Medicare Help in San Mateo County

This page covers all of San Mateo County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California.

In San Mateo County, you apply for Medi-Cal, CalFresh and the Medicare Savings Programs through HSA. Aging and Disability Services runs In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), paid help at home. It's also the county's Area Agency on Aging. This page is for Daly City, South San Francisco, San Mateo, Redwood City, East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay and the towns between. If rent here takes most of your Social Security check, the lunch, food and power bill help below can free up a little room. For family in the city, see Medicare help in San Francisco, and to the south, Sunnyvale.

Local offices in San Mateo County

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because HSA 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.

How do I apply for Medi-Cal in San Mateo County?

You can apply for Medi-Cal online at BenefitsCal.com, by phone at 1-800-223-8383, or at an HSA office. All four offices are open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the county says. Its Medi-Cal fact sheet comes in English, Spanish, Chinese and Tagalog.

The same form checks you for the Medicare Savings Programs. They can pay your copays and the $202.90 a month Medicare costs you in 2026. Once you're on Medi-Cal, your plan here is usually the Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM). See Medicare and Medi-Cal together in California.

How do I get IHSS in San Mateo County?

To get IHSS in San Mateo County, fill out the county's online form, or call 650-573-3900 for help with it. You need full Medi-Cal. Your doctor fills out a health form called the SOC 873, and it's due within 45 days of when you apply. Then a social worker visits your home to set your hours.

If you don't have a caregiver in mind, ask your social worker for a list from the county's caregiver registry. Since January 1, 2026, IHSS caregivers here earn $21.70 an hour, the county says. See IHSS in California.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in San Mateo County?

For free Medicare counseling in San Mateo County, call HICAP at Self-Help for the Elderly, 650-627-9350, or the state line, 1-800-434-0222. You book a one-hour visit at 1710 South Amphlett Boulevard in San Mateo. Counselors help with drug plans, Medigap, bills and appeals. Each fall, Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, and changes start January 1. HICAP doesn't sell, endorse or recommend any plan, it says, and Pair Team doesn't sell plans either.

How do I get a ride in San Mateo County?

If you're 65 or older or show a Medicare card, a SamTrans bus ride costs $1.10, or $1.00 with Clipper, SamTrans says.

• Redi-Wheels and RediCoast are shared vans for people whose disability keeps them off the bus. RediCoast serves the coast. A ride costs $4.25 one way, or $1.75 on the Lifeline fare if you have Medi-Cal or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Apply at 650-366-4856, and book at least a day ahead. Once you're signed up, SamTrans buses are free too.
• Get Around is a City of San Mateo taxi program for people 60 and older who live in the city. Rides cost $5 one way through Serra Yellow Cab, up to four a month. New riders go on a waitlist, so call the Senior Center at 650-522-7490.
• Medi-Cal rides for HPSM members go through American Logistics at 1-844-856-4389. Call two days before your visit, the plan says. See Medi-Cal rides in California.

Where can older adults get lunch in San Mateo County?

Several cities serve lunch to people 60 and older, and each one asks you to book ahead.

In South San Francisco, send the lunch form by the 15th of the month before you want to start. Daly City's Westlake Park Senior Pantry gives free groceries twice a month by appointment, at (650) 991-8013.

If you can't leave home, call Peninsula Volunteers Meals on Wheels at 650-323-2022. It may have a waitlist. Monthly food money comes from CalFresh.

How do I lower my power bill in San Mateo County?

In San Mateo County, PG&E delivers your power and sends the bill, and WestLight Energy supplies it. If you have a PG&E discount, you keep it, WestLight says. To start, call PG&E at 1-866-743-5832 and ask about CARE. It takes 35 percent or more off electricity and 20 percent or more off gas, PG&E says.

Some CARE customers in areas with more pollution also get WestLight's Green Access discount, 20 percent more off. Spots are few, and the company picks at random. If you're behind, call Central Coast Energy Services at 1-888-728-3637, which runs LIHEAP here, the state says. See LIHEAP in California.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In San Mateo County, a call to us about Medicare often turns into an IHSS form or a ride to a doctor across the county.

• Apply for Medi-Cal and IHSS with you, and get the SOC 873 health form back within 45 days.
• Fill out the Redi-Wheels form with you, plus the Lifeline fare form if you have Medi-Cal.
• Book a one-hour HICAP visit at Self-Help for the Elderly in San Mateo.
• Help you apply for CARE and LIHEAP, then check your PG&E bill for the discount.

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 Daly City, South San Francisco or Half Moon Bay. Is this my page?

Yes, this page covers Daly City, South San Francisco, Half Moon Bay and every other town in San Mateo County. The north county HSA office is at 271 92nd Street in Daly City. On the coast, RediCoast takes the place of Redi-Wheels. If you live in San Francisco, see Medicare help in San Francisco.

How do I get on the Housing Authority waitlist in San Mateo County?

To get on the Housing Authority waitlist in San Mateo County, sign up at mysmchousing.com. Its voucher list, once called Section 8, is always open, the county says. If you can't apply online, leave a message at (650) 802-3352 and staff will call you back. See housing help in California.

Does Medi-Cal pay for adult day care in San Mateo County?

Yes, Medi-Cal pays for adult day health care in San Mateo County if you qualify, HPSM says. The state lists two centers. One is in Burlingame at 1720 El Camino Real, and one is at 925 Main Street in Half Moon Bay. See adult day care in California.

Can I get Medi-Cal information in Tagalog or Chinese?

You can get Medi-Cal information in Tagalog or Chinese in San Mateo County. The county's Medi-Cal fact sheet comes in both, plus Spanish. South San Francisco's lunch form does too.

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

Call the county's 24-hour line for older and dependent adults at 1-844-868-0938. If someone is in danger right now, call 911.

Sources

• Medi-Cal: HSA Regional Offices, San Mateo County Human Services Agency
• Human Services Agency, Daly City, County of San Mateo
• Human Services, Redwood City, County of San Mateo
• Fashion Island, San Mateo, County of San Mateo
• Human Services, East Palo Alto, County of San Mateo
• Health Coverage, San Mateo County Human Services Agency
• San Mateo County Medi-Cal Health Plans, DHCS
• Contact Us, Health Plan of San Mateo
• Medi-Cal, Health Plan of San Mateo
• Contact Us, San Mateo County Aging and Disability Services
• In-Home Supportive Services, San Mateo County Aging and Disability Services
• IHSS Public Authority Payroll and Benefits, San Mateo County Health
• San Mateo: Services in My County, California Department of Aging
• HICAP of San Mateo County, Self-Help for the Elderly
• Paratransit, SamTrans
• Fares, SamTrans
• Get Around! Senior Rides Program, City of San Mateo
• Bay Tree Bistro, City of San Mateo
• Food Services, City of Daly City
• Seniors, City of Redwood City
• Senior Services, City of South San Francisco
• Meals on Wheels, Peninsula Volunteers
• Get Food, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
• WestLight Energy
• Lower Your Bill, WestLight Energy
• Green Access Program, WestLight Energy
• Services in San Mateo County, California Department of Community Services and Development
• California Alternate Rates for Energy Program, PG&E
• Apply to Housing Authority Waiting Lists, County of San Mateo
• Medicare Savings Programs in California, DHCS
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS