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www.grm.netMissouri Universal Service
Missouri Universal Service
Available To Missouri Customers
The Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC)
has approved the establishment of a Missouri
Universal Service FUND (MoUSF) to help low-income
and disabled Missourians receive discounts for
telecommunications service. The Missouri Universal
Service Fund assessment rate is 0.0010 (0.10%).
This surcharge appears as a separate line item
on customer bills detailed as “Missouri Universal
Service Fund.”
Missouri customers who receive Federal Lifeline
support automatically receive an additional $6.50 per
month in Missouri Universal Service Fund support.
The Federal Lifeline Program and the MoUSF together
offer a discount to qualifying customers of $15.75 per
month for Voice or Broadband Internet service.
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 that 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: MO HealthNet
(f/k/a Medicaid), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (Food Stamps), Supplemental Security
Income, Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit,
Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8), or
have an income at or below the 135% of the Federal
Poverty Guidelines.
There are no federal Lifeline discounts offered for
disabled consumers. The MoUSF program will offer
a discount of $6.50 per month for the consumer’s
voice, broadband or a bundle of the two services for
Missourians that qualify. If a 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 providing documentation, that they are totally and
permanently disabled or blind and receiving any of the
following: Federal Social Security Disability Benefits,
Veterans Administration Benefits, State Blind Pension,
State Aid to Blind Persons, or State Supplemental
Disability Assistance.