Section 736.670  Illness Provision

a)         Certificate of Illness

1)         A WETC shall postpone discontinuance of telephone service to a customer for 30 days after the date of certification by a licensed physician that discontinuance of service will aggravate an existing medical emergency or create a medical emergency for the customer or a permanent resident in the customer's household.

2)         Initial certification shall prohibit discontinuance of service for 30 days. Certification may be renewed by the customer for one additional 30 day period by providing another certificate to the WETC.  Failure to renew the certificate shall entitle the WETC to initiate discontinuance procedures.

3)         Initial certification by the certifying physician may be by telephone if written certification is forwarded within five days.

b)         This certificate of medical emergency must be in writing on stationery that clearly sets forth the name of the doctor, hospital or medical clinic.  The certificate shall show the name of the person whose illness would be aggravated, the nature of the medical emergency, and the name, title and signature of the licensed physician certifying the medical emergency.

c)         Within the first 30 days, the customer must enter into a Deferred Payment Agreement for the retirement of the unpaid balance of the account and keep the current account paid during the period that the unpaid balance is to be retired.

d)         In the event service is discontinued within 10 days prior to certification of illness by or for a qualifying resident, service shall be restored to that residence if a proper certification is thereafter made in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

e)         Notice of discontinuance of service sent to residential customers shall include a notice substantially in the form of Appendix B.