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ohioelectricityrates · 2 years

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How Ohio's Apples to Apples Fails Customers Pt3

New Post has been published on https://www.ohenergyratings.com/blog/how-ohios-apples-to-apples-fails-customers-pt3/

How Ohio's Apples to Apples Fails Customers Pt3

PUCO’s Site Leaves You Wanting More

Learn why PUCO’s Apples to Apples site fails Ohio’s energy customers. Learn how better information and comparison tools can help you shop the best deals on Ohio electricity rates.

We’ve been taking a hard look at the Energy Choice Ohio site over the past couple of months. But, we’re going to take one final tour to see how their Apples to Apples site fails Ohio’s energy customers. For this trip, let’s compare the key differences between Ohio Energy Ratings and the PUCO site.

What Does Apples To Apples Offer You?

Let’s hypothetically say you’re shopping on Apples To Apples, in the Duke Ohio territory. As soon as you put in those search parameters, you’re met with a very clunky table. On the surface, PUCO gives you the name and location of the provider, rate and type, amount of renewable content, the term length, any intro price, early termination fee if any, monthly fee if any, and any promo offers. That sounds great and helpful. But what if you need more details about a supplier and want to go little deeper? Well, you can’t. You only get that one superficial level of information. There’s no reviews. No ratings. And no clear way to compare rates. So, aside from the many unreliable links to Terms of Service, why shop for an electricity plan for your family that skimps on supplying you with information about suppliers?

What Ohio Electricity Ratings Gives You

Let’s search again in the Duke service area but this time at Ohio Energy Ratings. Right off the bat, you’ll find a key difference. Instead of knowing your local utility, you can just search by your zip code. That will give you offers for your area, and your area only. You also get the same information; the company, plan name, monthly charges, cancellation fees, the term length. But, you can sort and compare plans using that information! You can find out right away which term lengths are cheapest, or if a long term plan could save you more money. In contrast, the Apples To Apples lets you sort and compare only by provider name and price per kWh. The Ohio Energy Ratings site also gives you direct links to the terms of service and rate plan summaries. You can also find rate histories, customer-written reviews, ratings based on BBB reports, history of complaints, and more.

You don’t just see the provider’s plan, you get a consumer’s sense of the what the company is like. And all that without leaving the site to try and hunt down more for yourself.

Anyone Can Be On Apples To Apples

Now ask your self an important question: why does PUCO’s own site not let you see whether a company has received complaints or even violated PUCO’s rules? Most deregulated states publicly provide some sort of electricity supplier scorecard. Unfortunately, PUCO does not. So, if you want to know about a company’s complaint record for the year, how do you know whether they’re right for you? Worse still, practically anyone can list a company on the Apples to Apples site. That can leave shoppers open to bait and switch plans, scams, or straight-up fraud. Why put your money and your information into harm’s way? Apples To Apples just doesn’t supply enough information about energy suppliers to help you to make a fully informed decision.

Don’t Let PUCO Fail You Again

To be blunt, Apples to Apples comes up pretty short getting you the best deal on your electricity. Ohio Energy Ratings, however, goes the distance to help you avoid frustration and save you money. We help you and other Ohio energy customers find great plans in your area and even help you work out which lightbulbs save the most money.

If you’re looking to save more on energy for your home, head on over to www.ohenergyratings.com.

#Apples to Apples #Fixed Rate Plans #Ohio Electricity #Save Money #Shopping Ohio Electricity Rates

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ohioelectricityrates · 2 years

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Will First Energy Electric Rates Double?

New Post has been published on https://www.ohenergyratings.com/blog/will-first-energy-electric-rates-double/

Will First Energy Electric Rates Double?

First Energy Auctions Affect Next Year’s Rates

What can you do if your First Energy bill doubles? With their PTC rates set to skyrocket in June, 2023, find out what you can do to avoid high electricity bills.

In early October, First Energy purchased its electricity supply for next year at double the current price. This massive spike in wholesale electricity may sound trivial when you’re talking about pennies. However, it can have a huge impact on your bills beginning in June next year. How will this increase affect you further? Will First Energy electric rates double?

Why Are Auction Prices So High?

The wholesale price of electricity comes down to a number of factors, mostly fuel related. This past year has seen brutal natural gas prices. The price of coal is also rising, albeit, slower. Both of these fuels make up the majority of Ohio’s energy production. Coupled with recession fears, some might think customers could face higher energy bills this summer. But, maybe not.

PUCO Apologizes To Customers For Auction Price

The October 4 auction only accounts for about one-third of the electricity First Energy will start using on June, 2023. With two-thirds unsold, First Energy plans to auction one in January, 2023, and the other at a later date. For that reason, PUCO actually apologized for approving the sale price. That’s because high natural gas prices and lack of spread-out power auctions cut back PUCO’s choices.

To be sure, the situation seems scary. Both the looming specters of high natural gas prices and inflation have scared off certainty about next year’s energy prices. And true, utility companies will raise PTC rates to pay their own massive bills from current contract prices. But, just because this auction ended with high prices doesn’t mean Ohio’s retail electricity companies will also raise rates next year. The big reason is the EIA’s STEO predicts increased US natural gas production next year could lower prices.

Lower Your First Energy Electricity Bills Now

While First Energy’s rates probably won’t double, they likely will rise. So, it’s good idea to save money by reducing your electricity usage. But most importantly, now’s the time to lock in a fixed rate plan. A fixed rate plan can protect your family from energy price spikes during winter. Be sure to check out the tons of great plans over at www.ohenergyratings.com

#First Energy #natural gas price #Ohio electric bill #Ohio Utilities #Price to Compare #Price to Compare Increase #PTC Rate Hike #Utility Auctions

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ohioelectricityrates · 2 years

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New Auctions To Save AES Dayton Energy Customers Money?

New Post has been published on https://www.ohenergyratings.com/blog/new-auctions-to-save-aes-dayton-energy-customers-money/

New Auctions To Save AES Dayton Energy Customers Money?

Will New Auctions Cost You More?

AES Ohio has asked PUCO to hold multiple generator supply auctions during the year. Find out if Dayton electric customers will save money and ways to save when PTC rates change.

AES Ohio holds it electricity supply auctions once a year auction. But that may soon change with the utility moving to multiple auctions per year. Dayton energy customers have felt the effects from these yearly auctions hard this year. Did you struggle when Ohio utility rates surged from 4.508 cents per kWh to 10.91 cents per kWh in June? Will the new auctions save AES Dayton energy customers money?

What Is The Effect Of Auctions On PTC Rates?

First, remember that the PTC is a pass-through rate for generation supply. Utilities can’t profit from it. Customers pay exactly what the utility pays. Utilities set the PTC rate by holding periodic auctions. PUCO must approve both auction results and the final rate. As a result, the whole process usually takes a little time before the PTC rates go into effect.

Other Ohio utilities bring in generator companies several times in the year to hold auctions for electricity supply. This way Ohio utility companies can spread out their costs over the year. This usually helps keep Ohio electricity rates lower by reducing the chance for sudden price spikes. However, each spring AES Ohio only holds one auction to purchase all the electricity they require for the upcoming year.

But this year, natural gas prices have risen to levels not seen since 2008. Additionally, high temperatures this summer have forced homes and businesses to use more electricity. Because natural gas powers electric generators, high natural gas costs and high demand has pushed up electricity rates.

Unfortunately, AES Ohio had to pay this higher rate for their generation supply all at once.

Multiple Auctions Can Hurt and Help Consumers

On one hand, laddering price increases may make them easier for consumers to stomach. On the other hand, these slow increases over the year can lull consumers into a false sense of security. Think of it like the frog-in-a-pot parable. Consumers are less likely to shop for Ohio electricity plans if the PTC rate doesn’t rise too fast.

But just because you don’t recognize the water is getting hot, doesn’t mean that you’re being fooled. Multiple energy auctions can also signal when PTC prices are increasing. And that can give families a chance to shop fixed rate plans and avoid paying high electricity bills later. For example, earlier this year consumers in other utility service areas saw their PTC rates were going to rise. So, they shopped fixed rate electricity plans at what then seemed to be high prices. But, after the June price spike, they are now seeing massive savings.

Saving Money With Multiple Energy Auctions

Having multiple energy auctions per year keeps you informed when rates will change. This also means that providers will need to be more agile to compete with changing PTC rates. So, you’ll be able to shop for great plans.

And if you’re looking for a new rate now, we have comparative rates all across Ohio. No matter where you are, or what kind of rate you’re looking for, you can find it at www.ohenergyratings.com

#AEP Ohio #natural gas price #Ohio Electricity #Summer in Ohio

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ohioelectricityrates · 4 years

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Do I Face a High Texas Freeze Bill in Ohio?

New Post has been published on http://www.ohenergyratings.com/blog/high-texas-freeze-bill-ohio/

Do I Face a High Texas Freeze Bill in Ohio?

Although winter in the Buckeye State can be brutal it’s unlikely for a Texas freeze to slap Ohio with sky high bills.

Can My Electricity Bills Skyrocket Because Of A Storm?

With all the talk of the Texas Winter Freeze, and a lot of keyboard debate about deregulated energy, it’s understandable to feel a little uneasy about what could happen in the snowy expanse of Ohio. Turns out, there’s a huge difference in the energy market of Ohio and Texas, and not just in location. We’re going to break down why you’re unlikely to see a staggering Texas freeze bill from your Ohio supplier.

Everything’s Bigger In Texas

From the cities, the temperatures, to the energy market, everything’s pumped up to the extreme in Texas. Mostly extreme temperatures in the upward direction. From the top of the roof to the base of the foundation, homes in the southern US are constructed to keep cool. That means when the temperatures dropped, millions of Texans cranked up their electric and gas furnaces for heat.

ERCOT, the Texas grid, is essentially “a walled garden”. In exchange for staying free of federal oversight no electricity can flow out, and none can flow in. While Texas usually makes plenty of power, sometimes extreme demand causes problems. For example, relentlessly oppressive summer heat that leads to rolling blackouts as the state struggles to meet daily demand. Meanwhile Ohio is part of one of the largest electric grids in the nation, the PJM grid. This means that a total failure similar to a Texas freeze hitting Ohio is unlikely.

Why Did Texas’ Grid Fail? Will That Happen To Ohio?

At its core, the Texas power grid failed because too much equipment froze. This included almost every natural gas pump in the state. Natural gas accounts for almost 56% of the electricity generated in Texas. So freeze-offs robbed generators of massive amounts of fuel to generate power. On the Ohio side, ice on power lines is more likely to cause a power outage, but on a much smaller scale. Weatherproofing, meanwhile, is a fairly standard thing to find in the northern states. Ohio’s generators, natural gas systems, and homes are much better prepared for temperatures that often get even colder that what Texans recently faced.

Lastly, in Ohio, there PUCO’s rule that “fixed means fixed”. Your provider cannot suddenly change your fixed rate plan to cover their unexpected costs. If a provider needs to alter a plan contract that’s in effect, those changes must be made through PUCO to protect consumers. So, even if a Texas freeze event hit Ohio your fixed rate can’t change no matter what happens.

Why Are My Bills Higher This Month?

The short and simple answer is, with families staying home due to Covid, most find they’re using a lot more electricity. One thing customers miss is to keep track of their plan’s expiration date. Ohio law requires your electricity provider to notify you by mail what your choices are before your plan expires. These can include switching you to your local utility’s PTC rate, or offering you a new plan, or rolling you onto their variable rate. Some people toss out these notices without notifying their provider. Unfortunately, providers are legally allowed to assume that you approve their offer even if you don’t contact them. As a result, if your plan expired months ago, you may be paying a high variable rate than you would if you shopped around.

How Can I Keep My Bills From Getting High?

To start with, check out these great tips and tricks to help you save electricity in your home. Next, make sure that your plan hasn’t expired without you know it. Make sure you’re not in a variable rate. If you are, you should shop around for a new plan.

If your plan hasn’t expired, re-read your current plan’s Terms of Service. Then set some reminders to shop around for a new electricity plan a month before your contract ends. Put it in your phone’s calendar, on your smart device. Write it on something you’ll open around the time when it’s up. This way you won’t miss when your contract is ending. And when it’s time to find that new rate, make sure you head on over to www.ohenergyratings.com for the best deals on your Ohio electricity.

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ohioelectricityrates · 5 years

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Can't Pay Ohio Utility Bill During Coronavirus?

New Post has been published on http://www.ohenergyratings.com/blog/2020/03/16/cant-pay-ohio-utility-bill-during-coronavirus/

Can't Pay Ohio Utility Bill During Coronavirus?

Staying home to avoid Coronavirus but missing your paycheck? Your local Ohio utility is helping its customers pay bills during the crisis.

Coronavirus and Your Utility Bills

The Coronavirus (or Covid-19) outbreak news over this weekend has left many working Ohio families wondering what’s going to happen in the wake of schools and many businesses closing. Folks want to know how they’ll make ends meet if they get laid off or must stay home to look after children who aren’t in school. They’re also concerned about how they’ll be able to afford their electric bill at the end of the month.

Because we here at Ohio Energy Ratings monitor the news about Ohio energy prices and regulations, we’re going to stay on top this story to help our customers stay informed and ready.

Covid-19 Energy Service Disconnections

On March 12, 2020, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) ordered Ohio’s electric and natural gas distribution companies to review and suspend their disconnection policies. Their goal is to reduce hardship on residential and non-residential customers for the duration of the emergency. While that means customers don’t face disconnection for nonpayment, PUCO’s order does not eliminate any payment obligations.

PUCO has also extended its winter reconnect order from the usual end date of April 15 until May 1. The order helps Ohioans keep their natural gas and electricity service during the heating season.

Coronavirus Utility Disconnections

The following utilities have made their own announcements after PUCO’s announcement about suspending all disconnections for non-payment:

AEP Ohio announced on Friday, March 13, that it is temporarily suspending all disconnections for non-payment in response to coronavirus. AEP urges customers to keep their accounts current during the period when disconnections are suspended. Customers who anticipate bill problems should contact AEP customer service.

Dayton Power & Light Company (DP&L) said on Saturday, March 14, that is would defer disconnections for nonpayment until further notice or a minimum of 30 days for residential and business customers. Customers remain liable for all charges associated with their usage. Anyone having trouble paying should contact DP&L customer service.

Duke Energy suspended disconnections for nonpayment on Friday, March 13 as well. All residents and businesses that Duke serves can get an extension by contacting Duke Energy customer service. Unfortunately, late fees will still apply.

First Energy Utilities (Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company, Toledo Edison ) announced on Friday, March 13 that they are discontinuing power shutoffs for customers who are past due on their electric bills. Customers who face hardship paying their bill should contact their local First Energy Utility customer service to set up a payment plan.

Because this situation can change daily, customers should contact their local electricity utility to find out more about arranging late policy payments during the Coronavirus crisis.

We will post updates about disconnection moratoriums and other information for Ohio customers as we learn more.

Coronavirus Stay Safe in Ohio

We want all our customers to stay healthy and safe during this outbreak. To learn more about what you and your family can do, check out the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website. To learn more about the situation in Ohio visit the state Department of Health’s Coronavirus website.

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ohioelectricityrates · 6 years

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Ohio Electric Utility Scams on the Rise

New Post has been published on http://www.ohenergyratings.com/blog/2019/03/22/ohio-electric-utility-scams-rise/

Ohio Electric Utility Scams on the Rise

Are you sure that caller was from your utility or service provider? Don’t get scammed! Learn how to identify and stop electric utility scams in Ohio!

Door to door salespeople want to see my Ohio electric bill!

If someone ever offers you the best Ohio electric rate that sounds too good to be true, walk away!

Law enforcement and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) are on alert because there’s been an awful LOT of electric utility scams in Ohio. Some scams use door-to-door salespeople or telemarketers pitching cheap Ohio electricity rates. Others involve a fake utility representative threatening to turn off power. Either way, the scammers are convincing enough to trick victims out of their money and sometimes even steal their identity.

Here’s how many of the scams work and what you can do to protect yourself and your family.

“These aren’t the Ohio electricity retailers you’re looking for.”

What do you do when salespeople at your front door say they represent your local utility? By all accounts, they look like who they say they are; orange safety vest, clipboard, friendly smile, and they know your name. They also claim they can help lower your electric bill if they can see your most recent electric bill. DON’T DO IT!

Consider that your local utility already has your billing information. That a representative needs to know it should set off alarm bells. While most retail electric suppliers in Ohio and their contractors follow PUCO’s door-to-door sales rules, there are clearly some individuals who will either do anything to make a buck or they’re trying to steal your personal information. First, consider that your electric bill contains billing ID information that a dishonest marketer can use to change over your service without your express permission (called “slamming”) just by getting you to sign a form.

“Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!“

In most cases, Ohio utilities only send someone to collect payment if your account is past due and you have been notified of disconnection. Some scams go door to door with some trying to con money out of customers pay all or some of their supposedly “past due” bill. Furthermore, other con artists will offer to perform an “energy audit” or some other service. But, once you let them into your home, they use chance to steal your valuables.

Your local utility company follows specific policies for contacting customers. All utility employees and contractors carry photo identification badges. Should any Ohio electric company representative come to your home, always ask to see their photo ID badge. Each utility also lists ways for customers to verify that they are being contacted properly:

First Energy

AEP Ohio

DP&L

Duke Energy

“I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want.”

This past February, Bucyrus, OH, police received numerous phone calls from area residents about scam phone calls claiming to be from AEP Ohio and offering senior citizens discounted utility service. AEP Ohio confirmed the caller was not an employee and was stealing personal billing and bank account information. According the Better Business Bureau (BBB) 2018 Scam Tracker Risk Report, “Phones were the top means of contact overall for the third year in a row.” Nationwide, utility scam victims suffered a median financial loss of $500. Scammers typically demand payment through a prepaid gift card.

Con artists are using technology to their advantage. In particular, they rely on caller ID spoofing to help their scam appear legit. Scammers use computer software to display the Caller ID information they want — including that of a local utility. In 2017, AEP Ohio warned customers that scammers were able to display AEP Ohio’s name as the Caller ID. To add to the deception, scammers copy utilities’ telephone messages systems. That way, when customers call the scammer’s phone number, the scammer’s responses seem like they are legitimate.

The most common utility phone scams in recent years have been:

Threats to shut off power unless the customer makes an immediate payment.

Telling customers they need a new meter and that they must pay for it in advance.

Offering a discount on their electric bill if they sign up for auto-pay.

Demands immediate payment on a deposit.

How Can I Protect Myself from an Ohio Electric Utility Scam?

Scammers thrive when they pressure customers who don’t know or understand their Ohio Electric Customers’ Bill of Rights. Your local Ohio utility (and retail electricity provider) are required to follow specific PUC customer protections. Remember:

— Electric meters are owned by the local utility.The utility has the responsibility to maintain it. Homeowners are responsible for the gray metal enclosure that protects the meter’s connections (called a “meter base” or “meter box”). Local electric utility employees have the right to access your meter in order to read, repair, or test it. Consequently, they must provide you with identification and the reason they are at your property.

—Customers have 14 days to pay a bill once it arrives. All utilities must notify customers 14 days before power can be turned off. These service disconnections are restricted to normal business hours. That way, you have time to properly pay your bill by credit card, check, over the phone, or at an authorized agent. Utilities and electricity providers never require payments through prepaid gift cards.

—Ohio electricity switching rules are designed to protect consumers. Don’t agree or sign anything when you don’t want to. Tell the salesperson or caller that you want receive more information. Or —just close the door or hang up.

—Ohio electric utilities and providers can only request a deposit be paid at the beginning service. A utility has 30 calendar days from the beginning service to demand a deposit. Also, utilities cannot charge you a deposit more than 130% of your estimated average monthly bill for 12 months. However, utilities can require deposit to reestablish creditworthiness after a service disconnection.

Remember that Ohio’s utilities do not request personal information to make a payment. They have your customer information already. Don’t provider callers with additional personal information like account numbers, credit cards, Social Security numbers, and your phone number. If you suspect the call is suspicious, hang up. Call the customer service phone number on your electric utility bill or at your provider’s website.

If you receive a suspicious phone call saying your bill is past due, check your account on line or on your printed bill. Do not call back the number. Contact your utility or provider using the customer service phone number on your bill.

Stay Informed and Stay Safe!

Ohio Energy Ratings helps electricity customers all over Ohio stay informed about the news and issues affecting their electricity rates. By staying informed, customers can shop electric retail providers and compare them apples-to-apples. Comparing plans with Ohio Energy Ratings will help you find the best plan for your family’s needs and save money. Check out all your options for a cheaper electric rate today at https://www.ohenergyratings.com/electricity-rates.

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pacificuoptometry · 7 years

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Canadians at Pacific, eh?

Are you considering attending optometry school at PUCO? Are you Canadian or from elsewhere outside the USA? Do you have questions about adjusting to living in the USA?

This post was written with you in mind!

I’m a born-and-raised Canadian student, currently in my first year at PUCO. My acceptance to study at PUCO definitely brought me great excitement, but once the reality of “the big move” settled in, I also had uncertainties about what details my decision to study outside of my home country would involve. To help ease that uncertainty for some of you, I’d like to offer my own answers to some frequently asked questions of international prospective students looking to attend PUCO. Of course, these come with the bias of my own experiences, but I hope that at least a small amount of this information can help to prepare you for a smooth transition into attending graduate school south of the border.

Finances

Banking

The Bottom Line: You will need some sort of card or payment method that allows you to make frequent purchases in USD without charging you any point-of-sale cost.

·For me, this meant signing up for a USD credit card that I use like a debit card down here. I kept my Canadian account and CAD credit card for use whenever I return home, but got my USD credit card through the same bank (for me, BMO). My family and I can now freely deposit CAD money into this account for me to transfer into the USD account, which I use to pay off the USD credit card. Doing lump-sum transfers on a monthly basis saves on the international transfer fees, which would otherwise become significant over time on each individual purchase.

·I also opened a US bank account through Wells Fargo. I was advised that it is a good idea to have this as a source of back-up money, say if you ever lost your Canadian account cards. Because you are now international, retrieving replacement cards will be more complicated, so I strongly advise that you have a US account even if you do not use it very often. (And to build your American credit score as Dr. Bowen, our practice management professor, would encourage!) Wells Fargo is one of the few banks that will allow Canadian students without American SSNs to do this, and there is a Wells Fargo location in the heart of Forest Grove, just blocks from campus.

Paying Tuition

The Bottom Line: Canadian credit cards are not a good optionl consider cheques or bank drafts instead.

·There are service fees charged by the Canadian credit card companies that will accumulate to a significant amount over the course of paying your tuition fees. American debit or credit cards are fine, but this will require transfer of large sums of money internationally into your American account. I recommend getting cheques for your Canadian USD account, which you can simply take to the financial office on campus. You can also look into using bank drafts, if this is an option that might work for you.

·PUCO also has a quarterly payment plan, which I recommend for anyone using loans that accrue interest right away (ie. bank loans, lines of credit).

Several PUCO students made the trip to Vancouver, BC for BCDO 2017

Housing

Facebook Group

·The Bottom Line: The PUCO Facebook group is a great way to find rental properties and roommates.

·Upon acceptance to PUCO, you will be added to a Facebook group with the other incoming members of your class, as well as the Ambassadors and other members of the upper-year optometry classes. Upper year students will post housing opportunities that they would like to pass down to incoming optometry students to take over, especially as they move to be closer to their clinic or rotation sites. These fellow students are also good resources for recommendations on areas of town or websites to check out.

·There are many housing options in Forest Grove that serve as “optometry legacy houses”, where several generations of students have taken over the rental contracts from each other. We are lucky that previous PUCO students have established such a great tenant reputation amongst the landlords of Forest Grove!

·You can also check out Craigslist, as well as several other rental mapping websites such as Zillow, trulia, or homes.com.

Rent and Utilities

·The Bottom Line: American roommates are great resources when signing up for utility accounts (and also in general J ). I recommend paying rent with the same USD cheques as for tuition, but this may depend on your landlord’s preference.

·I recommend setting up (or at least planning) utilities 1-2 weeks before you move down. Your landlord should be able to tell you the specific companies that your house will use/require. If you do need to open new accounts with companies, be aware that you may run into issues because you may not yet have an American SSN. Personally, I had great roommates who offered to put their name down as the primary account holder until I was in the country and could deal with things locally.

·Again, not in my personal experience, but be aware of potential lack-of-SSN issues when dealing with house rental companies. Plan ahead rather than leaving accommodation arrangements until the last minute, just in case.

PUCO students enjoying BCDO 2017 in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia

Paperwork

F-1 Status and SSN

·The Bottom Line: PUCO is AMAZINGLY prepared for and used to hosting international students!

·The Office of International Programs and the Graduate Admissions Office at PUCO are awesome about sending you information regarding all the necessary steps and paperwork required to smoothly get your F-1 status (NOTE: Canadians DO NOT have visas). You will have minimal work to do for the paperwork side of international admission, and will be guided step-by-step throughout the process via very clear email instructions. (Insert sigh of relief here, because less paperwork is better paperwork.) by Katelyn Eisenhooth.

·During your time at Pacific, you will undergo a short process to get your SSN (which will be required for your clinical rotations). This is arranged by the College staff and you will be well-informed of the steps.

·Two great contacts for this information: Katelyn Eisenhooth (Assistant Director of International Programs) and Nicole Shappart (Assistant Director of Graduate Studies)

Travel

Documents to Carry

·The Bottom Line: Bring the proper paperwork with you (passport & I-20) across the border, and all should be well.

·Along with the previous information regarding F-1 status, Katelyn will be very helpful at teaching you all there is to know about the paperwork necessary to enter/exit the USA as an F-1 student. Better yet, they will set this all up for you and provide you with the necessary signed documents by mail before your arrival.

·Be sure to keep your signatures and information on these forms updated! You will be told about this at international student orientation.

Border Crossing Rules

·The Bottom Line: Most of the rules are common sense. Some are not. When in doubt, do your research and ask Katelyn!!

Here is a link to the official website for the USA Customs and Border Patrol guidelines for entering the United States as an International Visitor (Student): https://www.dhs.gov/how-do-i/cross-us-borders

·Just in case, here is a link to the Canadian Border Services Agency that outlines the rules regarding bringing American goods back into Canada: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/bgb-rmf-eng.html

NOTE: If you plan to use NEXUS, it is imperative that you have your I-20 (F-1 document) linked to your NEXUS card.

Vehicle Licensing

·The Bottom Line: You can keep your Canadian license plates and insurance.

·As a student studying internationally, you are allowed you to keep your home plates on your vehicle (if you plan on bringing one down to Forest Grove with you). This being said, you will need to go into your Canadian auto insurance broker’s office to let them know about your move, because there is a note that must be made on your file. For BC, it requires a “Z Class” status for the vehicle, which will likely bring a slight increase to your within-province insurance. For Alberta, fees and classifications may vary more by the individual insurance providers.

·NOTE: You need to bring your vehicle back across the Canadian border at least once per year! ICBC and most Albertan companies require that the vehicle cross back into Canada every 10 months in order to maintain its legal Canadian vehicle status. This may vary for certain insurance companies – if you are concerned, just ask your provider.

Health Care

Immunizations

·The Bottom Line: Becoming a healthcare provider requires immunization documentation!

·As part of your welcome email, and a few other times before the school year begins, you will be sent a form detailing the immunization documentation required to serve as a healthcare provider. There are some provincial differences (as well as American vs Canadian differences) in common immunization protocols. Start to track down your documentation of this as soon as possible, and read the details of the requirements that are sent to you very carefully. They may not match what you have already, but this is okay as long as you realize it in time to speak to your GP about getting what you need for PUCO! Be aware that you may face some skepticism or confusion about which immunizations you truly need as an OD student, so you may be offered “reduced” immunization options instead. If you experience this, kindly let your provider know that the form provided by PUCO has been very carefully designed by our Patient Care team, and that as a healthcare provider in the USA there are strict rules regarding these specific levels of immunizations.

Insurance Plans

·The Bottom Line: PUCO provides you with health insurance, but you are welcome to substitute it with your own if it is sufficient.

·The American and Canadian healthcare systems have a few well-known differences, one of which is their method of providing health insurance. Although this could get confusing to arrange as an international student, PUCO has been nice enough to do the research and legwork for us, and offers a default coverage plan just for students! This plan offers some coverage for services like dental, doctor, emergency care, physiotherapy, etc.

·You also have the option to opt out of the PUCO coverage. This can be done if you are covered by a significant other or family member (just make sure that the coverage extends to the States!) or if you plan to purchase some other form of student insurance. Note that the Student Travel Insurance plans will NOT provide general services coverage (ie. dental, routine doctor, physiotherapy) but will kick-in should anything unexpected happen to you while you are in the USA. A popular and affordable option that I would recommend is ScotiaLife (overseen by Manulife), but there are several others! Word of warning: make sure that the student travel plan that you select allows you to come and go between USA/Canada throughout the year without voiding the policy! This is frequently overlooked by the brokers, and I don’t know about you but I like to be allowed to go home to visit!

·Also, there are varying rules regarding maintaining your basic Canadian healthcare coverage (ie. MSP for BC, AHCIP for Alberta, OHIP for Ontario…). Check with your province regarding the individual regulations, because some of them require exact knowledge of your USA destination as well as the dates you intend to be out of province. For BC, this was not the case in my experience, but it never hurts to make a quick call and let them know!

Several PUCO students made the trip to Vancouver, BC for BCDO 2017

Odds and Ends

Board Certification

·All Optometry students need to write Board Certification Exams in order to enter practice after graduation. Canadian students are eligible to write the American NBEO exams (info at: https://www.optometry.org/) if they plan to pursue a career in the USA, or can choose to write the Canadian exams (info at: http://www.ceo-eco.org/) if they plan to return to work in Canada. Or both if you are unsure! Currently, there is still eligibility for practice in British Columbia (with proper registration of course) for Canadians who have written the NBEO exams, though rumours have been circulating for a while that this option may close within the near future…

Phone Plans

·Common recommendations are AT&T and T-Mobile. Many companies down here will again require an SSN for plans, but these two companies will allow month-by-month plans for Canadian students. From experience, it is easiest to bring down your own phone that is unlocked from any carriers. There are options through both of these companies for very affordable ($30-60/month) plans with unlimited text/calling/data that can be used in the USA and Canada (and some even in Mexico) without ANY additional charges. This is a very nice feature for international students who tend to travel back and forth quite a bit, or if you plan to spend any length of time back in Canada and don’t want to flip between CAN/USA phone plans.

Costco Card

Not a ton to say here, other than that your Canadian Costco card will work in both countries – score!

Imported Essentials

·There are Canadian items that you will not find in the USA! Make sure to bring the following with you if you need them in your life:

o Coffee crisp bars

o Ketchup chips

o Sour patch kids (the American kind taste different!)

o All dressed chips (America finally has them, but they also taste different!)

o Poutine (sad face)

o Fuzzy peaches

o Nanaimo bars (self-explanatory, no?)

o PEROGIES.

o Smarties (the American “Smarties” are Canada’s “Rockets” – you will get to politely argue about this with classmates)

o The phrases “sorry”, “eh”, and “zed”

First-year PUCO student Kathy Nguyen stocking up on All Dressed Ruffles chips during one of her Canadian visits!

American Perks

There are also American items that will be new and exciting! Just to list a few…

o AOSA and AOA+ memberships, as well as numerous other organizations and clubs to join

o PayDay bars

o Butterfinger bars

o The Fahrenheit scale (used outside of the kitchen)

o Trader Joe’s!

o Dollar bills (but there’s also a pseudo-Loonie!)

o American Netflix and Hulu (and you WILL have time to watch them!)

o So. Much. More. But I can’t give away all of the surprises…

Important Final Notes

·The Canadian Association of Optometry Students (humorously abbreviated ‘CAOS’) has a PUCO chapter! They put on fun and informative events throughout the year that are directed towards keeping a little piece of homeland pride burning in all of us Canadians studying abroad.

Dr. Schwirtz and Dr. Birring from IRIS Canada speaking to PUCO students about optometry in Canada and how to increase efficiency in practice.

·YES, you will still be informed about Canadian events and conferences during your time at PUCO! Several of our Canadian students actually just made the quick trip up to attend the BCDO Conference and Optofair in Vancouver, BC this past weekend. We also have doctors and company representatives who frequently come down to PUCO to speak to students, and who are open and down-to-earth about answering student questions. Pacific is very good at keeping Canadians informed about opportunities back home.

·The level of education you will receive at PUCO is, in my opinion, worth every missed opportunity to consume poutine. In all seriousness, the knowledge and clinical skills that I have already gained from my numerous mentors and colleagues at PUCO is outstanding, and worth every bit of the move.

·Kinder Surprises are illegal in the USA. Seriously.

TLDR;

Are you considering attending optometry school at PUCO? I strongly recommend it!

Are you Canadian or from elsewhere outside the USA? It doesn’t matter - you’ll fit right in at PUCO. (But seriously Canadians, bring adequate ketchup chips.)

Do you have questions about adjusting to living in the USA? I hope that I’ve answered some of them and left you feeling at least a bit more prepared for the move, but if not then please feel welcome to contact me or any of PUCO’s wonderful students, staff, or faculty to gain more insight!

Thank you to Danielle Guenet and Kathy Nguyen for the picture contributions!

Written by Nadine Odermatt, First-year Student Ambassador at Pacific University College of Optometry. [email protected]

Please note that this post reflects the opinions and experiences of the author and is not endorsed by Pacific University.

#PUCO #Pacific University College of Optometry #international students #optometry school #Canada

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pacificuoptometry · 8 years

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Serving the local community one eye exam at a time

One of the responsibilities of becoming an optometrist is having the ability to provide vision screenings, conduct examinations, and perhaps the most important is to educate the community regarding eye care. Starting during the first semester of optometry school, PUCO students are requested to participate in vision screenings in the Portland, OR community. The vision screenings are conducted in elementary schools, Head Start Preschools, migrant camps, and health fairs in collaboration with other healthcare organizations. For remote screening locations, PUCO is fortunate to have an Eye Van which travels with students and faculty to ensure vision care is provided even in the most unlikely of settings. The goal of our vision screenings is to provide access to vision care in populations who may be unaware of the services optometrists render or who may be otherwise underserved. PUCO students and faculty are able to provide access to glasses, make referrals when necessary, and to improve the overall health of our community members through vision screenings.

Awesome first year students ready to assist in providing care at an outdoor screening

As vision screenings are the student’s first exposure to real patients, instead of our classmates, screenings are an essential piece of the curriculum at PUCO. Students are able to interact with patients from a multitude of backgrounds, nationalities, and cultures. Screenings take place everywhere: outdoors, in schools, at the Oregon Convention Center and even at Nike Headquarters! Thus, students have the opportunity to interact with patients in several different environments.

PUCO students ready to participate in a Special Olympics Screening Event at Nike

Students from various years at PUCO (first years, second years, third years, and occasionally fourth years) collaborate with each other, as well as faculty members, to provide care to screening participants. First year students practice entrance skills and are primarily responsible for taking visual acuities, checking eye pressure, verifying glasses, checking depth perception, and pupils. Second and third years have the ability to practice their refraction, slit lamp, and retinoscopy skills. Students are monitored by and receive advice from the attending doctors. Overall, screenings are a very collaborative environment where the faculty and more experienced students assist beginning students to improve our skills.

Preparing for a screening at Tigard Compassion with coffee and entrance skills kits in hand

Through vision screenings, students are provided with an opportunity to interact with patients in a clinical setting early on. The experience is both rewarding and humbling as students become accustom to the nature of a clinical setting and beginning our careers as primary eye care providers through direct patient care. It is an amazing experience to see how proficient PUCO students are at providing care to the community and a great reminder to many of us why we have endeavored to become an optometrist in the first place.

By Ashley Wing, first year Pacific University College of Optometry Student Ambassador

#visionscreening #PUCO family #eyecare #keepitlocal #Pacific University College of Optometry #oregon #optometry school #community service #working together

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