Medicare Help in Marin County

This page covers Marin County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California. Nearby, see Medicare help in San Francisco or Medicare help in Santa Rosa.

In Marin County, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) handles Medi-Cal, CalFresh and the Medicare Savings Programs. Its Aging and Adult Services runs IHSS, Meals on Wheels and the Area Agency on Aging. Your Medi-Cal plan is usually Partnership HealthPlan of California. This page is for San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, Sausalito, Larkspur, Corte Madera, Marin City and West Marin. If a parent in Novato has stopped driving, one call to Marin Access can sort out the choices.

Local offices in Marin County

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because the county makes the call. In 2026, one person 65 or older can have up to $130,000 in savings, the state says. If you would rather not do it alone, a Pair Team advocate can help you in one call.

Where do I apply for Medi-Cal in Marin County?

You can apply for Medi-Cal online at BenefitsCal.com, by phone at 877-410-8817, or in person in San Rafael or Point Reyes Station. The phone line is closed on Thursdays and from noon to 1 p.m., so call another weekday morning. You can also mail your form to P.O. Box 4160, San Rafael, CA 94913.

The same form checks you for the Medicare Savings Programs. They can pay the $202.90 a month Medicare costs you in 2026. If Partnership is your plan, its member line is (800) 863-4155. See Medicare and Medi-Cal together in California.

How do I get IHSS in Marin County?

To get IHSS, call 415-473-INFO (4636). You need full Medi-Cal and a health form signed by a licensed health care provider. Send the form back within 45 days of applying, by mail to 10 N. San Pedro Road in San Rafael or by fax to 415-473-3960, the county says. IHSS does not provide 24-hour care.

To find a caregiver, call the IHSS Public Authority of Marin at 415-499-1024. In 2026, IHSS pays caregivers in the county $20.40 an hour, the state's wage list says. See IHSS in California.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Marin County?

For free Medicare counseling in Marin County, call HICAP at Senior Advocacy Services, 707-526-4108, or book online. The nonprofit is based in Petaluma and serves Marin, Sonoma, Napa and Solano. Counselors help you compare plans, apply for help with costs and appeal a denial. HICAP doesn't sell insurance or plans, and Pair Team doesn't either.

How do I get a ride in Marin County?

Start with Marin Access, which serves Marin residents 65 and older and people with disabilities. A Travel Navigator at 415-454-0902 can match you with a program.

• Paratransit gives door-to-door rides to people certified as unable to ride the bus some or all of the time.
• Volunteer driver programs pay mileage to a friend or neighbor who drives you.
• Marin Access Fare Assistance is for riders with Medi-Cal or a low income. It adds $200 a month to a mobility wallet for rides. You also get $300 a year for paratransit and a free local bus pass if you want one. In 2026, a single renter can make up to $51,648 a year and qualify, Marin Transit says.
• Buses cost $1.00 a ride at 65 and older on Marin Transit and on Golden Gate Transit within Marin. A 31-day pass costs $20.
• Medi-Cal rides come from your plan. With Partnership, call (866) 828-2303 at least five days ahead. See Medi-Cal rides in California.

Where can I find senior centers and meals in Marin County?

Marin's senior centers offer classes, lunch and help finding services.

At Vivalon's café in San Rafael, lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Margaret Todd Senior Center in Novato serves lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon, for a suggested $3. Reserve two weeks ahead at 415-473-4636.

If you can't leave home, Meals on Wheels brings chilled meals up to three times a week. Sign up through the county at 415-473-4636. For groceries, call the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank at 415-824-3663. Monthly food money comes from CalFresh.

How do I lower my PG&E bill in Marin County?

To lower your PG&E bill, start with LIHEAP. Community Action Marin runs it from 555 Northgate Drive in San Rafael, at (415) 526-7550, the state says. Then ask PG&E about CARE at 1-866-743-5832. It takes 35 percent or more off electricity and 20 percent or more off gas, PG&E says.

Every city and town in Marin is an MCE community, so MCE supplies your power unless you opted out. PG&E still runs CARE for MCE customers, and if you're already enrolled, you stay enrolled, MCE says. See LIHEAP in California.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Marin County, a call to us often starts with a ride to the doctor or a Medi-Cal form.

• Apply for Medi-Cal with you at 877-410-8817, and follow up until there's an answer.
• Apply for IHSS through 415-473-INFO, and get the health form back within 45 days.
• Help you sign up for Marin Access and its fare help, or book Partnership rides.
• Set up a HICAP appointment, and help you apply for LIHEAP and CARE.

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 Sausalito, Marin City or Mill Valley. Is this my page?

Yes, this page covers Sausalito, Marin City, Mill Valley and the rest of southern Marin. The county's Medi-Cal offices are in San Rafael, and Marin Access serves the whole county. If your family lives across the Golden Gate Bridge, see Medicare help in San Francisco.

I live in West Marin. Where do I go for Medi-Cal?

If you live in West Marin, you can go to the county office on 16th Street in Point Reyes Station for Medi-Cal. It's open from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m., the county says. For other help, call 415-473-INFO (4636).

Can I get help in Spanish or Vietnamese?

Yes, you can get help in Spanish or Vietnamese at 415-473-INFO, because the county has social workers who speak both. Translation is available for other languages. Vivalon's resource office also offers appointments in Spanish at 415-456-9062.

How do I apply for Marin Housing Authority senior housing?

To apply for Marin Housing Authority senior housing, watch for a waitlist opening and apply at apply.marinhousing.org. Its sites for older adults and people with disabilities include Casa Nova, Golden Hinde, Homestead Terrace, Kruger Pines and Venetia Oaks. Visits are by appointment, Monday to Thursday, at (415) 491-2525. See housing help in California.

Who do I call if an older adult is being abused?

Call Adult Protective Services at 415-473-2774 if an older adult is being abused. The county lists the line as open 24 hours. For a problem in a nursing home or care home, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 415-473-7446. If someone is in danger right now, call 911.

Sources

• Apply for Medi-Cal, County of Marin Department of Health and Human Services
• In-Home Supportive Services, County of Marin Department of Health and Human Services
• Information and Assistance, County of Marin Aging and Adult Services
• Adult Protective Services, County of Marin Department of Health and Human Services
• Marin: Services in My County, California Department of Aging
• County IHSS Wage Rates and the October 2026 wage list, California Department of Social Services
• Medicare, Senior Advocacy Services
• Marin County Medi-Cal Health Plans, DHCS
• About Member Services, Partnership HealthPlan of California
• Transportation Services, Partnership HealthPlan of California
• Marin Access, Marin Transit
• Marin Access Fare Assistance, Marin Transit
• Fares, Marin Transit
• Healthy Aging Campus, Vivalon
• Meals on Wheels, Vivalon
• Margaret Todd Senior Center, City of Novato
• Community Center, City of Mill Valley
• Find Free Food, San Francisco-Marin Food Bank
• Services in Marin County, California Department of Community Services and Development
• California Alternate Rates for Energy Program, PG&E
• Areas We Serve, MCE
• CARE and FERA Energy Bill Discounts, MCE
• Marin Housing Authority
• Medicare Savings Programs in California, DHCS
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS