As a Tipmont member who receives electric service, you can receive a Medical Necessity designation for yourself or anyone living in your home.
What is a Medical Necessity designation?
A Medical Necessity designation indicates that someone living in your home uses equipment that is medically necessary and that requires a continual source of electricity.
Common types of medically necessary devices include:
- Nebulizers
- Ventilators
- Feeding equipment
- Dialysis machines
- Chair lifts
How does a Medical Necessity designation benefit me?
In the event of an electric service outage, a Medical Necessity designation helps Tipmont teams prioritize restoration of your service as quickly as possible.
If your Tipmont account falls into disconnect status for non-payment, a Medical Necessity designation also allows you to extend the payment due date by one week. In this instance, the account holder must contact Tipmont to confirm a Medical Necessity designation.
A Medical Necessity designation does not prevent an account in delinquent status from being disconnected (outside of a system-wide disconnection pause during winter months)
What documentation do I need to qualify for a Medical Necessity designation?
To qualify for a Medical Necessity designation, Tipmont requires communication on official letterhead from a licensed physician who signs the letter and includes the following information:
- The name of the Tipmont account holder
- The medically necessary equipment that is required
- Contact information for the reporting physician
What if the Medical Necessity designation is not for me but for someone who lives with me?
The reporting physician’s letter must specify that the person under their care currently lives at the address affiliated with the Tipmont account.
How can I send Medical Necessity documentation to Tipmont?
Tipmont accepts Medical Necessity documentation by:
Mail
P.O. Box 20
403 S. Main St.
Linden, IN 47955
Fax
765-339-3243
How long does a Medical Necessity designation last?
A Medical Necessity designation from Tipmont lasts for one year from the date that documentation is approved and must be renewed as applicable.
Tipmont will notify the account holder 30 days before any existing designation expires, using the email address on file.
You may wish to ask a treating physician’s office to send annual updates to Tipmont and maintain this designation.
If an existing Medical Necessity designation is no longer required, please call Tipmont at 800-726-3953 to remove the designation from your account.
Is there anything else I should know?
The unpredictable nature of electric service outages means Tipmont cannot guarantee how long it will take to restore service.
Tipmont recommends backup measures to ensure the continual operation of medically necessary equipment — such as using a generator / battery backup or creating a plan with neighbors or family members / friends who have access to electricity if you do not.
