We know from our case work and outreach activities that many customers with life support equipment are reluctant to change their energy provider, and can miss out on getting the best energy deals.
Under current rules, in some situations, when life support customers move home or change retailer, they need to provide a new medical certificate. This can be an expensive, stressful and time-consuming process.
Being able to change energy providers is important for all customers, and shopping around can lead to big savings.
In June 2020, we submitted a rule change request to the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) to amend the National Energy Retail Rules (NERR) to remove these barriers.
Our proposal would allow outgoing retailers or distributors to share relevant medical information with a new retailer or distributor selected by the customer.
In November 2020 the AEMC released a draft rule to make it easier for customers needing life support equipment to shop around for better deals by allowing them to reuse certain medical documents needed when switching energy suppliers. Stakeholders were invited to provide feedback on the draft.
Update: the rule change was approved by the AEMC on 25 February 2021.
