California Lifeline Program | Announcements

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA LIFELINE PROGRAM

FROM CAL-ORE TELEPHONE CO.

The California LifeLine Program (California LifeLine) provides discounts on phone services to qualified residential households. This consumer program of the California Public Utilities Commission helps to lower consumers’ phone bills. Consumers must be approved before receiving the California LifeLine discounts. For more information on program eligibility, visit: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/consumer-support/financial-assistance-savings-anddiscounts/lifeline/california-lifeline-eligibility.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE CALIFORNIA LIFELINE DISCOUNTS

If you think your household qualifies for the California LifeLine discounts, call CAL-ORE TELEPHONE CO. at 530-397-2211 OR 530-667-2297. We will review the program and eligibility rules with you, and we will inform the California LifeLine Administrator to mail you an application form in a PINK envelope with a Personal Identification Number (PIN). You can apply online at www.californialifeline.com using your PIN, or you can complete, sign, and mail the application form and any required proof of eligibility to the California LifeLine Administrator. The application form and any required documents must be completed and returned before the response date indicated on the form. If you do not return the completed application form, or fail to provide the required documentation, you will not receive the California LifeLine discounts and you will continue to pay the regular rates for your phone service.

If you apply for California LifeLine, you will pay the regular rates for your phone service until your application is approved. To help you pay the up-front costs of establishing your phone service like the service installation/connection fee, service conversion fee, and deposits, you can request to be on an interest-free payment plan. After being approved by the California LifeLine Administrator you will be refunded the difference between the regular rates and the California LifeLine discounted rates for your phone service. The refund and the California LifeLine discounts will be retroactive to the date your service began or the date you requested to be enrolled, whichever is later. If your bill has a net credit balance of $10.00 or more, you may request a refund check from CAL-ORE TELEPHONE CO. Otherwise, the refund will be

a credit on your account.

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

You can qualify for the California LifeLine discounts by either Program-Based OR Income-Based. See below. Qualifying by Program-Based means that you or another person in your household is enrolled in a public assistance program such as Medicaid/Medi-Cal, CalFresh, Supplemental Security Income, or other programs. Qualifying by IncomeBased means that your household’s total annual income is at or less than 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

ONLY ONE CALIFORNIA LIFELINE DISCOUNTED SERVICE PER HOUSEHOLD IS ALLOWED

Each household must choose to get the discount either on a home phone or on a cell phone, but not on both. Households cannot get discounts from multiple phone companies. Only one California LifeLine discount per household is allowed, except for TTY users, in which case a second phone line may be discounted. Households that do not follow the California LifeLine one discounted service per household rule will lose their discounts and may be prosecuted by the U.S. government. Individuals can also be punished for giving false information to get the discounts. Penalties can include imprisonment, losing the discounts, monetary fines, and being banned from the California LifeLine Program. The discounts can only be for the primary residence. Discounts are non-transferable from one person to another. California LifeLine participants may transfer their discounts from one phone company to another, but you may NOT have more than one phone line active with the California LifeLine discounts. If you choose to transfer your California LifeLine discounts from CAL-ORE TELEPHONE CO. to another California LifeLine provider, then CAL-ORE TELEPHONE CO. will charge retail rates for you to continue using your phone service.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR CALIFORNIA LIFELINE DISCOUNTS

You must renew your California LifeLine participation annually. The California LifeLine Administrator will mail you a renewal form in a PINK envelope with a Personal Identification Number (PIN). You can renew online at www.californialifeline.com using your PIN, or complete, sign, and mail the form to the California LifeLine Administrator. Or you can renew by phone by contacting the California LifeLine Administrator. If you do not renew before the response date, you will lose the California LifeLine discounts and will be charged the regular rates. If you have questions about your renewal, contact the California LifeLine Administrator at 877-858-7463 or 888-858-7889 (TTY) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

If you believe your household no longer qualifies for the program or if your household is getting more than one discount by mistake, you must inform CAL-ORE TELEPHONE CO. or the California LifeLine Administrator within 30 days. If you do not follow this notification rule, you may be penalized.

DE-ENROLLMENT RULES

Your household may lose the California LifeLine discounts if your household no longer qualifies, is already receiving the discounts (except for TTY), violates the California LifeLine Program’s rules, or does not renew the discounts on an annual basis.