Medicare Help in Sunnyvale

This page covers the City of Sunnyvale in Santa Clara County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California. Nearby, see Medicare help in San Jose or Medicare help in Fremont.

In Sunnyvale, the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency handles Medi-Cal, CalFresh and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), paid help at home. The city runs the Senior Center, its care managers and your water bill, and Sunnyvale Community Services helps with food and bills. This page is for Downtown, Lakewood, Ponderosa, Cherry Chase and Ortega Park. If the bills pile up while you care for someone, start with the table below.

Local offices in Sunnyvale

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 Sunnyvale?

You can apply online at BenefitsCal.com, or by phone at (408) 758-3800 on weekdays. The county lists no benefits office in Sunnyvale. The nearest is the North County Office on Middlefield Road in Mountain View, with a drop box for papers. If Medi-Cal is your only benefit and you have a question, call (408) 758-3600.

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 (408) 792-1600, and ask your doctor for the health form. See IHSS in California.

What does the Sunnyvale Senior Center offer?

The Sunnyvale Senior Center at 550 E. Remington Drive is for adults 50 and older, with classes, a fitness room and day trips. Membership is $40 a year for residents and $60 for others, but most classes don't need it.

Lunch at the City Café costs $5 for residents and $6 for others, and you don't need to be a member. Eat in or pick up from 11 to noon. Booking opens Fridays at 9 for the next week and closes at 4 the day before. Book online, at the desk or by phone, but not by voicemail.

The center also has free care managers who help residents 50 and older plan care to stay at home.

How does Sunnyvale Community Services help?

Sunnyvale Community Services, at 1160 Kern Avenue, helps people in Sunnyvale with low income. Once you sign up, you get groceries at a weekly drive-through. If you can't get there, it can bring food to your home twice a month.

It also gives one-time help with rent or a utility bill in a crisis. You meet a caseworker at the office, so bring photo ID, your lease, recent bank statements and the bill. Staff can also help you apply for CalFresh and Medi-Cal. The office is open weekdays from 9 to noon and 12:30 to 4. Monthly food money comes from CalFresh.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Sunnyvale?

For free Medicare counseling in Sunnyvale, call HICAP at Sourcewise, (408) 350-3200, and choose option 2. You can also call the state line at 1-800-434-0222. HICAP doesn't sell, recommend or endorse any insurance, Sourcewise says, and Pair Team doesn't sell plans either.

How do I get rides with VTA ACCESS in Sunnyvale?

VTA ACCESS gives shared rides to people whose disability keeps them off buses and light rail. Fill out a one-page Data Card in English, Spanish, Chinese or Vietnamese, then do a phone interview. VTA mails its answer within 21 days.

A standard ride costs $4 one way, and a premium ride costs $16. Book one to three days ahead at (408) 321-2380. With Medi-Cal, your plan also gives rides to medical visits.

How do I lower my power bill in Sunnyvale?

In Sunnyvale, PG&E sends the bill, but Silicon Valley Clean Energy supplies the power. First, 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. Medi-Cal or CalFresh can qualify you. Once you have CARE, Silicon Valley Clean Energy adds its credit on its own.

Sacred Heart runs LIHEAP for the county at 1-877-278-6455. It puts a yearly credit on your bill, but not everyone who qualifies gets one. See LIHEAP in California.

How do I find affordable housing in Sunnyvale?

Sunnyvale's Below Market Rate program lowers rents on some apartments for people who earn up to 80 percent of the area median. Its Affordable Rental Units are for incomes up to 50 percent. You apply at each building, and people who live or work in Sunnyvale come first. Call Housing at 408-730-7250, Monday to Thursday.

For Section 8, the county Housing Authority's waiting list hasn't opened since 2006, it says. Join its interest lists online instead. If you own your home, ask Housing about loans and small grants for repairs and access changes. See housing help in California.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Sunnyvale, a call to us about Medicare often comes with a Medi-Cal renewal or a PG&E bill that keeps climbing. Your advocate makes the calls and follows up until there's an answer.

• Apply for Medi-Cal and IHSS with you, and get your doctor's health form in.
• Book your City Café lunch, or set up a call with a city care manager.
• Help you apply for CARE so the Silicon Valley Clean Energy credit shows up.
• Gather your papers for a Sunnyvale Community Services visit or the VTA ACCESS Data Card.

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 Mountain View or Santa Clara. Is this my page?

If you live in Mountain View or Santa Clara, the county programs here serve you too. The care managers and Sunnyvale Community Services are for Sunnyvale residents. In Mountain View, call the Community Services Agency at (650) 968-0836. In Santa Clara, call its Senior Center at (408) 615-3170.

I care for a parent in Sunnyvale from far away. Who can help?

If you care for a parent in Sunnyvale from far away, call the city's care managers at 408-730-7360. They work by phone and can visit your parent at home. For help across the county, call Sourcewise at (408) 350-3200, option 1.

Is there help with my water bill in Sunnyvale?

Yes, Sacred Heart and Valley Water can pay up to $1,000 toward a home water bill, once a program year. Call (408) 916-5014 to ask. The city bills your water, sewer and garbage, and it doesn't list a low-income discount of its own.

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 Sacred Heart you have a notice. LIHEAP has crisis help for homes with a 24 to 48 hour shut-off notice, the state says.

Who can help me with a problem with my landlord?

For help with a problem with your landlord, call Project Sentinel at 1-800-339-6043. The city lists it for rent and fair housing concerns.

Sources

• Contact the Department of Employment and Benefit Services, County of Santa Clara Social Services Agency
• Apply for In-Home Supportive Services, County of Santa Clara Social Services Agency
• Senior Center, City of Sunnyvale
• October City Café Menu and Lunch Guidelines, City of Sunnyvale
• Utility Billing, City of Sunnyvale
• Housing, City of Sunnyvale
• Rental Programs, City of Sunnyvale
• City Grants and Loans, City of Sunnyvale
• Food and Nutrition, Sunnyvale Community Services
• Financial Assistance, Sunnyvale Community Services
• Benefits and Referrals, Sunnyvale Community Services
• Santa Clara Medicare: HICAP, Sourcewise
• ACCESS Paratransit, VTA
• Payment Assistance Resources, Silicon Valley Clean Energy
• Contact, Silicon Valley Clean Energy
• CARE/FERA Program, California Public Utilities Commission
• Utility Assistance, Sacred Heart Community Service
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, California Department of Community Services and Development
• Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8), Santa Clara County Housing Authority
• Community Services Agency of Mountain View and Los Altos
• Get Food, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
• Santa Clara County, 211 Bay Area
• Medicare Savings Programs in California, DHCS
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS