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Pair Team

Medicare Help in Broome County

Broome County takes Medicaid forms in Johnson City for people in Binghamton, Endicott and Vestal. Here's who to call in 2026 for rides and meals.

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Key points

  • The Broome County Department of Social Services (DSS) takes walk-in Medicaid applications at 501 Reynolds Road in Johnson City. Call (607) 778-1100.
  • For free Medicare counseling from the Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP), call Action for Older Persons at (607) 722-1251.
  • At 65 or older, a Broome County (BC) Transit bus ride costs $1.00 in 2026 with your Medicare card.
  • At 60 and older, the Office for Aging Mini-Bus has no fare in Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott and Endwell.

This page covers Broome County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in New York.

In Broome County, DSS handles Medicaid and the Medicare Savings Program. It also runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). The Office for Aging, on the 4th floor of 60 Hawley Street in Binghamton, serves people 60 and older. This page covers Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott, Vestal, Endwell, Chenango Bridge and the rest of the county. If you keep getting a busy signal at DSS, you can walk in without an appointment. Farther north, see Medicare help in Syracuse.

Local offices in Broome County

What you need Office Phone Website
Apply for Medicaid or the Medicare Savings Program, 65 and older DSS Career and Community Services Center, 501 Reynolds Road, Johnson City. Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., walk-ins welcome (607) 778-1100, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. broomecountyny.gov/dss
DSS main building Thomas P. Hoke Human Services Center, 36-42 Main Street, Binghamton (607) 778-1100 broomecountyny.gov/dss
Medicaid for nursing home care DSS Nursing Home Unit (607) 778-2793 broomecountyny.gov/dss
SNAP and HEAP DSS call center (607) 778-1100 mybenefits.ny.gov
Heating emergency after hours DSS emergency line (607) 778-3885 broomecountyny.gov/dss
Aging services, meals, rides and HEAP at 60 and older Broome County Office for Aging, 60 Hawley Street, 4th floor, Binghamton (607) 778-2411 broomecountyny.gov/senior
Free Medicare counseling (HIICAP) Action for Older Persons, 609 East Main Street, Suite 11, Endicott. Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (607) 722-1251 actionforolderpersons.org
Help planning long-term care: NY Connects Office for Aging, 60 Hawley Street (607) 778-2278 or 1-800-342-9871 broomecountyny.gov/senior
Medicaid home care Community Alternative Systems Agency (CASA), DSS (607) 778-2420 broomecountyny.gov/dss
Office for Aging Mini-Bus, 60 and older BC Transit reservations (607) 275-5164 broomecountyny.gov/transit
BC Lift paratransit BC Transit reservations (607) 275-5155 broomecountyny.gov/transit
Rides from rural towns BC Country reservations (607) 275-5142 broomecountyny.gov/transit
Medicaid rides to the doctor Medical Answering Services (MAS), upstate line 866-932-7740 medanswering.com
Food pantry referral Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW) hotline (607) 723-8960 or 211 broomecouncil.net
Electric and gas bill help New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) 888-315-1755 nyseg.com
Public housing in Binghamton Binghamton Housing Authority, 35 Exchange Street. Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (607) 723-9491 binghamtonha.org
Report abuse or neglect of an adult Adult Protective Services (607) 778-2635 broomecountyny.gov/dss

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because DSS makes the call, and New York's Medicare Savings Program has no savings test. If you would rather not do it alone, a Pair Team advocate can help you in one call.

How do I apply for Medicaid in Broome County?

At 65 and older, you can apply at the county Department of Social Services, or on NY State of Health if you don't need long-term care, the state says. In Broome County, walk in at 501 Reynolds Road in Johnson City, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with no appointment.

In 2026, one person can have $1,836 a month in income, or $1,856 with the $20 the state doesn't count. The savings limit is $33,038. The same form checks you for the Medicare Savings Program, which takes income up to $2,494 a month for one person. It can pay the $202.90 a month Medicare costs you, usually taken out of your Social Security check. See Medicare and Medicaid together in New York.

For Medicaid help at home, call CASA at (607) 778-2420 or NY Connects at (607) 778-2278. New clients also get a needs check from the New York Independent Assessor at 855-222-8350. With the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), you hire your own aide. See home care and CDPAP in New York.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Broome County?

You can get free Medicare counseling from HIICAP, which the county runs through Action for Older Persons in Endicott. Call (607) 722-1251 for a phone or in-person appointment. Counselors help with drug plans, Extra Help and the Medicare Savings Program, and teach Medicare 101 classes. Each fall, Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7. HIICAP and Pair Team don't sell plans.

