Medicare Help in Stockton

This page covers the City of Stockton in San Joaquin County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California.

In Stockton, the county's Human Services Agency handles Medi-Cal, CalFresh, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and energy bill help. The city runs a senior center and community centers with lunch and groceries for people 60 and older. This page is for Downtown, Midtown, the Miracle Mile, Lincoln Village, Brookside, Weston Ranch and Spanos Park. If a parent is on a Meals on Wheels waitlist, start with the senior centers below. For nearby cities, see Medicare help in Modesto and Medicare help in Sacramento.

Local offices in Stockton

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.

How do I apply for Medi-Cal or CalFresh in Stockton?

You can apply for Medi-Cal or CalFresh online at BenefitsCal.com, by phone at (209) 468-1000, or in person. The Human Services Agency is at 333 East Washington Street, open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you need food right away, CalFresh may come within 3 days, 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. See Medicare and Medi-Cal together in California.

How do I apply for IHSS in Stockton?

To apply for IHSS in Stockton, call (209) 468-1119, and staff help you with the form. Your doctor fills out a health form, and the county can't start services until it has both. Then a social worker visits your home to decide your hours. To find a caregiver, ask the Public Authority at (209) 468-3397 for its list. See IHSS in California.

Where are the senior centers in Stockton?

The City of Stockton runs the Oak Park Senior Center and three community centers with programs for older adults. People 60 and older can eat lunch at three of them on weekdays through the county's meal program. You register first, and donations are welcome, the city says.

The free groceries are Silver Harvest bags, one per person while supplies last, for people who have signed up.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Stockton?

For free Medicare counseling in Stockton, call HICAP at Legal Services of Northern California, (209) 470-7812. Counselors meet people at the Garden Acres Community Center and the Stockton Social Security office. HICAP doesn't sell insurance or plans, and Pair Team doesn't either. The University of the Pacific's pharmacy school also compares drug plans for people 60 and older, at (209) 910-3784.

How do I get rides with RTD paratransit?

RTD paratransit is a shared van for people whose disability keeps them from riding the bus. It runs seven days a week, within three-quarters of a mile of RTD's bus routes in the Stockton area. To apply, call (209) 242-9965 for an interview. RTD gives you a free ride to it.

A one-way ride costs $3, in cash or with a Dial-A-Ride pass. To book one or two days ahead, call (209) 943-1111, option 2, then option 1, any day between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

On regular RTD buses, people 60 and older and Medicare cardholders pay 75 cents with a discount card. If you have Medi-Cal, your plan also gives rides to medical visits. See Medi-Cal rides in California.

Where can seniors get free food in Stockton?

For meals at home, call Older Adult Information and Assistance at (209) 468-1104 and ask about Meals on Wheels. It's for people 60 and older who can't leave home, and a driver brings five frozen meals each week. There's a waitlist, the county says.

While you wait, the city centers above serve lunch on weekdays. The Emergency Food Bank's pantry at 7 West Scotts Avenue is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring a photo ID and proof of your address.

Second Harvest's Silver Harvest gives 15 to 18 pounds of groceries twice a month. In October 2026, it's for people living alone on less than $2,430 a month. To sign up, call (209) 239-2091. Monthly food money comes from CalFresh.

How do I lower my power, gas and garbage bills in Stockton?

To lower your power and gas bills, start with LIHEAP, which the Human Services Agency runs. Apply online at CaliHeapApply.com or call (209) 468-1500. In 2026, the one-time credit is $213 to $488. It can take 8 to 12 weeks, so keep paying your bill.

Then call PG&E at 1-866-743-5832 and ask about CARE. It takes 30 to 35 percent off your electric bill and 20 percent off gas, the state utility commission says. See LIHEAP in California.

For garbage, Waste Management and Republic Services take 10 percent off for people 65 and older. If your household makes less than $35,483 a year, the city takes off another 10 percent. You must live in a house, duplex or triplex and be the customer on the bill. Call (209) 937-8295 for the form. If Cal Water sends your water bill, ask about its Customer Assistance Program.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Stockton, calls about Medicare often come with a Meals on Wheels waitlist or a past-due PG&E bill.

• Apply for IHSS with you, and get your doctor's health form to the county.
• Help you set up the RTD paratransit interview and the free ride to it.
• Sign you up for lunch at a city center while you wait for Meals on Wheels.
• Help you apply for the county's energy credit, CARE and the city's garbage 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 Tracy, Manteca or Lodi. Is this my page?

If you live in Tracy, Manteca or Lodi, the county offices on this page serve you too. The city centers and the garbage discount are for Stockton, and RTD paratransit runs only near Stockton-area routes. In Lodi, ask Lodi Electric Utility at 1-888-399-2728 about its 30 percent discount for homes with low income.

How do I get on a housing waitlist in Stockton?

To get on a housing waitlist in Stockton, watch hacsj.org for an opening. The county Housing Authority's lists are all closed in October 2026. The wait can take 3 to 6 years, it says. Never pay anyone to apply, and call (209) 460-5000 with questions. See housing help in California.

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 call (209) 468-1500 and say you have a notice. LIHEAP has crisis help for homes with a 24 to 48 hour shut-off notice, the state says.

Can I get free legal help in Stockton?

Yes, Senior Advocacy Network gives legal help to people 60 and older, the county says. It helps with evictions, debt, wills and elder abuse, at (209) 243-1267.

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

Call the county's elder abuse line at (209) 468-3780 or 1-888-800-4800. If someone is in danger right now, call 911.

Sources

• Home, San Joaquin County Human Services Agency
• Healthcare Coverage, San Joaquin County Human Services Agency
• Food and Nutrition Assistance, San Joaquin County Human Services Agency
• Meals on Wheels, San Joaquin County Human Services Agency
• Disability Assistance (IHSS), San Joaquin County Human Services Agency
• Older Adult Assistance and Benefits, San Joaquin County Human Services Agency
• Energy Assistance, San Joaquin County Human Services Agency
• Meal Programs, City of Stockton
• Community Centers, City of Stockton
• Senior Below Median Income Application, City of Stockton
• Applicants, Housing Authority of the County of San Joaquin
• Waiting Lists, Housing Authority of the County of San Joaquin
• Contact Us, HICAP of Northern California
• San Joaquin: Services in My County, California Department of Aging
• Paratransit, San Joaquin Regional Transit District
• Fares, San Joaquin Regional Transit District
• Get Food, Emergency Food Bank Stockton/San Joaquin
• Silver Harvest Program, Second Harvest of the Greater Valley
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, California Department of Community Services and Development
• CARE/FERA Program, California Public Utilities Commission
• What is the Customer Assistance Program, Cal Water
• Payment Assistance, City of Lodi
• Medicare Savings Programs in California, DHCS
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS