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PURA Files Request For Written Comments In Energy Affordability Annual Review
From Notice:
{***} “On December 17, 2024, the Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation (CNG), The Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG), and The United Illuminating Company (UI; collectively, Companies) each filed a motion (Motion Nos. 63, 52, and 56, respectively; collectively, Motion) with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (Authority) in Docket Nos. 16-06-04, Application of The United Illuminating Company to Increase Its Rates and Charges, 17-05-42, Application of The Southern Connecticut Gas Company to Increase Its Rates and Charges, 18-05-16, Application of Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation to Increase its Rates and Charges, respectively, requesting approval of the Companies’ proposal (Proposal) to change their customer service practices for medical protection claims. Under the Proposal, each of the Companies would provide a customer – not more than one time within a 12-month period – up to 14 days for the customer’s physician, advanced practice registered nurses, or physician assistants (collectively, medical providers) to submit the medical certification form and for the Companies to process it (Medical Claim Hold). Motion, p. 2.
Currently, the Companies each provide customers with a 60-day Medical Claim Hold during the statutory winter protection period and a 7-day hold all other times. Id., pp. 1–2. UI allows a customer to have up to two Medical Claim Holds per year – one during the statutory winter protection period and one outside of the winter protection period – while CNG and SCG allow only one Medical Claim Hold for the lifetime of the account. Id. According to the Companies, they provide a 60-day Medical Claim Hold during the statutory winter protection period to align the process for medical protection claims with the financial hardship claims process and to allow for processing of a customer’s medical certification. Id., p. 2.
However, the Companies’ medical portal now enables the Companies to code a customer as medical protection the same day as the customer’s medical provider completes the medical certification, eliminating the need for additional processing time. Motion, p. 2. For medical providers who do not use the medical portal, the Companies assert 14 days is sufficient time for a medical provider to complete and submit the medical certification to the Companies and for the Companies to code the customer as medical protection. Id. As such, the Companies request approval to modify their medical protection claim process to allow each customer – not more than one time within a 12- month period – up to 14 days, regardless of the time of year, for the customer’s medical provider to submit the medical certification form to the Companies and for the Companies to process it. Id.
The Authority determines that it requires input on the Proposal from Participants in Docket No. 25-05-01 before the Authority can issue a ruling. Accordingly, the Authority requests that Participants file written comments on or before February 11, 2025, by 4:00 p.m., regarding the following:
- The Companies’ Proposal, including whether the Participant recommends any modifications to it; and
- Whether the Companies’ and The Connecticut Light and Power Company d/b/a Eversource Energy’s and Yankee Gas Services Company d/b/a Eversource
Energy’s customer service practices for medical protection claims, if inconsistent from one another, should be modified for consistency.” {***}
Notice (01/21/2025)
25-05-01 (10/29/2024)
(Annual Review of Affordability Programs and Offerings (Energy Affordability Annual Review)