How do I get a ride in Broome County?

To get a ride in Broome County, pick the BC Transit service for where you live.

  • Buses run from west Endicott to Kirkwood every day, for $2.00 a ride or $1.00 at 65 and older.
  • The Office for Aging Mini-Bus takes people 60 and older to the doctor, the store and senior centers on weekdays. It serves Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott, Endwell, Chenango Bridge and parts of Kirkwood and Conklin. It's free, and a $2.00 gift is welcome.
  • BC Lift is for people of any age with an Americans with Disabilities Act card, at $3.00 a ride.
  • BC Country brings rural riders into the city, with a suggested $2.50 gift at 60 or older. Rides fill fast, so book up to a week ahead at (607) 275-5142.
  • Medicaid rides go through MAS at 866-932-7740, at least three days ahead. See Medicaid rides in New York.

How do I get help with heating bills in Broome County?

In Broome County, regular HEAP takes applications from November 2, 2026, for one person making up to $3,563 a month. Apply at mybenefits.ny.gov or call DSS at (607) 778-1100. At 60 and older, you can apply at the Office for Aging instead, at (607) 778-2411. Homeowners of any age can apply for heating repair or a furnace cleaning, the county says. After hours, call (607) 778-3885 for a heat emergency. See utility bill help in New York.

After a HEAP grant, NYSEG adds an Energy Assistance Credit to your bill each month for 18 months. If you're behind on a bill, call NYSEG at 888-315-1755.

Where can I get food and meals in Broome County?

For food money, apply for SNAP at mybenefits.ny.gov, or pick up a form at either DSS building. From October 1, 2026, one person 60 or older can get up to $306 a month with income up to $2,660. See SNAP for seniors in New York.

At 60 and older, you can eat a hot lunch at a county senior center. Call the center a day ahead to reserve. The suggested gift is $4 a meal, and no one is turned away.

Town Senior center Phone
Binghamton First Ward Senior Center, 226 Clinton Street (607) 729-6214
Johnson City Johnson City Senior Center, 30 Brocton Street (607) 797-1149
Vestal Vestal Senior Center, 201 Main Street (607) 754-9596
Endwell, near Endicott Broome West Senior Center, 2801 Wayne Street (607) 785-1777

Other centers are in Chenango Bridge, Deposit, Harpursville and Whitney Point.

If you can't cook, the Office for Aging's Meals on Wheels brings a weekday lunch in Binghamton and most towns (607-778-2411). In Endicott, Endwell, Johnson City, Vestal and Maine, call Meals on Wheels of Western Broome at (607) 754-7856.

For groceries, call the CHOW hotline at (607) 723-8960 or dial 211 for the nearest pantry.

How do I find senior housing in Broome County?

To find senior housing in Broome County, start with the Office for Aging's housing guide (607-778-2411). Waits run from a couple of months to several years, so apply at more than one building, the county says. In Binghamton, the Binghamton Housing Authority at 35 Exchange Street takes applications at (607) 723-9491. See housing help in New York.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Broome County, a call to us often starts with a DSS phone line that only answers four hours a day. Here's what we do:

  • Apply for Medicaid with you, then call DSS between 11 and 3 until there's an answer.
  • Get you an Office for Aging ID card, then book Mini-Bus or BC Country rides.
  • Send your HEAP form to the Office for Aging at 60 and older, then check for the NYSEG credit.
  • Book a HIICAP appointment, and save you a seat at a senior center lunch.

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 Endicott, Vestal or Johnson City. Is this my page?

Yes, this page covers Endicott, Vestal, Johnson City and the rest of Broome County. HIICAP counseling is in Endicott, and Vestal and Endwell have county senior centers.

How do I book the Office for Aging Mini-Bus?

To book the Office for Aging Mini-Bus, first get an Office for Aging ID card. BC Transit gives you a login at (607) 763-4464. Then call (607) 275-5164 on a weekday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. You can book a week ahead or as late as the day before.

Which Office for Aging ID card gets the bus discount?

The yellow Office for Aging ID card, for people 65 and older, gets the $1.00 bus fare. At 60 to 64, you get a blue card, and you pay the regular bus fare.

My Medicaid closed because I missed my renewal. What now?

If your Medicaid closed because you missed your renewal, call DSS at (607) 778-1100 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Send the papers within 90 days, and if you still qualify, your case may reopen back to the date it closed.

What if Broome County denies my Medicaid?

If Broome County denies your Medicaid, you can ask the state for a fair hearing within 60 days at 1-800-342-3334. If your Medicaid is being cut, ask within 10 days to keep it while you wait.

Sources

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