Medicare Help in Islip

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

In Islip, the town's Senior Citizen Services office runs senior centers, lunch, meals at home, rides and small repairs. Suffolk County DSS handles Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), once called food stamps. This page is for Brentwood, Central Islip, Bay Shore, Ronkonkoma, Islip, Sayville and the rest of the town. If you've stopped driving, the town van can still get you to doctors inside Islip.

Local offices in Islip

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 Islip?

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 Smithtown Center in Hauppauge. That includes Brentwood, Central Islip, Bay Shore and Ronkonkoma, while Bayport and Holbrook go to Riverhead.

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.

Where are Islip's senior centers?

Islip's six senior centers serve town residents 60 and older, and each one also serves lunch. Hours differ, so call your center first.

At 60 and older, you can get a town Senior ID card for free, the town says. Otherwise, a recreation card costs $40. Islip also has nine senior clubs, so ask at 631-224-5340.

How do I get meals in Islip?

To get lunch in Islip, call 631-595-3510 to reserve a weekday seat at one of the six centers. Ask about a ride, too. If you can't cook or shop for yourself, the town delivers frozen meals once a week. You can get up to five meals a week from lunch, home delivery or both. The town suggests $2.00 a meal, but no one is turned away.

If getting groceries is the hard part, ask about Shopping Assistance at 631-224-5340. A town worker can order online with you, drive you to the store or shop for you.

How do I get a ride to the doctor in Islip?

Islip's town van takes residents 60 and older to doctors and government offices inside the town. It's for people who have no car or bus and can't afford a taxi. It also goes to food stores and the senior centers. Call 631-224-5686, and give $2.00 a trip if you can.

For trips outside the town, use the county's programs.

• 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.

See Medicaid rides in New York.

What help at home can I get in Islip?

At 60 and older, Islip's Residential Repair Program fixes small things in your home. You buy the materials, and town workers do the job for free. To ask, call 631-224-5424.

If you need help with housekeeping and aren't on Medicaid, apply for EISEP through the Office for the Aging at 631-853-8200. With Medicaid, help at home comes through the state or DSS. If you have Medicare and Medicaid, call New York Medicaid Choice at 1-888-401-6582. Otherwise, call the DSS Home Care Intake Unit at 631-854-9585. Read more about home care in New York.

How do I get senior housing in Islip?

The Islip Housing Authority manages 334 senior apartments at three sites, in Oakdale, Central Islip and Bay Shore. It also runs Section 8 for the town. All its waiting lists are closed unless the site says otherwise. The last senior list took applications from March 27 to April 5, 2023, and drew more than 2,200 applications. Waits run two to seven years or longer, the authority says. The authority announces each opening in local media, and a lottery sets the order. See housing help in New York.

Where can I get free food in Islip?

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. 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. See SNAP for seniors in New York.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Islip, a call to us often starts with a Medicaid letter from Hauppauge and no ride to the doctor. Here's what we do:

• Apply for Medicaid with you, then call the Smithtown Center until there's an answer.
• Set up town rides, or Medicaid rides and SCAT for trips farther away.
• Reserve your seat at a senior center lunch, or sign you up for meals at home.
• Watch for the Housing Authority's next open list and help you apply.

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 Bay Shore or Sayville. Is this my page?

Yes, this page covers Bay Shore, Sayville and every hamlet and village in the Town of Islip. Town senior programs serve you if Islip is on your tax bill.

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

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

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Islip?

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

• Senior Citizen Services, Town of Islip
• Recreation Card and Senior ID, Town of Islip
• Housing Authority, Town of Islip
• Can I Apply, Town of Islip Housing Authority
• Contact, Town of Islip Housing Authority
• Medicaid, Suffolk County Department of Social Services
• Medicaid FAQs, Suffolk County Department of Social Services
• Service Centers, Suffolk County Department of Social Services
• 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
• Request a Fair Hearing, OTDA