Medicare Help in Salinas

This page covers the City of Salinas in Monterey County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California. Nearby, see Medicare help in San Jose, Santa Cruz County or San Luis Obispo County.

In Salinas, the Monterey County Department of Social Services handles Medi-Cal, CalFresh and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), paid help at home. The city runs senior programs at the Firehouse Recreation Center, and Alliance on Aging gives free Medicare counseling downtown. This page is for Oldtown, the Alisal, North Salinas, South Salinas, Creekbridge and Williams Ranch. If your mother reads Spanish, ask for Spanish forms, since the county's application forms come in both.

Local offices in Salinas

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because the county makes the call 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.

Where do I apply for Medi-Cal or CalFresh in Salinas?

You can apply online at BenefitsCal.com, by phone at 1-877-410-8823, or at the county's Community Benefits office on South Main Street. It's open from 8 to 5 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, the county says.

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. With both, see Medicare and Medi-Cal together in California.

For IHSS, call Aging and Adult Services at 831-755-4466. You can drop off the form, in English or Spanish, at 730 La Guardia Street. See IHSS in California.

Where can older adults get lunch in Salinas?

The county lists four lunch sites in Salinas for people 60 and older, and you book one day ahead. Lunch has no set price, and gifts are welcome, the county says. Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula cooks for Breadbox and Sherwood Village.

The city's senior program at the Firehouse Recreation Center runs on weekdays from 8 to noon. It has free coffee, daily loteria and bingo twice a week. On Thursdays from 9 to 10, the Firehouse gives out free food from the Food Bank to people 50 and older.

If you can't leave home, call Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley at 831-758-6325. Monthly food money comes from CalFresh.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Salinas?

For free Medicare counseling in Salinas, call HICAP at Alliance on Aging, 831-655-1334, or the state line, 1-800-434-0222. Counselors help you compare plans, sort out bills and find help with costs. Alliance on Aging has held free Medicare classes in English and Spanish at 236 Monterey Street. HICAP doesn't sell insurance, it says, and Pair Team doesn't sell plans either.

How do I get rides in Salinas?

MST RIDES is a shared van for people whose disability keeps them off the regular bus. A ride costs $2 one way, and a helper rides free. Book by 5 the day before, or up to 7 days ahead. Your trip has to start and end within three-quarters of a mile of a bus route. The form comes in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Korean and Vietnamese. Questions go to 1-888-678-2871.

RIDES riders can also get taxi vouchers for trips in Salinas. MST's Senior Shuttles are open to anyone, and Line 95 runs between Williams Ranch and Northridge. With Medi-Cal, your plan also gives rides to medical visits.

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

If Cal Water sends your water bill, ask about its Customer Assistance Program. It takes half off the basic monthly service charge. A home of one or two can make up to $43,280 a year, from June 2026 to May 2027, Cal Water says. CalFresh, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or CARE also qualifies you. Apply online or call (877) 419-1701.

For power, Central Coast Community Energy supplies the electricity, and PG&E delivers it and sends the bill. Your discounts stay the same either way, it says. Call PG&E at 1-866-743-5832 to ask about CARE. It takes 30 to 35 percent off your electric bill and 20 percent off gas, the state says.

For a past-due bill, Central Coast Energy Services runs LIHEAP for Salinas, the state says. Apply at CALIHEAPApply.com, or call 1-888-728-3637 and leave your name, address and phone for a paper form. See LIHEAP in California.

How do I get housing help in Salinas?

The Housing Authority of the County of Monterey's Section 8 waiting list is closed, it said in September 2026. Its office is at 123 Rico Street, at 831-775-5000.

If you rent in an older building, call the city's rent office at 831-758-7901 to ask whether its rent rules still apply. The rules began January 1, 2025, and the City Council sent their repeal to the November 3, 2026 ballot, the city says. Where the rules apply, they limit 2026 increases to 2.4 percent in buildings with two or more homes built before February 1, 1995. They also require a legal reason to evict. See housing help in California.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Salinas, a call to us about Medicare often comes with a Medi-Cal renewal or rides to appointments on the Peninsula.

• Apply for Medi-Cal and IHSS with you, and get your doctor's health form in.
• Book your lunch at Breadbox or Sherwood Village, or start Meals on Wheels.
• Fill out the MST RIDES form with you and set up your first ride.
• Help you apply for the Cal Water discount and for CARE with PG&E.

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 Prunedale, Castroville or Marina. Is this my page?

If you live in Prunedale, Castroville or Marina, the county offices, HICAP and MST RIDES serve you too. Prunedale Senior Center, at 8300 Prunedale Road North, serves lunch at 11:30; book at 831-663-5023. Castroville Senior Center's number is 831-633-3084. Starting November 2, 2026, the county offers limited services at 2620 1st Avenue in Marina, in place of its Seaside office.

Can I get help buying fresh produce?

Yes, people 60 and older who qualify can get a $50 card for farmers' markets, the county says. It buys fruit, vegetables, herbs and honey. Call the senior helpline at 831-755-4466 to ask.

What if I get a shut-off notice from PG&E?

If you get a shut-off notice from PG&E, call the company the same day and ask for a payment plan. Then tell Central Coast Energy Services you have a notice. LIHEAP has crisis help for homes with a 24 to 48 hour shut-off notice, the state says.

Where can I get free legal help in Salinas?

For free legal help in Salinas, call Legal Services for Seniors at 831-899-0492 if you're 60 or older. If you have low income and a housing problem, call California Rural Legal Assistance at 831-757-5221.

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

Call Adult Protective Services at 831-755-4466 on weekdays from 8 to 5. At night, on weekends and on holidays, call 831-770-7541 and ask for a social worker. If someone is in danger right now, call 911.

Sources

• DSS Office Locations, County of Monterey Department of Social Services
• Community Benefits, County of Monterey Department of Social Services
• Aging and Adult Services, County of Monterey Department of Social Services
• Area Agency on Aging Resources, County of Monterey
• Community Senior Lunch Locations, Monterey County Area Agency on Aging
• Get Meals, Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula
• Adult Programs, City of Salinas
• Medicare Counseling, Alliance on Aging
• Transportation, Alliance on Aging
• ADA Paratransit (RIDES), Monterey-Salinas Transit
• Senior Shuttles, Monterey-Salinas Transit
• Help for Seniors, Food Bank for Monterey County
• Customer Assistance Program, Cal Water
• Salinas District, Cal Water
• Cost Savings and Financial Assistance, Central Coast Community Energy
• Services in the City of Salinas, California Department of Community Services and Development
• Programs and Services, Central Coast Energy Services
• CARE/FERA Program, California Public Utilities Commission
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, California Department of Community Services and Development
• HCV / Section 8, Housing Authority of the County of Monterey
• Rental Registration and Rent Stabilization, City of Salinas
• Medicare Savings Programs in California, DHCS
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS