MEDIA RELEASE

Utility customers with special medical needs may still take advantage of a discounted electricity rate. Space is available in the two-year pilot program, which is limited to 2,000 Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawai‘i Electric Light customers.

Customers dependent on life-support equipment or increased heating or cooling due to a medical condition, verified by a physician, may save up to $20 a month on the first 500 kWh of energy use. Electric use above 500 kWh per month will be charged at regular residential rates.

Applications are available at:

• hawaiianelectric.com/SpecialMedicalNeeds or by calling 548-7311 on O‘ahu;
• mauielectric.com/SpecialMedicalNeeds or by calling 871-9777 on Maui and 877-871-8461 on MolokaÊ»i or LānaÊ»i;
• hawaiielectriclight.com/SpecialMedicalNeeds or by calling 969-6999 in Hilo, 329-3584 in Kona or 885- 4605 in Waimea.

Completed forms require the signature of a licensed, Hawai‘i-based physician. Forms can be returned in person or by mail to the appropriate utility. Information from the applicant and physician will be protected under our privacy policy, which may be reviewed by clicking “Privacy Policy” in the lower left corner of each utility’s homepage.

To qualify, a customer or a full-time resident in a customer’s home must be:

• Dependent on a life-support device used in the home to sustain life or relied upon for mobility as determined by a licensed physician, including but not limited to the following: aerosol tents; apnea monitors; hemodialysis machines; compressors; electric nerve stimulators; pressure pumps; electrostatic nebulizers; and intermittent positive pressure breathing machines.
• A paraplegic, hemiplegic, quadriplegic, multiple sclerosis or scleroderma patient with special heating and/or cooling needs.

Other equipment needs may also qualify for the discount and will be evaluated individually. A person with special needs may only qualify for the discount at a single service address.

Whether applying for the medical needs rate or not, residential customers with a person in the home dependent on life support or emergency equipment are encouraged to inform their island utility. By calling customer service, the customer will receive special consideration if the account becomes delinquent and be notified about planned maintenance outages. However, because outages do occur, it is essential that anyone with life support or emergency equipment needs make alternate plans should the power go out.