Medicare Help in Tulare County

This page covers Tulare County. For the statewide rules, start with Medicare help in California.

In Tulare County, HHSA handles Medi-Cal, CalFresh and the Medicare Savings Programs through its TulareWORKs offices. It also runs IHSS, which is paid help at home. The Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging runs HICAP and senior lunches. This page covers Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, Dinuba, Lindsay, Exeter and the rest of the county. If your parent lives in Porterville and you live in Visalia, you'll use two van services, so rides are listed by town. Nearby, see Medicare help in Fresno and Medicare help in Bakersfield.

Local offices in Tulare County

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because TulareWORKs 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 IHSS in Tulare County?

Apply for Medi-Cal online at BenefitsCal.com, by phone at 1-800-540-6880, or at a TulareWORKs office. TulareWORKs also has offices in Dinuba and Lindsay. To start CalFresh, you can turn in a form with just your name, address and signature, the county says. A worker helps you finish it.

In 2026, one person 65 or older can have $1,836 a month in income and $130,000 in savings, the state says. The same form checks you for the Medicare Savings Programs. They can pay the $202.90 a month Medicare costs you, usually taken out of your Social Security check. See Medicare and Medi-Cal together.

Once you have Medi-Cal, you pick a health plan within 30 days, or Medi-Cal picks one for you, the state says. Call Health Care Options at (800) 430-4263 to compare them.

For IHSS, call (559) 623-0600, Monday to Thursday until 5 p.m. or Friday until noon. A social worker visits your home to decide your hours. See IHSS in California.

Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Tulare County?

You can get free Medicare counseling from HICAP at the Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging, at (559) 713-2875. Counselors know Medicare and Medi-Cal, and they meet people in Visalia, Tulare, Porterville and Dinuba. They help with plans, drug costs, appeals and a Medi-Cal share of cost. Open Enrollment runs each fall, October 15 to December 7, and changes start January 1. HICAP and Pair Team don't sell plans.

Where can I get lunch at a senior center in Tulare County?

You can get lunch at most senior centers in Tulare County on weekdays, and you reserve the day before. Where the Area Agency on Aging runs lunch, the suggested gift is $2.50, and no one is turned away.

At 60 and older, if you can't get out, the agency delivers frozen meals for a suggested $2 each (1-800-321-2462). For groceries, FoodLink supplies pantries and fresh food giveaways across the county, listed on its website. Monthly food money comes from CalFresh.

How do I get a ride in Tulare County?

To get a ride in Tulare County, use the van service for your town. Visalia and Porterville run their own, and Ride Tulare County covers the rest.

• Visalia: Buses cost 85 cents with a senior ID or Medicare card, instead of $1.75. Dial-A-Ride serves Visalia, Goshen, Farmersville, Exeter and the Tulare Transit Center for $2.25 at 65 and older, booked at (559) 713-4750. Without disability approval, you can ride only the same day, if there's room.
• Porterville: Dial-A-COLT is for people whose disability keeps them off the bus. A ride costs $3, and you book a day ahead, up to 14 days, at (559) 791-7800.
• Tulare, Dinuba, Lindsay and smaller towns: Ride Tulare County runs vans for older adults, Medicare card holders and people with disabilities. A ride costs $3 one way. Call (559) 372-2290, any day.
• Medi-Cal rides take you to covered care. Call the number on your health plan card. See Medi-Cal rides in California.

How do I lower my power and gas bills in Tulare County?

To lower your power and gas bills, start with CARE. Southern California Edison takes 32.5 percent off your electric bill, and SoCalGas takes 20 percent off gas. From June 2026 to May 2027, a home of one or two can make up to $43,280 a year, Edison says. Medi-Cal, CalFresh or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) also qualifies you for the gas discount, SoCalGas says.

For help paying a bill, call CSET at 1-844-224-1316 to book a LIHEAP visit. It pays once a year toward electric, gas or propane. Bring electric and gas bills, or a propane receipt, plus proof of income, all from the last six weeks. Funding is limited, so call early. See LIHEAP in California.

How do I find senior housing in Tulare County?

The Housing Authority of the County of Tulare owns or manages several senior apartment buildings. Each building keeps its own waiting list, and rent includes water, trash, sewer, a stove and a fridge, it says. You apply online, then come back the next day to set up a login and track your application. Its local offices can help with the form. See housing help in California.

What a Pair Team advocate does

In Tulare County, calls to us often start with getting from a small town to a doctor in Visalia. Here's what we do:

• Apply for Medi-Cal and IHSS with you, and get your doctor's health form in.
• Save your lunch seat at a senior center, or set up meals at home.
• Book Dial-A-Ride, Dial-A-COLT or a Medi-Cal ride for you.
• Apply for the Edison and SoCalGas discounts and LIHEAP with you.

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 Dinuba, Lindsay or Exeter. Is this my page?

Yes, this page covers Dinuba, Lindsay, Exeter and the rest of Tulare County. Dinuba and Lindsay have their own TulareWORKs offices, and HICAP meets people in Dinuba. Visalia's Dial-A-Ride reaches Exeter and Farmersville. For Hanford, the same Area Agency on Aging serves you, but Kings County runs its own offices.

Can I apply for CalFresh with a shorter form?

Yes, Tulare County offers a shorter CalFresh form for older adults, the county's CalFresh page says. Ask for it at a TulareWORKs office or by phone at 1-800-540-6880.

What if my power is about to be shut off?

If your power is about to be shut off, call CSET at 1-844-224-1316 the same day and say so. LIHEAP has crisis help for homes facing a shutoff, CSET says. Then ask Edison or SoCalGas for a payment plan.

What if TulareWORKs denies my Medi-Cal?

If TulareWORKs denies your Medi-Cal, you can ask for a state hearing within 90 days at 1-800-743-8525. The notice gives the reason, so keep it and any letters that came with it.

How do I report abuse of an older adult in Tulare County?

To report abuse of an older adult in Tulare County, call Adult Protective Services at (559) 623-0651 or (877) 657-3092. You don't have to give your name. If someone is in danger right now, call 911.

Sources

• Medi-Cal and TulareWORKs office map, Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency
• CalFresh, Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency
• In-Home Supportive Services, Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency
• Adult Protective Services, Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency
• HICAP, Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency
• Nutritious Meals for Seniors, Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency
• County IHSS Wage Rates, California Department of Social Services
• Services, Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging
• Medicare Counseling (HICAP), Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging
• Food and Nutrition, Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging
• Tulare Senior Center and Porterville Senior Center, Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging
• Senior Programs, City of Visalia
• Tulare: Services in My County, California Department of Aging
• Tulare County Medi-Cal Health Plans, DHCS
• Fares and Passes, Visalia Transit
• Dial-A-Ride, Visalia Transit
• Dial-A-COLT, Porterville Transit
• Paratransit Fares, Ride Tulare County
• CARE and FERA, Southern California Edison
• Other Electric Utilities Within the PG&E Service Area, PG&E
• California Alternate Rates for Energy, SoCalGas
• CARE/FERA Program, California Public Utilities Commission
• Energy Services, CSET
• Contact, FoodLink for Tulare County
• Contact Us, Housing Authority of the County of Tulare
• Senior Housing, Housing Authority of the County of Tulare
• Getting Started with Your Application, Housing Authority of the County of Tulare
• Medicare Savings Programs in California, DHCS
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS