Medicare Help in Santa Clarita

This page covers the City of Santa Clarita in Los Angeles County. For nearby cities, see Los Angeles, Long Beach, Lancaster or Palmdale. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California.

In Santa Clarita, the county's DPSS handles Medi-Cal, CalFresh and paid help at home, called In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center, a nonprofit, handles meals and help at home. City of Santa Clarita Transit runs Dial-A-Ride and Access Services rides in the valley. Southern California Edison (SCE), SoCalGas and the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, called SCV Water, send the bills. This page is for Valencia, Newhall, Saugus and Canyon Country, the four communities that formed the city. If a parent here just stopped driving, start with the rides section below.

Local offices in Santa Clarita

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 Santa Clarita?

You can apply for Medi-Cal or CalFresh online at BenefitsCal.com, by phone at 1-866-613-3777, or in person. The DPSS office for the valley is at 27233 Camp Plenty Road in Canyon Country. It's open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 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.

For paid help at home, apply for IHSS by phone at 1-888-944-4477, and a social worker visits your home. See IHSS in California.

What does the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center offer?

The Senior Center serves lunch at its Bella Vida building and at Vintage Bouquet Canyon Apartments in Saugus. You can eat there or take it to go. Call (661) 259-9444 to sign up.

Its Meals on Wheels program brings almost 500 meals a day to people at home across the valley. To get meals at home, you must be homebound and have a note from your doctor, the center says.

The center also helps in other ways:

• Senior Access helps city residents 50 and older with low or moderate income fill out forms and apply for benefits.
• Care managers make a plan with you and connect you to help.
• Telephone reassurance is a call every weekday for people who live alone and can't get out.
• Caregiver support includes a weekly group and short breaks for family caregivers.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Santa Clarita?

For free Medicare counseling, meet a volunteer counselor at the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center. To book, call (661) 259-9444, ext. 130. You can also call the Center for Health Care Rights, the county's HICAP, at 1-800-434-0222. Counselors help you compare plans, find help with costs and file appeals. HICAP doesn't sell insurance or plans, and Pair Team doesn't either.

How do I get rides in Santa Clarita?

Dial-A-Ride takes residents 60 and older, or with a disability, anywhere in the city for any reason. To sign up, call (661) 294-9327 and show proof of age or disability. Then book a ride one to seven days ahead, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., any day. A trip costs $2.25 cash or $2 with a TAP card, and a personal care attendant rides free.

On local Santa Clarita Transit buses, people 60 and older ride free with ID.

If a disability keeps you off the bus, apply for Access Services at 1-800-827-0829. Santa Clarita Transit runs those rides in the valley too. With Medi-Cal, your plan also gives rides to medical visits.

How do I lower my power, gas and water bills in Santa Clarita?

To lower your power and gas bills, ask SCE at 1-800-655-4555 and SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 about CARE. It takes 30 to 35 percent off power and 20 percent off gas. Medi-Cal, CalFresh or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can qualify you, the state utility commission says.

Once you're on CARE, SCV Water can take $10 a month off your water bill for up to a year. People 62 and older get first turn while money lasts. You apply each year, and the current form is good through June 30, 2027.

For help paying a bill, Maravilla Foundation runs LIHEAP for Santa Clarita ZIP codes. It's short on money in 2026, so it's taking fewer applications. It takes forms by mail only, and an answer can take 10 to 12 weeks. See LIHEAP in California.

Where can I get free food in Santa Clarita?

For free food, go to the SCV Food Pantry at 24133 Railroad Avenue in Newhall, or call (661) 255-5001. It's open Monday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday 2 to 7 p.m., and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon. Once a month, it also brings food to senior apartments from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

Monthly food money comes from CalFresh.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Santa Clarita, a Medicare call often turns into a ride question or a renewal from the Canyon Country office. Your advocate makes the calls and follows up until there's an answer.

• Help you sign up for Dial-A-Ride and book rides to your doctor.
• Help you apply for Meals on Wheels and get the doctor's note it needs.
• Help you sign up for CARE, then send in SCV Water's credit form.
• Help you apply for IHSS by phone and get ready for the social worker's visit.

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 Castaic or Stevenson Ranch. Is this my page?

If you live in Castaic or Stevenson Ranch, most of this page is yours. DPSS, HICAP and Meals on Wheels serve the whole valley. Outside city limits, Dial-A-Ride goes to places within three quarters of a mile of a local bus stop. Senior Access, the help with forms, is for city residents only.

How much does Access Services cost in Santa Clarita?

Access Services costs $2 a ride inside Santa Clarita, Santa Clarita Transit says. Rides to the San Fernando Valley or the Los Angeles basin cost $2.75. Rides to the Antelope Valley cost $3.50.

How long does DPSS take to decide?

DPSS generally has 45 days to decide on Medi-Cal and the Medicare Savings Programs. For CalFresh, counties decide within 30 days. If you haven't heard back, call 1-866-613-3777.

What if I get a shut-off notice from SCE or SoCalGas?

If you get a shut-off notice from SCE or SoCalGas, call the company the same day and ask for a payment plan. Then mail your LIHEAP form to Maravilla Foundation. LIHEAP has crisis help for homes with a 24 to 48 hour shut-off notice, the state says.

Can I get one plan for Medicare and Medi-Cal in Santa Clarita?

Yes, you can get one plan for both in Los Angeles County, called a Medi-Medi Plan, the state says. Read about Medicare and Medi-Cal together in California.

Sources

• Office Locations, Los Angeles County DPSS
• Santa Clarita Sub Office, Los Angeles County Services Locator
• Contact Us, Los Angeles County DPSS
• Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center
• Meal Services, Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center
• Meals on Wheels, Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center
• Programs and Services, Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center
• How to Get Free Medicare Help, Center for Health Care Rights
• Dial-A-Ride and Access Services, City of Santa Clarita Transit
• Fares and Passes, City of Santa Clarita Transit
• City Profile, City of Santa Clarita
• CARE/FERA Program, California Public Utilities Commission
• Ratepayer Assistance Program, SCV Water
• Customer Care, SCV Water
• Service Area Finder, Maravilla Foundation
• Utility Assistance, Maravilla Foundation
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, California Department of Community Services and Development
• Location and Hours, SCV Food Pantry
• Contact Us, SCV Food Pantry
• Medi-Medi Plans, DHCS
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS