Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

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Oregon program

A doctor's note that holds off a utility shutoff

A medical certificate can temporarily protect a medically vulnerable household from an electric or gas shutoff.

What it is

A medical certificate can temporarily protect a medically vulnerable household from an electric or gas shutoff.

Keeping power or heat can be especially important while a child is ill at home. Oregon has a medical-certificate process for regulated residential electric and gas service. The protection pauses disconnection, but the charges remain owed.

Eligibility rules
  • This rule covers regulated residential electric and gas utilities. Municipal utilities, people's utility districts and electric cooperatives fall outside it.
  • A physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant can provide the certificate.
What you get
  • Protection against some nonpayment shutoffs while medical-certification and payment requirements are met.
  • Protection can begin with oral or self-certification.
What the help includes
  • Certificates can last up to 6 months, or up to 24 months when the illness is identified as chronic.
If you decide to apply
  1. Ask the utility about its medical-certificate process and a written payment agreement.
  2. Ask the clinician to document the medical need and have the account number and any shutoff notice ready.

Your electric or gas utility; Oregon Public Utility Commission rules. · Official page ↗

After you ask
  • After oral or self-certification, a qualified clinician must confirm it in writing within 60 days.
Good to know

A written payment agreement is due within 20 days. The medical hold does not cancel the bill.

Other details
  • Utilities outside the state rule can have their own medical-hold policies.
  • This electric-and-gas medical certificate requires a clinician to explain why disconnection would significantly endanger someone’s physical health. Initial self-certification or a clinician’s oral certification must be followed by the required written medical certification within 60 days. A certificate lasts for the certified danger period, up to 6 months, or up to 24 months for a certified chronic illness, and may be renewed. An overdue account requires a written payment arrangement within 20 days after the certificate is filed; tell the utility if your finances change. Missing certification, failure to arrange payment, or default can still lead to disconnection after the applicable notices. This is protection against certain nonpayment shutoffs, not free energy or a guarantee against outages.
  • These PUC rules cover regulated residential electric and gas service. Municipal utilities, cooperatives, public utility districts, water suppliers and other fuels need a separate local-policy check.
Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Would a medical certificate protect our home's power or heat if shutoff becomes a concern? What would we still owe or need to do, and could you help arrange it if appropriate?”

Why I’m asking: I want to understand how treatment needs affect utility shutoff protections.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

Call the utility, self-certify, and agree the payment plan inside 20 days.

Your social worker

The clinician writes the certificate.

The care team

A doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant signs the certificate.

Who decides
The utility, under the Public Utility Commission rule.
Ask the care team
“Our electricity is due to be shut off. Can you write an emergency medical certificate saying that would seriously endanger my child's health?”

How to apply

First step: With the social worker and utility, check the danger standard, any shutoff deadline and the certification process. Written confirmation is due within 60 days and an overdue account needs a payment arrangement within 20 days.

  1. Call the utility the day the notice arrives and self-certify.
  2. Ask the oncology team for the written certificate and send it within 60 days.
  3. Agree a written payment plan within 20 days of filing, and keep to it.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Call the utility, self-certify to start the protection, then send the clinician's written certificate within 60 days and agree a payment plan within 20 days.

What to gather

  • The shutoff notice
  • The clinician's certificate
  • What you can realistically pay each month

How long: Protection starts as soon as you certify; written confirmation is due in 60 days.

What a yes looks like

The disconnection stopped and a payment agreement in place.

What a no looks like, and the next move

If your utility is municipal or a cooperative, ask them directly what their own medical hold is.

Watch out

  • The bill still has to be paid, and a written payment plan is due within 20 days.
  • City utilities, people's utility districts and electric cooperatives are outside this rule.
  • Self-certify first to start the clock, then get the written certificate in within 60 days.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.

What it is worth

A qualifying medical certificate can protect regulated residential electric or gas service for up to six months, or 24 months for chronic illness, subject to certification and payment duties. It does not cancel the debt or prevent physical outages.

  • $6 — Longest certificate for an illness not identified as chronic
  • $24 — Longest certificate for an illness identified as chronic
  • $60 — Days to confirm an oral or self-certification in writing
  • $20 — Days to enter a written payment agreement

Legal protection: Medical-certificate protection is conditional: missing documentation, no payment agreement or broken terms can permit disconnection under required notice and dispute procedures. · An oral or self-certification starts the protection straight away

What it costs the family: None.

The eligibility facts, as published

Utility
regulated residential electric and gas service; municipal utilities, people's utility districts and electric cooperatives are outside it
Certifier
A physician, nurse practitioner or physician associate with authority certifies significant danger to physical health from losing the regulated service.

The trap: The certificate stops the disconnection but not the bill. You have to agree a written payment plan within 20 days of filing it, and keep to it, or the protection falls away.

Where I read this

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