I cannot believe this

[Rick Potter]

First, let me beg you to not turn this into a political rant. I am only posting actual facts that pertain to my situation.

Some background to begin with. Our house is a sort of Duplex, we modified it for two family use. As we age, family caretakers will hopefully live in the other half, and help us out. At present our adult daughter and her two adult daughters live here with us. One girl is 21, and mentally disabled. The other is 18, going into her sophomore year in college. The 21 year old is on permanent SSI and MediCal. We are not rich, but comfortable financially.

Now to the surprise. I got the electric bill from Edison Co, and in it was a flyer about assistance programs, giving discounts on your electric bill. There were two programs available. The first, FERA (Family Electric Rate Assistance) program gives you a break on the price, based on a sliding income scale.

The second, CARE (California Alternate Rates for Energy), gives you a 30% rate reduction if you meet eligibility requirements. Requirements include participation in any one of the following. Medi-Cal/Medicaid, Food Stamps, WIC, SSI, and National School Lunch. This is the one that came as a complete shock to me. We qualify for a 30% reduction!


I mentioned this to my daughter this morning, about how her 'special' daughter could get us a discount, and she told me her latest news. Remember, the 21 year old is on SSI (and deservedly so). With the new health care laws changing everything, my daughter has not been able to find a plan she could afford that would include her 18 year old. Somehow, the new policy is that Medi-Cal will take anyone with low income now. Well, the 18 year old is an adult, living at home, college...doesn't matter. So, she applied for Medi-Cal and was accepted. Full coverage, free meds, zero cost. Eligible because she has very little income from working part time. Apparently, the Feds are somehow reimbursing the States for this.

OK, by now you must feel I am rambling. Here is the connection...........because we have an 18 year old college student, who has little personal income, she qualifies for free complete health coverage and meds...............AND qualifies the family for a 30% reduction in our electric bill.


Your State may vary, perhaps it is worth looking into,

Rick Potter

PS: The daughter picked up a policy that just covers her.

PPS: We have solar, and can't use the 30%. They owe us money already.

[Pat Barry]

Obviously an unintended consequence of the new laws. I guess take advantage while you can - I'm sure the government and or Edison will react soon enough and catch up with this loophole. Thats always the case, close a loophole and create new ones. Government is a self-fullfilling, self-satisfying business. Its kind of like government is nature and the new laws are the RR crops. Soon enough nature will react.

[David Weaver]

PPS: We have solar, and can't use the 30%. They owe us money already.

hopefully they won't discount your reimbursement by 30%. I'm sure they were aware of the consequences of that condition in legislation and decided they didn't care. When I see legislation that's written for stuff that I work in, it is so carefully written that as a professional, I can guess ways to game it as I'm reading new bills and in almost every case (in much more complex theoretical scenarios), the law grants the ability for an agency to write regulations (to prevent game playing) or the language in the bill does right away.

If this garners some negative press coverage, there will probably be a household income limit applied to it, but it's too new to get much press coverage at this point.

[Judson Green]

What's a "sort of Duplex"?

Separate utilities? Different address?

[Jim Rimmer]

What's a "sort of Duplex"?

Separate utilities? Different address?

My guess, from what the OP describes as his plan, is two living areas that accommodate 2 families but access from one side to the other from inside in order to provide care. Sort of a duplex but connected internally. But I could be way off.

[Rick Potter]

Bingo..Jim's got it right.

It was built for family members. They get to live in it, and take care of us. Under those circumstances, we figure it will pay for the building project in about three years, compared to being in an old folks home. As it worked out, the job is already taken.

The whole thing is connected through the kitchen. The new area has it's own heating, laundry, Front door, etc. All on one address, tax bill, utilities bills. We gather together a lot, go to our own space when we feel like it, and for 5 years now we seem to get along great. The wife and I are 71 right now, and we go to the new part when we don't want to climb the stairs anymore. The daughter is anxious to keep us in shape, because she loves the new part.

Never say never, but we have absolutely no intention of having anyone but family here.

Rick P

Rick

[Jim Matthews]

Good onya for helping family, it can't be easy for Mom.

Wish my folks showed half that much interest
in their grandkids.