Lathrop, MO-2015

Missouri Universal Service

Missouri Universal Service Available To Missouri Customers

Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), National School Lunch Program (NSL) Free Lunch Program, Veteran Administration Disability Benefits, have an income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, State Blind Pension, State Aid to Blind Persons, State Supplemental Disability Assistance Payments Administered by the Family Support Division, Federal Social Security Disability and Federal Supplemental Security Income. There are no federal Lifeline Services offered for disabled consumers. The MoUSF program will offer a discount of $6.50 per month off the consumer’s local telecommunications service for disabled Missourians. If any member of the household has a disability and is receiving disability benefits as defined below, the consumer is eligible to receive the disability discount. Disability assistance is available to all Missouri residential customers who demonstrate, by self certifying with LTC Networks under penalty of perjury, that they are totally and permanently disabled or blind and receiving any of the following: Federal Social Security Disability benefits; Federal Supplemental Security Income benefits; Veterans Administration benefits; State blind persons pursuant to Section 209.010 to 209.1602RSMo; State aid to blind persons pursuant to Section 209.240RSMo; State supplemental payments pursuant to Section 208.0302RSMo and Section 660.100.2RSMo 2000.

The Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC) has approved the establishment of a Missouri Universal Ser- vice Fund (MoUSF) to help low-income and disabled Missourians receive discounts for basic local telephone service. The Commis- sion established a start date of May 1, 2005 with a mandatory cus-

tomer surcharge of .18% applied to total local service and interstate toll charges to be applied on all Missouri customer bills. This surcharge will appear as a separate line item on customer bills detailed as “Missouri Universal Service Fund.” Effective June 1, 2005, Missouri customers who receive Federal Lifeline support automatically received an additional $6.50 per month in Missouri Service Fund support. The Federal Lifeline Program and the MoUSF together offer a discount to qualifying customers up to $15.75 per month. Individuals who qualify for low-income or disabled support are required to complete a MoUSF Board approval application. The Application Form includes a release so that the Missouri Public Service Commission or its staff may confirm participation in the qualifying programs. By signing the authorization, the beneficiary recipient authorizes the appropriate federal, state or local agency to confirm to the Missouri Public Service Commission or its staff participation in the qualifying program at the time the application was made, and as subsequently deemed necessary for purposes of annual verification or other examinations of eligibility — this authorization continues for the duration of participation in the low-income or disabled program. Customers who qualify for low-income or disabled support are required to provide documentation of participation in the qualifying program. Qualifying low-income or disabled programs include: Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8), Low-Income

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