Medicare Help in Butte County

This page covers Butte County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California. To the south, see Medicare help in Sacramento, and to the north, Medicare help in Shasta County.

In Butte County, the Department of Employment and Social Services handles Medi-Cal, CalFresh, the Medicare Savings Programs and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). Passages, a nonprofit in downtown Chico, is the Area Agency on Aging. It runs free Medicare counseling, senior lunches and caregiver help. This page is for Chico, Oroville, Paradise, Magalia, Gridley, Biggs and Durham. If your dialysis center or specialist is in another town, see the regional van under rides.

Local offices in Butte County

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because the county makes the call and some of your income may not count. If you would rather not do it alone, a Pair Team advocate can help you in one call.

How do I apply for Medi-Cal in Butte County?

You can apply for Medi-Cal online at BenefitsCal.com, by phone at 877-410-8803, or at the Chico, Oroville or Paradise office. Each is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the county says.

Once you're approved, Medi-Cal signs you up with Partnership HealthPlan of California. You don't have to pick a plan, the state says.

The same Medi-Cal form checks you for the Medicare Savings Programs. They can pay the $202.90 a month Medicare costs you in 2026, usually taken out of your Social Security check. See Medicare and Medi-Cal together in California.

How do I get paid help at home in Butte County?

To get paid help at home through IHSS, call 530-552-6161. You need a Medi-Cal decision and a health form from your doctor. The office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A family member can be your paid helper. Since January 1, 2026, the county has paid IHSS helpers $17.90 an hour, the state's wage chart says. To sign up as a helper, call 530-538-7538 or 855-398-8899. See IHSS in California.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Butte County?

For free Medicare counseling in Butte County, call HICAP at Passages at 530-898-6716 to book a visit. Its counselors, many of them volunteers, explain your benefits and choices. Open Enrollment runs each fall, October 15 to December 7. HICAP doesn't sell plans, and Pair Team doesn't either.

How do I get a ride in Butte County?

To get a ride in Butte County, pick what fits you.

• B-Line buses cost $1 a ride in town and $1.50 between towns at 65 and older. Show a Medicare card or a photo ID with your birth date.
• B-Line Plus Local is the county's paratransit and dial-a-ride service. A ride in the core service area costs $4. Call (530) 342-0221 to ask if you qualify.
• B-Line Plus Regional takes people 65 and older, or with a disability, to medical visits in another town on weekdays. It links Magalia, Paradise, Chico and Oroville, and serves Gridley and Biggs on set days. A trip costs $10 one way or $15 round trip, paid when you book.
• To book Plus Regional, sign up first at (530) 342-0221, any day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then book 1 to 14 days ahead, for a visit between 9 a.m. and noon.
• Medi-Cal rides come from Partnership at (866) 828-2303, weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call at least 5 days before your visit. See Medi-Cal rides in California.

Where can I get meals and food in Butte County?

Passages arranges a hot lunch Monday through Thursday at two sites. In Chico, it's at Bethel A.M.E. Fellowship Hall, 821 Linden Street, from 11:30 a.m. In Oroville, it's at the Oroville Senior Center, 1335 Myers Street, from 11:15 a.m. Call 530-898-4224 at least 48 hours ahead.

If you can't get out, Chico Meals on Wheels delivers for $6 a meal. It comes every day in Chico and Durham, and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in Paradise and Magalia. Call (530) 343-9147 on a weekday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

For groceries, the North State Food Bank in Oroville gives free food boxes to people with low incomes at 53 sites. From May through October, it also holds drive-thru giveaways with fresh produce. Call 530-712-2600 and press 2. For food money, apply for CalFresh.

How do I get help with my PG&E bill in Butte County?

To get help with your Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) bill, call the Community Action Agency of Butte County at 530-712-2600 and press 1. It takes paper forms by appointment at 2640 South 5th Avenue in Oroville. Funds are limited, people in the most need go first, and a decision can take up to 8 weeks. If you got a shutoff notice, call before you apply.

Also ask PG&E at 1-866-743-5832 about California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE). It takes 30 to 35 percent off power and 20 percent off gas, the state says.

In Gridley and Biggs, the city runs the power, so call Gridley at 530-846-5695 or Biggs at 530-868-5493, PG&E says.

From October 2027, Pioneer Community Energy is set to supply power in Chico, Oroville, Paradise and towns like Magalia, the county says. PG&E will still deliver it and send the bill, and you can choose to stay with PG&E. See energy bill help in California.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Butte County, a Medicare call often turns into a ride to a specialist in another town.

• Apply for Medi-Cal with you, then follow up at 877-410-8803 until there's an answer.
• Start IHSS at 530-552-6161, and get the health form to your doctor.
• Sign you up for B-Line Plus Regional, and book Partnership rides.
• Send in your utility help form, and set up a Passages lunch or Meals on Wheels.

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 Chico, Oroville or Paradise. Is this my page?

Yes, this page covers Chico, Oroville, Paradise and the rest of Butte County. Paradise has its own county office at 7204 Skyway. Chico Meals on Wheels delivers to Paradise and Magalia three days a week.

How do I get on a housing waitlist in Butte County?

To get on a housing waitlist in Butte County, apply on the Housing Authority's online portal at butte-housing.com. Its Section 8 list is closed for now, it says. Senior apartment lists for people 62 and older are separate, at Creekside Place in Chico, Northwind in Paradise, Lincoln Street in Oroville and Sunrise Village in Gridley. See housing help in California.

What does the Chico Area Recreation and Park District offer older adults?

The Chico Area Recreation and Park District offers older adults lunches with bingo, dances and a gentle exercise class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call (530) 895-4711 to sign up.

How do I report elder abuse in Butte County?

To report elder abuse in Butte County, call Adult Protective Services at 800-664-9774, any time of day. If someone is in danger right now, call 911.

What if the county denies my Medi-Cal?

If the county denies your Medi-Cal, you can ask the state for a hearing at 1-800-743-8525. You have 90 days from the notice to ask.

Sources

• Benefits, Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services
• Butte County, Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plan Directory, DHCS
• In-Home Support Services (IHSS), Butte County
• Adult Services, Butte County
• County IHSS Wage Rates, California Department of Social Services
• About HICAP, Passages
• Senior Nutrition, Passages
• Contact and FAQ, Chico Meals on Wheels
• B-Line Plus Regional, Butte Regional Transit
• Fares and Purchasing Locations, Butte Regional Transit
• Transportation Services, Partnership HealthPlan of California
• Utility Assistance, Community Action Agency of Butte County
• North State Food Bank, Community Action Agency of Butte County
• Contact, Community Action Agency of Butte County
• Pioneer Community Energy, Butte County
• Other Electric Utilities Within the PG&E Service Area, PG&E
• California Alternate Rates for Energy, PG&E
• CARE/FERA Program, California Public Utilities Commission
• Housing Authority of the County of Butte
• Seniors, Chico Area Recreation and Park District
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS