Medicare Help in Garden Grove

This page covers the city of Garden Grove. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California.

Garden Grove has the county's office for Medi-Cal, CalFresh and the Medicare Savings Programs in town. The city runs a senior center, senior rides, its own water service and a housing authority. This page serves Little Saigon, downtown on Main Street, West Garden Grove and the Grove District. If a letter came in English and you'd rather talk it over in Vietnamese or Korean, start with the table below.

Local offices in Garden Grove

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because the county decides, and one Medi-Cal form also checks you for the Medicare Savings Programs.

How do I apply for Medi-Cal or CalFresh in Garden Grove?

You can apply for Medi-Cal or CalFresh online at BenefitsCal.com, by phone at 1-800-281-9799, or at the Garden Grove Regional Center, 12912 Brookhurst Street. It's open weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., the county says. The same Medi-Cal form checks you for the Medicare Savings Programs. They can pay your copays and the $202.90 a month Medicare costs you in 2026, usually taken from your Social Security check. See Medicare and Medi-Cal together in California.

The Lake Senior Center also holds a free monthly clinic to sign up for health coverage. Book at (714) 741-5253. For paid help at home, call the county's IHSS office at (714) 825-3000. See IHSS in California.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Garden Grove?

You can get free Medicare counseling from HICAP, but it lists no site in Garden Grove. The closest is the Westminster Senior Center, 8200 Westminster Boulevard, on the third Monday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. During Open Enrollment, it also holds a clinic there in Vietnamese and English, the Council on Aging says. Call (714) 560-0424 to book.

Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7 each year, and changes start January 1. HICAP doesn't sell insurance, and Pair Team doesn't sell plans either.

What does the H. Louis Lake Senior Center offer?

The Lake Senior Center offers classes, lunch and support to people 55 and older. It's open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., and you fill out a membership form first, the city says.

• Lunch: Hot lunch is at 11:30 a.m. on weekdays for people 60 and older, with a suggested $3 donation. Sign up in person that morning, from 8:30 a.m.
• Support: Staff help residents 60 and older find services and someone to talk to at (714) 741-5253.
• Legal help: Free legal aid visits run from 9 to 11 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month.

If you can't leave home, Meals on Wheels Orange County delivers meals on weekdays at (714) 823-3294. Monthly food money comes from CalFresh.

How can older adults get rides in Garden Grove?

Older adults who live in Garden Grove can ride the Senior Mobility Program from age 60. It goes to the senior center, on grocery trips in town and to doctors up to 5 miles past city limits. Call (714) 741-5423 for the form, the city says.

If a disability keeps you off the bus, OC ACCESS van rides cost $3.60 each way in 2026, OCTA says. Call (714) 560-5956 to sign up. Medi-Cal plans also give rides to medical visits. See Medi-Cal rides in California.

How do I lower my water, power and gas bills in Garden Grove?

To lower your water bill, ask about the city's CARE Senior Discount. It's for people 65 and older who get Edison's CARE discount and have the water bill in their name. It started at $10 off each bill, and the city reviews the amount yearly. Ask Water Billing at (714) 741-5078.

Water bills come every two months. A $20.70 late fee starts after 42 days, and water isn't shut off until 60 days late, the city says. For power and gas, CARE takes 30 to 35 percent off power and 20 percent off gas, the state says. For help paying them, ask Community Action Partnership about LIHEAP at (714) 839-6199. See LIHEAP in California.

Can I get help with rent in Garden Grove?

You can get help with rent from the Garden Grove Housing Authority. It helps more than 2,300 families, the authority says. Its main Section 8 list is closed, and lists open only for short sign-ups announced in a public notice.

Its Project-Based Voucher list is for set-aside apartments where you pay 30 percent of your income. It was set to take names October 5 to 19, 2026. One person can earn up to $65,150 in 2026, it says. Call (714) 741-5150 to ask when a list opens next. See housing help in California.

Can I get help fixing my home in Garden Grove?

You can get a city grant of up to $5,000 to fix a home you own and live in. It can pay for grab bars, a ramp, a walk-in shower or plumbing. In 2026, a home of one can earn up to $104,200, and you pay at least $500, the city says. The city picks 10 homes by raffle in June and again in December. To ask when sign-ups open, call (714) 741-5131.

What a Pair Team advocate does

Here, a call to us about Medicare often turns into a ride form or a water bill. Your advocate makes the calls and follows up until there's an answer.

• Help you sign up for the Senior Mobility Program and the senior center lunch.
• Help you apply for the city's senior water discount and Edison's CARE.
• Book a HICAP visit for you, in Vietnamese or Korean if you'd like.
• Help you apply for Medi-Cal, CalFresh or IHSS, or check a housing list.

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 Westminster, Stanton or Fountain Valley. Is this my page?

If you live in Westminster, Stanton or Fountain Valley, the county offices here serve you too, but the city programs don't. For the county seat, see Medicare help in Santa Ana. For the beach cities, see Medicare help in Huntington Beach.

Can I get help in Vietnamese or Korean in Garden Grove?

You can get help in Vietnamese or Korean from HICAP's own lines. The city's water shut-off notices come in Vietnamese and Korean. Meals on Wheels Orange County also prints its menus in both.

What if I get a water shut-off notice?

If you get a water shut-off notice, call Water Billing at (714) 741-5078 before the deadline. If you can't pay in full, ask for a payment plan, the city says.

Where can seniors get free food in Garden Grove?

For free food in Garden Grove, people 60 and older with low income can get a monthly box from Community Action Partnership. Its food bank is on Monarch Street. Call (714) 667-0717 to sign up and find a pickup site.

How do I report abuse of an older adult in Garden Grove?

To report abuse of an older adult in Garden Grove, call Adult Protective Services at 1-800-451-5155, day or night. For someone in a nursing home or care home, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-800-300-6222.

Sources

• Office Locations by List, County of Orange Social Services Agency
• How Do I Apply for Medi-Cal?, County of Orange Social Services Agency
• H. Louis Lake Senior Center, City of Garden Grove
• Support Programs, City of Garden Grove
• Meal Programs, City of Garden Grove
• Health and Wellness, City of Garden Grove
• Water Billing, City of Garden Grove
• CARE Senior Discount, City of Garden Grove
• Housing Authority, City of Garden Grove
• Public Notice, Project-Based Voucher Waiting List, Garden Grove Housing Authority
• Home Repair Program, City of Garden Grove
• HICAP Counseling Locations, Council on Aging Southern California
• HICAP Medicare Enrollment Assistance, Council on Aging Southern California
• Medicare Counseling (HICAP), California Department of Aging
• Lunch Café, Meals on Wheels Orange County
• Home Delivered Meals, Meals on Wheels Orange County
• Contact, Meals on Wheels Orange County
• OC ACCESS Service, Orange County Transportation Authority
• CSFP Boxes, Community Action Partnership of Orange County
• Addressing Immediate Needs, Community Action Partnership of Orange County
• CARE/FERA Program, California Public Utilities Commission
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS