I suppose saying " find new host" doesn't help, but clearly your tech support person is not a systems administrator. If they were, they would likely be familiar with this method of executing a web script, where the file lacks the traditional file extension. Really.. everybody is doing it
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=hot+dog&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
See? Google doesn't have a directory named "search" there, its a file, but their webserver has been configured to treat the "search" file as a script, the same as we're trying to do with the directory file.
Likely your webserver is running Apache, version is either 1.3, or 2.2.. possibly 2.0
Its just a simple matter of determining which version you use, and what syntax it wants in the .htaccess file. Or you could just do the caveman "hit it with a club" approach, try each of the syntaxes mentioned in the FAQ.
If this doesn't work ..
ForceType application/x-httpd-php
#SetHandler application/x-httpd-php
#SetHandler application/x-httpd-php5
#ForceType x-httpd-php
Try the next one by moving the commenting #
# ForceType application/x-httpd-php
SetHandler application/x-httpd-php
#SetHandler application/x-httpd-php5
#ForceType x-httpd-php
Still no go ??? Try the next variation.
#ForceType application/x-httpd-php
#SetHandler application/x-httpd-php
SetHandler application/x-httpd-php5
#ForceType x-httpd-php
and so on.
Perhaps your tech support person would find the following links informative..
Apache 2.2
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/core.html#sethandler
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/core.html#forcetype
Apache 1.3
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/mod/mod_mime.html#forcetype
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/mod/mod_mime.html#sethandler
Apache 2.0 is not widely used, but the syntax is pretty much the same as 2.2
Finally, I should probably point out, it is possible your webserver is configured to completely ignore the .htaccess file no matter what you put in it. Unfortunatly there are just way too many instant point and click web hosts who know nothing of the underlying technology. ... so no, to answer your question, there is no patch in the foreseeable future. If none of teh variations work, its because they have security overly tight on .htacess file.. and I'll bet ya a cup of coffee, they have no idea how to change it.