"Glancing at your bill will likely leave you more confused: there is a dizzying array of charges, credits, adjustments, taxes and more. KQED took Brown's bill to a group of experts to decode it, and in doing so found that her bill included a miscalculation: Brown qualifies for CARE, a program meant to help offset energy costs for low-income Californians, but she is only getting that discount on what she pays for gas, not electricity."
"Brown did not think to question her bills, however, because each month she sees a CARE discount, and high utility bills seem to be the norm when she talks to family and friends. There are real barriers to seeking help for high utility bills, said Constance Slider Pierre, who oversees The Utility Reform Network 's consumer hotline. Barriers include speaking limited English, confusion over how to read bills, and difficulty reaching customer service representatives, Slider Pierre said."
Electricity costs in California are high and bills contain many confusing line items, including charges, credits, adjustments and taxes. A review of a customer's bill revealed a miscalculation: the customer qualified for the CARE discount but received it only on gas charges, not electricity, and the utility corrected the error and will issue a credit. Many customers do not question bills because visible discounts mask errors and high bills feel normal. Barriers to seeking help include limited English, difficulty reading bills, and trouble reaching customer service. Experts say understanding a bill often requires specialists and recommend simplifying bill presentation.
Read at Kqed
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