Full Title: Home Health Care in the Dark: Why Climate, Wildfires and Other Risks Call for New Resilient Energy Storage Solutions to Protect Medically Vulnerable Households From Power Outages
Author(s): Annie Shapiro, Marriele Robinson
Publisher(s): Clean Energy Group, Meridian Institute
Publication Date: June 4, 2019
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
This report examines the risks associated with power outages for individuals reliant on electricity for in-home medical and mobility equipment. Current energy security technologies and policies will need to adjust to meet the needs of the home health care community.
Clean Energy Group and Meridian Institute’s new report includes concrete recommendations for policymakers and public health professionals, including:
- funding research into energy security and resilience for home health care beneficiaries;
- developing better data that accurately portrays the size and scope of the electricity-dependent population;
- collaborating with healthcare providers and home health agencies;
- fostering utility-administered residential battery storage programs;
- and encouraging legislators to expand Medicare coverage to include battery storage.