All Lifeline subscribers are required to recertify their income and program-based eligibility at least once a year. The new rolling recertification process began with customers on July 1, 2017, the anniversary date.
The good news is that recertifying your Lifeline service is easy and can be done online or by phone.
Keep Your Discount
Getting a reminder to recertify is the simplest way to ensure that you keep your lifeline discount. You can receive a text, email or automated phone call reminding you of the recertification date.
Alternatively, you can use an online form or a paper recertification letter to print out and submit through the mail. This is a faster and easier option, especially for busy households. In addition, you can also choose to recertify over the phone by calling your provider or visiting an in-person store.
You must prove that your household meets the Lifeline eligibility requirements to be recertified. You can do this by verifying your enrollment in a program or showing that your income is below the government-established poverty guidelines. Only one Lifeline discount is allowed per household. A “household” is a group of people living together and sharing income and expenses.
2021-2022, USAC conducted a reverification process to confirm that all existing Lifeline subscribers meet the National Verifier’s eligibility standards. This process involved a two-part approach: 1) Collecting on-hand documentation from service providers and 2) conducting direct consumer outreach to collect documentation. As a result, subscribers were divided into four groups. Subscribers in groups 1 through 4 had to recertify by submitting proof of their eligibility to USAC.
Get a Reminder
Every year, all Lifeline subscribers must recertify their eligibility by providing USAC with proof that they still qualify. Those who have Lifeline recertification will retain their discount talk, text, and data plan. The process to recertify should be easy for most, but subscribers must complete the 60-day deadline to finish the process.
Typically, service providers can verify their customers’ eligibility through a state database or with documentation provided by the customer. However, suppose they are unable to confirm their eligibility through these methods. In that case, they must contact the customer directly and request personal documentation to recertify them. These requests must be made within the 60-day window and completed in batches based on the customer’s anniversary date.
The easiest way for customers to recertify their eligibility is to use the USAC online system. This online portal is available to all Lifeline subscribers and is secure and convenient. For those who prefer to renew their eligibility by mail, a postage-paid envelope will be included with their recertification letter. Customers who do not have access to the online recertify system can still send their forms by mail, but USAC must receive them within 60 days to avoid de-enrollment from the program.
Verify Your Eligibility
When you receive a robocall asking you to recertify for Lifeline, you should always take the time to verify your eligibility. It’s the best way to ensure you aren’t getting kicked off the program, and it’s against the law to lie on a form or questionnaire.
Eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) are required by federal rules to verify every Lifeline subscriber’s continued eligibility annually. They must query state and local income databases, use a national verification tool, and document the results to meet the Commission’s requirements. If the verification process fails, subscribers will be contacted by USAC directly and asked to submit documentation via mail.
A few states have their database connections, and these states can bypass the National Verifier during the soft launch period. The Bureau expects these providers to finish the remainder of their Lifeline recertifications using the National Verifier no later than January 9, 2024, and to follow their state’s guidance for those subscribers who are not found eligible by the database checks.
You can recertify by calling your service provider or using the USAC website. The online system is easy to navigate and offers support in both English and Spanish. Some Illinois providers also provide a simple recertify by phone option. The whole process should only take a few minutes, and you’ll find out immediately whether or not you have been approved for Lifeline.
Keep Your Records
Once a year, Lifeline customers are required by Federal and State regulatory authorities to recertify their eligibility. This process allows USAC to check whether customers still qualify for the program and can use their discounted talk, text, and data service.
When it’s time to recertify, subscribers receive a letter from their Lifeline provider with renewal instructions and a recertification form. They are asked to respond within 60 days or lose their free service. If subscribers do not respond within the timeframe, they must go through the manual de-enrollment process with their service provider (like GCI).
Subscribers can either fill out and return their paper recertification forms by mail (filled out completely, leaving no blanks) or take them to a GCI retail store, and we will submit them for them. Alternatively, they can recertify online using the interactive voice response system (IVR), available 24/7.
