Some vulnerable residents can’t use Austin Energy’s program

Some Austin Energy customers who are categorized as medically vulnerable and need electricity to operate life-saving equipment have not been able to sign up for the utility’s program to assist them in emergency situations, according to an audit report from the Austin Office of the City Auditor. Members of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee are scheduled to hear a report at this morning’s meeting on what auditors learned and what they recommend to resolve some problems with the program.

The audit explains the importance of the Medically Vulnerable Registry program: “Power outages can be dangerous, especially to customers with critical illnesses or who depend on electricity for life-saving medical equipment. Most life support systems require a continuous power supply to function properly. Austin Energy, the city’s electric utility, offers the Medically Vulnerable Registry (MVR) program. Eligible MVR customers receive case management and assistance creating an emergency back-up plan in the event of an outage.”

One major problem, according to the audit, is the complex application process for signing up for and continuing to be part of the Medically Vulnerable Registry.

Austin Energy told auditors that it is currently working on changes to the process and expects to ask Council to approve those changes before June 1.

The audit reports that applicants found the process difficult to use, with many saying the recertification process was an obstacle to their participation. As a result of complications with the process, auditors found that about 70 percent of applications were denied in 2022 and 2023 because documents were not submitted in time.

The certification process, which is managed by third-party vendor Solix, Inc., determines who is eligible for Austin Energy’s program. An Austin Energy spokesperson told the Austin Monitor, “The MVR program was codified in 1987. Solix took over enrollment administration in 2021. The total dollar amount of the Solix contract (which was extended and increased in 2021) is $12,424,700, with an annual expenditure of approximately $1.3M. It is important to note that this contract covers additional Customer Assistance Program services beyond just MVR.”

Auditors sampled 100 applications for the MVR program and found that the manual process used to manage the application and eligibility verification process “increases the risk that the data may not be secure and reliable, and this may lead to inefficiencies.”

Applying to be part of the Medically Vulnerable Registry requires signatures of the applicant, their doctor, and – if the applicant is not the Austin Energy customer – the person whose name is on the account. This happens frequently since the program requires recertification every 2 to 12 months. Other cities reviewed by the auditors reported recertification frequencies between 12 and 24 months.

Auditors also reported that 45 percent of the participants they talked to about the certification process said it was “inefficient due to the frequency of recertifications and difficulties obtaining a physician’s signature.”

“We surveyed a sample of 50 MVR participants and their experiences and perceptions related to the MVR process. The MVR participants who receive services are generally satisfied” with the program and say it meets their expectations, auditors said. However, they found issues with the enrollment and reenrollment process.

Auditors recommended that the general manager of Austin Energy work with stakeholders to resolve challenges accessing the registry, including evaluating the recertification requirements. They also recommended an online option for receiving application and recertification documents and to reorganize the existing application process “to ensure that sections filled by the applicant and the physician are well aligned.”

According to historical data provided to auditors from Austin Energy, 84 households enrolled in the MVR program in 2008 and 268 enrolled in 2022.

Austin Energy told auditors it has begun to create a new online application for medically vulnerable people, saying, “Due to the complexities of this technology intake process … the work to create a new portal is expected to be extensive.” The utility expects to finish that work by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. It also intends to redesign the paper application forms.

The other utilities whose programs were considered include Georgetown Utilities, New Braunfels Utilities, CPS Energy in San Antonio, Jacksonville Electric Authority, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and the Tallahassee Electric Utility. Auditors said that Austin Energy’s program for medically vulnerable people “appears to offer more services than similar programs from other cities we reviewed.”

Photo by freefoodphotos is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

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