Utilicare is a medical support program for residential electric customers. It provides electricity at an adjusted rate structure to any household with a full-time resident who regularly requires the use of any of these electronic devices:
- Permanently installed electric space heating for paraplegic, quadriplegic, hemiplegic or multiple sclerosis patients
- Permanently installed electric air conditioning for multiple sclerosis or scleroderma patients
- Request for an essential electric medical device not listed below is subject to approval
What are the Benefits?
At Riverside Public Utilities, we understand that certain medical conditions require the use of electronic devices or appliances. This may cause your electric consumption to increase beyond normal patterns. To help offset the added expenses a medical condition of this nature places on the household budget, Utilicare offers a reduced electric rate for the use of certain medical equipment.
Important Notice
Although Riverside Public Utilities will make every effort to supply uninterrupted service, continuous service cannot be guaranteed. In the event of a power outage, patients requiring the use of life support equipment are responsible for providing their own backup power system. Utilicare participants are also required to complete a third party notification form for emergency purposes. Program participation does not guarantee service on delinquent or past due accounts.
How Do I Apply?
A separate program application and physician's certification of medical condition are required. Call Customer Service at 951-782-0330 to request a Utilicare application.
Typical Qualifying Medical Devices
- Aerosol tent
- Apnea monitor
- Blood pump
- Compressor/concentrator
- Electric nerve stimulator
- Electrostatic nebulizer
- Extremity heating device for respirator pump
- Hemodialysis machine
- Heparin pump hospital bed
- IPPB machine
- Iron lung
- Motorized wheelchair
- Oxygen concentrator
- Portable volume ventilator
- Pressure pad
- Pressure pump
- Respirators
- Reverse osmosis system
- Suction device
- Ultrasonic nebulizer
Program Guidelines
- This program is available to RPU residential electric customers with a full-time resident who requires the use of qualified electric devices for medical reasons. If applicant is a tenant or renter, the property owner must sign the application.
- The adjusted rate structure depends on the qualifying medical device and usage.
- Customer must submit a completed Utilicare application along with physician’s certification of medical condition every three years. The customer must provide a letter every year requesting continued enrollment. All medical information contained in the application is confidential.
- RPU makes every effort to supply uninterrupted service, although continuous service cannot be guaranteed due to circumstances beyond RPU control. Customers requiring the use of life-support equipment should have their own power backup systems.
- Applications are subject to approval and periodic review by RPU.
- A new application may be required when there is an electric customer address change.
- Electric customers are required to notify RPU when medical equipment is no longer necessary.
- Program participation does not guarantee service on delinquent or past due accounts.
- Program is subject to change without prior notification.
