
Establishing Credit for Residential Utility Service
860‑021‑0205
Deposit Payment Arrangements for Residential Energy Utility Service
860‑021‑0206
Payment Arrangements for Deposit and Installation Charges for Residential Telecommunications Utility Service
860‑021‑0210
Interest on Deposits for Residential and Nonresidential Utility Service
860‑021‑0215
Refund of Deposits for Residential and Nonresidential Utility Service
860‑021‑0305
Grounds for Disconnecting Utility Service
860‑021‑0310
Voluntary Disconnection of Utility Service
860‑021‑0315
Emergency Disconnection of Utility Service
860‑021‑0320
Disconnection of Service on Weekends and Holidays
860‑021‑0325
Accounts Not Related to Residential Utility Service
860‑021‑0326
Disconnection of Gas or Electric Service to Tenants
860‑021‑0328
Reconnection of Residential Energy Utility Service
860‑021‑0330
Reconnection Fee for Utility Service
860‑021‑0334
Transfer Billings
860‑021‑0335
Refusal of Utility Service
860‑021‑0405
Notice of Pending Disconnection of Residential Electric or Gas Utility Service
860‑021‑0407
Severe Weather Moratorium on Involuntary Disconnection of Residential Electric or Gas Utility Service
860‑021‑0408
Disconnect Reporting Rule
860‑021‑0410
Emergency Medical Certificate for Residential Electric and Gas Service
860‑021‑0414
Equal-Payment Plans for Residential Electric and Gas Service
860‑021‑0415
Time-Payment Agreements for Residential Electric and Gas Service (Nonmedical Certificate Customers)
860‑021‑0420
Field Visit Charge
860‑021‑0505
Disconnection Procedures for All Commercial Electric and Gas Utility Customers and All Customers of Large Telecommunications Utilities
860‑021‑0510
Emergency Medical Certificate for Residential Telecommunications Utility Service
860‑021‑0550
Termination of Local Exchange Residential Service for Telecommunications Customers at Significant Risk
860‑021‑0575
Time Payment Agreements for Large Telecommunications Utilities
860‑021‑0610
Telephone Solicitation Notices by Large Telecommunications Utilities
860‑021‑0620
Customer Notification and Information Delivery Services for Large Telecommunications Utilities
Last Updated

Jun. 8, 2021

Rule 860-021-0410’s source at or​.us