Medicare Help in Brookhaven

This page covers the Town of Brookhaven. For county offices, see Medicare help in Suffolk County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in New York.

In Brookhaven, the town's Senior Citizens Division runs a senior center, lunch, meals at home and repairs. Suffolk County DSS handles Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), once called food stamps. This page is for Patchogue, Medford, Coram, Port Jefferson Station, Shirley, Selden and the rest of the town. In a town this big, the office that has your case may not be the closest one.

Local offices in Brookhaven

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because DSS makes the call, and New York doesn't count your savings for the Medicare Savings Program. If you would rather not do it alone, a Pair Team advocate can help you in one call.

Where do I apply for Medicaid in Brookhaven?

If you're 65 or older and don't need long-term care, you can apply online at NY State of Health, the state says. If you need care at home, apply on paper with DSS. The county's ZIP code lookup sends most of the town to the Riverhead Center, but Centereach and Lake Grove go to Hauppauge.

In 2026, the income limit for one person is $1,836 a month. New York doesn't count the first $20, so you can have up to $1,856, plus $33,038 in savings. The same form checks you for the Medicare Savings Program, which can pay the $202.90 a month Medicare costs you. See Medicare and Medicaid together in New York.

For SNAP, the Coram Center is the DSS office inside the town. DSS sorts SNAP cases by address and will send you on if needed.

What does the Brookhaven senior division offer?

The town's senior division serves residents 60 and older at 631-451-9191. The Rose Caracappa Senior Center in Mount Sinai opened in 2008 as the town's first senior center. You can drop in free on weekdays for exercise, cards and classes.

The town's club list names 13 senior clubs, in places like Centereach, Farmingville, Selden and Port Jefferson. Joining is free, with proof of your age and address. If you live alone, ask about Helpline, where volunteers call each weekday to check on you.

Where can I get lunch or meals at home in Brookhaven?

Brookhaven serves a hot weekday lunch to anyone 60 and older. The sites are 15 Herkimer Street in Mastic and the Rose Caracappa Senior Center. The town asks for a $2 gift, but it's voluntary. If you qualify, the town's jitney can bring you for a $1 suggested gift.

If you can't get out, the town delivers meals on weekdays, also for a suggested $2. To apply, call the lunch site nearest you, and a program manager will visit to check your needs.

How do I get a ride in Brookhaven?

To get a ride in Brookhaven, pick the program that fits you.

• Medicaid rides are for people with Medicaid. Call MAS at 844-666-6270 at least three days before a routine visit.
• SCAT is the county's shared van if a disability keeps you off the bus. Apply at 631-853-8333, and you'll hear back within 21 days. Each trip costs $4.00.
• The town jitney goes to the two lunch sites, so ask your site.

If getting around is hard, the town's Mobility and Disability Specialist can suggest other options at 631-451-6600. See Medicaid rides in New York.

Can Brookhaven help me fix up my home?

Brookhaven can help you fix up your home, with one program for small jobs and one for big ones. The Home Maintenance/Repair Program is for people 60 and older who can't do small jobs themselves. Workers put in grab bars, rails, locks and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. You pay for parts, and the labor is free.

For bigger repairs, the Residential Rehabilitation program gives income-eligible homeowners a loan with no interest and no monthly payments. You repay it when you sell the home, and it can also pay for a ramp or lift. There's a waiting list, so call Housing and Community Development at 631-451-6600. Its Section 8 waiting list is closed. See housing help in New York.

Where can I get food and help with bills in Brookhaven?

Island Harvest gives a free Senior Food Box each month if you're 60 or older with income up to $1,995 a month. Pickup sites in the town change each month, so check Island Harvest's calendar or call 631-873-4775. For SNAP, people 60 and older who live alone can make up to $2,660 a month from October 1, 2026. See SNAP for seniors in New York.

For heat, HEAP takes applications for the 2026-27 winter from November 2, 2026. One person can make up to $3,563 a month. At 60 and older, call the Office for the Aging at 631-853-8326. HEAP, Medicaid or SNAP also gets you $45 or more off each PSEG Long Island bill. See utility bill help in New York.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Brookhaven, a call to us often starts with a Medicaid letter from Riverhead and a question about lunch. Here's what we do:

• Find out which DSS center has your case, apply with you, and call until there's an answer.
• Sign you up for town lunch or meals at home, and ask about the jitney.
• Request a repair visit for grab bars and smoke alarms, or get you on the loan list.
• Book SCAT or Medicaid rides, and send PSEG your HEAP letter.

An advocate is covered by Medicare if you qualify. It takes two minutes to find out.

Check if you qualify for a Pair Team advocate

Frequently asked questions

I live in Patchogue or Port Jefferson village. Is this my page?

Yes, this page is yours if you live in a village inside the Town of Brookhaven, like Patchogue, Port Jefferson or Bellport. Town senior programs serve you, and Medicaid for those ZIP codes goes to Riverhead.

I live in Holbrook or Lake Ronkonkoma. Which page is mine?

Holbrook and Lake Ronkonkoma sit on the line between Brookhaven and Islip, so check which town is on your tax bill. If it says Islip, see Medicare help in Islip.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Brookhaven?

You can get free Medicare counseling from HIICAP volunteers at RSVP Suffolk. Call 631-979-9490, ext. 118, and a counselor calls you back, or book a time at a Suffolk library. HIICAP and Pair Team don't sell plans.

Can I renew my Medicaid by phone?

Yes, most people in Suffolk County can renew Medicaid by phone. When the renewal comes in the mail, call 631-853-8755 on a weekday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to set up a time. People in nursing homes can't renew this way.

What if DSS denies my Medicaid?

If DSS denies your Medicaid, you can ask the state for a fair hearing within 60 days of the notice at 1-800-342-3334. If your Medicaid is being cut, ask within 10 days to keep it while you wait. Touro Law Center gives older adults free legal help at 631-761-7470.

Sources

• Division of Senior Citizen's Services, Town of Brookhaven
• Nutrition, Town of Brookhaven
• Rose Caracappa Senior Center, Town of Brookhaven
• Senior Clubs, Town of Brookhaven
• Helpline, Town of Brookhaven
• Home Maintenance/Repair Program, Town of Brookhaven
• The Lending Closet, Town of Brookhaven
• Residential Rehabilitation and Home Accessibility, Town of Brookhaven
• Handicap Ramps and Lifts, Town of Brookhaven
• Housing Choice Voucher Program, Town of Brookhaven
• Transportation, Town of Brookhaven Disability Services
• Resources for Seniors, Town of Brookhaven
• Medicaid, Suffolk County Department of Social Services
• Medicaid FAQs, Suffolk County Department of Social Services
• Service Centers, Suffolk County Department of Social Services
• Coram Center, Suffolk County Department of Social Services
• What to Expect at a Social Services Center, Suffolk County
• How to Apply for NY Medicaid, New York State Department of Health
• Medicare Savings Programs 2026, New York State Department of Health
• Suffolk County Office for the Aging
• Programs and Services, RSVP Suffolk
• Paratransit (SCAT), Suffolk County Transit
• Senior Support, Island Harvest
• Food Distributions, Island Harvest
• Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), OTDA
• Household Assistance Program, PSEG Long Island
• Request a Fair Hearing, OTDA