Medicare Help in Rockland County

This page covers Rockland County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in New York.

In Rockland County, DSS handles Medicaid, the Medicare Savings Program and Section 8. It also runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), once called food stamps, and the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). The Office for the Aging serves people 60 and older. This page covers Spring Valley, New City, Nanuet, Nyack, Haverstraw, Suffern, Monsey and the rest of the county. If you don't drive, the trip to Pomona can be the hardest part, so start with the rides below. Over the county line, see Medicare help in Orange County.

Local offices in Rockland County

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.

How do I apply for Medicaid in Rockland County?

At 65 and older, you apply for Medicaid through Rockland DSS, the county says. Bring the application and its Supplement A to Building L in Pomona on a weekday, or mail them to the Medicaid Unit. For help with the form, call 845-364-3040, option 1, then option 2.

In 2026, one person can have $1,836 a month in income, or $1,856 with the $20 the state doesn't count. The savings limit is $33,038, the state says. The same form checks you for the Medicare Savings Program. It can pay the $202.90 a month Medicare costs you, usually taken out of your Social Security check. See Medicare and Medicaid together in New York and home care and CDPAP in New York.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Rockland County?

You can get free Medicare counseling from HIICAP at the Rockland County Office for the Aging. Call 845-364-2118 to book a time. Counselors check you for the Medicare Savings Program, Extra Help and the state's Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC). Then they help you apply. Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7 each year. HIICAP and Pair Team don't sell plans.

How do I get a ride in Rockland County?

To get a ride in Rockland County, pick the service that fits you.

• TRIPS is the county's shared van for people 60 and older, or with a disability, who find the bus hard. It runs anywhere in the county, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Apply at Building T in Pomona, where the photo card costs $2.00. Then book rides at 845-364-8747.
• Transport of Rockland (TOR) buses cost $1.00 instead of $2.00 at 60, with a $2.00 photo card or your Medicare card (845-364-3333).
• Medicaid rides are for people with Medicaid. Call MAS at 866-932-7740 at least three days before a routine visit, the state says. See Medicaid rides in New York.

How do I get help with heating and electric bills in Rockland County?

In Rockland County, HEAP helps pay your heating bill once each winter, and regular HEAP takes applications from November 2, 2026. One person can make up to $3,563 a month and qualify. At 60 or older, the Office for the Aging takes your HEAP form at 845-364-2110. Otherwise, apply at mybenefits.ny.gov or call DSS at 845-364-3100, option 1, then option 3. See utility bill help in New York.

Orange and Rockland Utilities also gives a monthly bill discount.

• With HEAP, you're signed up on your own. With Medicaid, SNAP or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), apply at oru.com.
• Without those, one person making up to $41,685 a year can get the same $76.81 off (1-877-400-2501).
• With a shut-off notice, call the Salvation Army in Spring Valley at 845-352-9577 about a Neighbor Fund grant. It has no age or income rules.

Where can I get food and meals in Rockland County?

For food money, apply for SNAP at mybenefits.ny.gov or at Building L. From October 1, 2026, one person 60 or older can make up to $2,660 a month and get SNAP. These groups help you apply, the county says. See SNAP for seniors in New York.

For lunch with people your age, Meals on Wheels runs senior centers with rides (845-624-6325). The Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center, 110 Bethune Blvd. in Spring Valley, serves lunch too (845-425-8910). In Monsey, the Community Outreach Center at 21 Remsen Ave. has a daily program with door-to-door rides (845-356-9600). Meals on Wheels also delivers, with kosher-style meals.

How do I get help with rent in Rockland County?

Rockland DSS runs Section 8 vouchers for the county on behalf of New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Spots open only through a lottery, which DSS posts in public notices and on its website. To hear when a list opens, register at section8.hcr.ny.gov. In 2026, one person can make up to $59,400 a year and apply, the county says.

With an eviction notice, the DSS Housing Unit may help you work out back rent (845-364-3100). For senior apartment lists, call the Office for the Aging at 845-364-2110.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Rockland County, a call to us often starts with a Medicaid form that has to get to Pomona. Here's what we do:

• Fill out the Medicaid form and Supplement A with you, and call the Medicaid Unit until there's an answer.
• Help you apply for TRIPS and book your first rides to the doctor.
• Send your HEAP form to the Office for the Aging, then check that the utility discount shows up.
• Book a HIICAP counselor, and watch for the next Section 8 lottery with 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 Monsey, Spring Valley or Nyack. Is this my page?

Yes, this page covers Monsey, Spring Valley, Nyack and every other town in Rockland County. The county offices sit on one campus at 50 Sanatorium Road in Pomona. Nearby, see Medicare help in Orange County or Medicare help in Dutchess County.

What if I can't get to Pomona?

If you can't get to Pomona, mail your Medicaid form to the Medicaid Unit at Building L. You can also send papers to DSS with the free NYDocSubmit phone app. Office for the Aging staff hold office hours around the county, so call 845-364-2110 for the next one.

Are TRIPS rides free right now?

TRIPS rides were still free in October 2026, because the county had waived fares on its vans and buses. Call 845-364-3333 to check before you ride. When fares come back, a ride costs $3.00, or $25.00 for 10 tickets. You still need a TRIPS photo card first.

Can I get help in Spanish or Haitian Creole?

Some Rockland offices can help in Spanish or Haitian Creole. On the Section 8 team, several staff speak Spanish and two speak Haitian Creole, the county says. The state's fair hearing form comes in Spanish, Haitian Creole and Yiddish.

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.

Sources

• Eligibility Programs, Rockland County Department of Social Services
• Contact DSS, Rockland County Department of Social Services
• Adult Services, Rockland County Department of Social Services
• Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Rockland County Department of Social Services
• Office for the Aging, Rockland County
• Contact OFA, Rockland County Office for the Aging
• Health Insurance Information, Rockland County Office for the Aging
• Nutrition, Rockland County Office for the Aging
• Senior Centers and Clubs, Rockland County Office for the Aging
• TRIPS Paratransit, Rockland County Department of Public Transportation
• How to Apply for Regular TRIPS Service, Rockland County Department of Public Transportation
• Public Transportation Fares and Passes, Rockland County
• Medicaid Transportation, New York State Department of Health
• Medicare Savings Programs 2026, New York State Department of Health
• Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), OTDA
• Request a Fair Hearing, OTDA
• Energy Affordability Program, Orange and Rockland Utilities
• Neighbor Fund, Orange and Rockland Utilities
• Contact Us, Orange and Rockland Utilities