Medicare Help in Hempstead

This page covers the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County. For county-wide help, see Medicare help in Nassau County. For nearby towns, see Medicare help in North Hempstead or Medicare help in Oyster Bay. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in New York.

DSS handles Medicaid, the Medicare Savings Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), once called food stamps. The town adds senior centers, mini-buses, a housing authority and repair loans. This page is for Levittown, Elmont, Baldwin, Uniondale, Roosevelt, East Meadow, Merrick, Oceanside and Wantagh. It's also for the Villages of Hempstead, Freeport and Valley Stream. If your parent just gave up the car keys, the senior center bus can get them out of the house each week.

Local offices in the Town of Hempstead

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because DSS or the town 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.

What do the Town of Hempstead senior centers offer?

The town's 14 senior centers are open five days a week to residents 55 and older. Membership is free, the town says, and you can buy a low-cost lunch. Centers also offer exercise, cards, trips, blood pressure checks and tax help.

Mini-buses take members between home and the center in their zone, and on shopping and bank trips. To join, call the center nearest you.

How do I apply for Medicaid in the Town of Hempstead?

At 65 and older, apply online at NY State of Health if you don't need long-term care, the state says. You can also call 1-855-355-5777. For care at home, apply at DSS in Uniondale or call 516-227-8111. Read about home care and the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program in New York, which lets you hire a family member.

In 2026, one person can have up to $1,836 a month in income, or $1,856 with the $20 the state doesn't count. Savings can be up to $33,038, the state says. 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.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in the Town of Hempstead?

You can get free Medicare counseling from the Family & Children's Association at 516-485-3754, which runs HIICAP in Nassau County. Counselors help you compare plans, and the state line is 1-800-701-0501. HIICAP and Pair Team don't sell plans.

How do I get a ride in the Town of Hempstead?

To get a ride in the Town of Hempstead, start with your senior center's mini-bus.

• Able-Ride is the county's shared van if a disability keeps you off the bus, at $4.00 each way. It doesn't serve Lido Beach or Point Lookout, and serves only part of Valley Stream, Woodmere and Lawrence.
• Medicaid rides are for people with Medicaid. Call MAS at 844-666-6270 at least three days before a routine visit.

To reach Queens, Able-Ride riders switch to Access-A-Ride at Green Acres Mall, NICE says. See Medicaid rides in New York.

How do I get help with home repairs and property taxes?

For home repairs, the town lends older homeowners up to $18,000 with no interest, its planning department says. You must meet the income rules and own a single-family home, and you can get the loan once. The town hires and pays the contractor, and you repay the loan when you sell or transfer the home. If someone at home has a lasting disability, a town grant pays up to $20,000 for ramps or bathroom changes. Village residents apply through their village, except in Valley Stream, where you apply to the town.

The town's senior tax exemption cuts county and town property taxes by up to 65%. You must be 65 or older. For 2025 income, the full 65% is for $47,000 or less, and the limit is $58,399. File with the county by January 4, 2027, then renew each year.

How do I get senior housing in the Town of Hempstead?

The Town of Hempstead Housing Authority closed the waiting list for its 14 rental buildings on June 1, 2019, the town says. It still takes applications for Golden Age co-ops, apartments for older adults sold below market price, at 516-485-9666. Section 8 moved to Nassau County on September 1, 2020, so call 516-572-1900. See housing help in New York.

Where can I get food and help with bills?

For food help, apply for SNAP for seniors in New York at mybenefits.ny.gov, or call DSS at 516-227-3322. From October 1, 2026, people 60 and older who live alone can make up to $2,660 a month and get SNAP. Island Harvest helps you apply at 516-805-1642. For food this week, call Long Island Cares at 631-582-3663. It runs pantries at 23 East Sunrise Highway in Freeport and 241 Rockaway Avenue in Valley Stream.

HEAP in New York takes applications from November 2, 2026, for one person making up to $3,563 a month. A HEAP grant gets you $45 or more off each PSEG Long Island bill. In Freeport and Rockville Centre, the village runs your electric, so call it instead.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In the Town of Hempstead, a call to us often starts with a DSS letter or a roof that leaks. Here's what we do:

• Apply for Medicaid with you and call DSS in Uniondale until there's an answer.
• Help you apply for the town's repair loan or accessibility grant.
• Sign you up at your nearest senior center and its mini-bus, or get the Able-Ride form to your doctor.
• File the senior tax exemption on time, and send PSEG your HEAP letter for the credit.

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 Freeport or another village. Is this my page?

Yes, this page is yours if you live in Freeport, Hempstead, Valley Stream or another village in the town. Villages are part of the town, so town senior centers serve you.

I live in Long Beach. Is this my page?

If you live in Long Beach, this page isn't yours, because Long Beach is a city, not part of the town. See Medicare help in Nassau County for Long Beach senior help.

Is the Sands at Lido Beach open all year?

Yes, the Sands at Lido Beach is open all year as the town's center for people 55 and older. Each summer it hosts the 10-week Senior Summer Beach Program, with a heated pool. Call 516-485-8100 to sign up.

What is the Vial of Life?

The Vial of Life is a free town kit that keeps your medical information in your refrigerator. A sticker on your front door tells emergency workers to look for it. You can add a health care proxy form. Call 516-485-8100 for a kit.

What if DSS denies my Medicaid?

If DSS 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. Legal Services of Long Island helps older adults at 516-292-8088.

Sources

• Senior Enrichment, Town of Hempstead
• Senior Services, Town of Hempstead
• Senior Centers directory, Town of Hempstead
• Financial & Employment Assistance, Town of Hempstead
• Community Development Block Grants, Town of Hempstead
• Senior Citizen Home Improvement Program brochure, Town of Hempstead
• Senior Citizen Tax Exemption, Town of Hempstead
• Housing Authority, Town of Hempstead
• Golden Age Housing, Town of Hempstead
• Medicaid, Nassau County Department of Social Services
• Supportive Services, Nassau County Office for the Aging
• Nutrition Programs, Nassau County Office for the Aging
• How to Apply for NY Medicaid, New York State Department of Health
• Medicare Savings Programs 2026, New York State Department of Health
• HIICAP, New York State Office for the Aging
• How to Ride Able-Ride, NICE
• Able-Ride Ticket Books and Fares, NICE
• Medicaid Transportation, New York State Department of Health
• Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), OTDA
• Household Assistance Program, PSEG Long Island
• Freeport Electric
• Electric Department, Village of Rockville Centre
• Contact Us, Long Island Cares
• SNAP Resources, Island Harvest
• Request a Fair Hearing, OTDA