Medicare Help in Riverside, California

This page covers the City of Riverside. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California. For nearby places, see Corona or the Coachella Valley.

In Riverside, you apply for Medi-Cal, CalFresh and the Medicare Savings Programs through DPSS. The city runs its own senior centers, vans, and power and water company. This page serves Downtown, Arlington, La Sierra, Arlanza, Casa Blanca and Orangecrest. If a power bill and a Medi-Cal renewal came the same week, the table below shows who to call.

Local offices in Riverside

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because the county decides, 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, CalFresh or IHSS in Riverside?

You can apply for Medi-Cal or CalFresh in Riverside at BenefitsCal.com or by phone at 1-877-410-8827. You can also go to the DPSS office at 11060 Magnolia Ave. on a weekday, but call first to set a visit. 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.

For paid help at home, call the IHSS line at 1-888-960-4477 or apply at RiversideIHSS.org. A social worker then visits your home. Read more about IHSS in California.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Riverside?

You can get free Medicare counseling in Riverside from the Council on Aging Southern California, the county's HICAP. Call (909) 256-8369, or the state line at 1-800-434-0222. The Janet Goeske Center also hosts HICAP counseling, so ask its front desk for a time. HICAP doesn't sell insurance, the council says, and Pair Team doesn't sell plans either. Each fall, Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, and changes start January 1.

Where are the senior centers in Riverside?

Riverside's parks department has centers for older adults across the city. The Janet Goeske Center, 5257 Sierra St., has more than 160 classes and programs a week. Most are free or low cost. Dales Senior Center is at 3936 Chestnut St., (951) 826-5303. La Sierra Senior Center is at 5215 La Sierra Ave., (951) 351-6435.

If you're 60 or older, lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. on weekdays at the Goeske Center and at the Stratton and Villegas community centers. You eat there, and you order a day ahead, the city says.

How do I get a ride in Riverside?

In Riverside, the city runs its own van service, Riverside Connect, for people 60 and older and people with disabilities. It goes door to door anywhere in the city, any day of the week. Call (951) 687-8080 one to three days ahead. A ride costs $2.50 to $3.50, and you pay the exact fare when you board.

For trips outside the city, Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) Dial-A-Ride at 1-800-795-7887 needs a disability approval first. If you have Medi-Cal, your plan also gives rides to medical visits. See Medi-Cal rides in California.

How do I lower my power and water bills in Riverside?

To lower your power and water bills in Riverside, start with SHARE from Riverside Public Utilities, which the city owns. SHARE takes $28 a month off your power bill, plus $5.75 each off water and trash. One person can make up to $3,325 a month, or $4,509 for two, the utility says. Apply at the Casa Blanca Customer Resource Center, 3025 Madison St., or call (951) 782-0330. Bring a photo ID, your Social Security card, your bill and proof of income.

If you use an oxygen concentrator, hospital bed or power wheelchair, ask about Utilicare. It's a lower power rate, and your doctor signs the form.

For gas, call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 for CARE, which takes 20 percent off. It's for homes of one or two people making up to $43,280 a year. For a large bill, call Community Action at (951) 955-4900 for a LIHEAP screening. See LIHEAP in California.

Where can seniors get free food in Riverside?

For free food in Riverside, go to the Senior Mobile Pantry at the Arlanza Community Center, 7950 Philbin Ave. It runs on the second Friday of each month, from 9 to 11 a.m. It's for homes with someone 60 or older and other homes with low income, and you just sign a form. Feeding America also hands out food at La Sierra Senior Center at 10 a.m. on the first Friday of each month. Go to the lot at Gramercy Place and Mitchell Avenue. Monthly food money comes from CalFresh.

Where can I get help with rent in Riverside?

For rent help, the City of Riverside has a Supplemental Senior Rental Assistance Program for people 62 and older. You may qualify if your rent is more than 40 percent of your income. One person can make up to $43,050 a year, the city says. Call (951) 826-2430 to ask how to apply.

The Housing Authority of the County of Riverside is at 5555 Arlington Ave. Its Section 8 waiting list closed to new names on September 1, 2025. You can still apply online for some buildings, or call (951) 351-0700 for help. See housing help in California.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Riverside, calls to us often start with a past-due city utility bill or a DPSS renewal packet. Your advocate makes the calls and follows up until there's an answer.

• Help you apply for SHARE at the Casa Blanca office, or for Utilicare if you use medical equipment.
• Book your first Riverside Connect ride, or an RTA trip out of the city.
• Help with a DPSS renewal or an IHSS application by phone.
• Find the next food date at Arlanza or La Sierra, or a lunch spot near you.

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 Jurupa Valley or Corona. Is this my page?

If you live in Jurupa Valley or Corona, the county offices here are yours too. But Riverside Public Utilities and Riverside Connect serve only the city. Corona runs its own Dial-A-Ride at (951) 734-7220, and RTA serves Jurupa Valley.

My parent lives in Moreno Valley. Is there a page for that?

Moreno Valley has its own page: Medicare help in Moreno Valley. The county offices are the same. But Moreno Valley has its own senior center, a senior van called MoVan and a city power company for newer homes.

What if Riverside Public Utilities sends a shut-off notice?

If Riverside Public Utilities sends a shut-off notice, call (951) 782-0330 the same day. Ask about SHARE and a payment plan. SHARE can pay up to $250 toward an urgent or shut-off bill once every 12 months, the utility says.

How do I report abuse of an older adult?

To report abuse of an older adult, call Adult Protective Services at 1-800-491-7123. DPSS answers that line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Do I have to live in Riverside to use the Janet Goeske Center?

You don't have to live in Riverside to use the Janet Goeske Center. Its programs are for people 50 and older across the Inland Empire, the center's foundation says.

Sources

• Office Locations for CalWORKs, CalFresh and Medi-Cal, Riverside County DPSS
• Office Locations for In-Home Supportive Services, Riverside County DPSS
• Medi-Cal, Riverside County DPSS
• Adult Services, Riverside County DPSS
• Medicare Counseling (HICAP), California Department of Aging
• Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program, Council on Aging Southern California
• Riverside County Office on Aging
• Assistance Programs, Riverside Public Utilities
• SHARE, Riverside Public Utilities
• Utilicare, Riverside Public Utilities
• Special Transportation Division (Riverside Connect), City of Riverside
• Janet Goeske Center, City of Riverside
• Senior Nutrition, City of Riverside
• Senior Resources, City of Riverside
• Senior Rental Assistance Programs, City of Riverside
• Office Locations, Housing Authority of the County of Riverside
• How to Apply, Housing Authority of the County of Riverside
• What Is Dial-A-Ride, Riverside Transit Agency
• Senior Mobile Pantry, Feeding America Riverside San Bernardino
• Utility Assistance Program, Community Action Partnership of Riverside County
• CARE/FERA Program, California Public Utilities Commission
• 311 Riverside, City of Riverside
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS