Hawaiian Electric has established a permanent program that offers a discounted rate to customers with special medical needs, including those dependent on life-support equipment at home. The rate is available to 2,000 residential customers.
Hawaiian Electric recognizes that some customers are dependent on special equipment or have increased cooling or heating needs due to a medical condition, increasing electricity bills. To assist, the company established the pilot Special Medical Needs Rate Program in 2017, which received several extensions. Regulators approved a permanent program effective April 1.
Participants in the pilot program have been automatically enrolled in the Special Medical Needs Rate Program, which offers a discount of four cents per kilowatt-hour up to the first 500 kWh each month – or up to $20.
To apply for the Special Medical Needs Rate Program, customers can access an enrollment form at hawaiianelectric.com/specialmedicalneeds. A Hawaii-licensed physician must certify that a resident at the service address listed on the form has a qualifying medical condition. The webpage offers a complete list of the medical issues that qualify.
Applicants must:
- Print and fill out an enrollment form
- Obtain a signature from a Hawaii-licensed physician
- Submit the form by mail to Hawaiian Electric; Attn: Credit Department; P.O. Box 2750; Honolulu, HI 96840. Do not submit electronically. Upon acceptance, applicants will receive a letter and the reduced rate will go into effect within one to two billing cycles.
A new benefit of the program is that participants will be referred to Hawaii Energy, which can provide resources to help customers reduce energy use and lower electricity bills.