Senior benefits in Marion County, Indiana

Indiana's Family Caregiver Support Program (the state's National Family Caregiver Support Program / NFCSP) helps unpaid family caregivers of adults 60+ (and grandparents 55+ raising grandchildren) with information and referral, caregiver counseling and training, respite care, and supplemental services. Most services have NO income test. Delivered through the 16 regional Area Agencies on Aging. Call the INconnect Alliance at 1-800-986-3505 or contact your local AAA.

$500–$5,000/yr

Indiana's Energy Assistance Program (EAP, the state's LIHEAP) helps income-eligible households pay winter heating and summer cooling bills with a one-time credit of up to $675 applied to the energy account. Income limit: 60% of the State Median Income (roughly $30,000/year for a household of one). EAP also provides moratorium protection from disconnection during winter. Priority is given to seniors, people with disabilities, and households with young children. Apply through your local Community Action Agency (Local Service Provider) or the Indiana EAP client portal at in.gov/ihcda.

$200–$675/yr

Indiana Energy Assistance Program (EAP) for Marion County residents is delivered through the county's designated Community Action Agency / Local Service Provider. EAP provides a one-time winter-heating / summer-cooling credit (up to $675) plus winter disconnection protection for households at or below 60% of the State Median Income (~$30,000/year for one person). Apply through the Indiana EAP client portal (eap.ihcda.in.gov) or the Marion County Local Service Provider; dial 211 (Connect2Help) to be routed to the current Indianapolis provider.

$200–$675/yr

Marion County emergency aid: (1) DISTINCTIVE to Indiana — each of the county's 9 elected Township Trustees provides 'poor relief' (township assistance): emergency help with rent / eviction prevention, utility shutoff, food, clothing, medical needs, and burial expenses for residents of that township (find yours at indy.gov). (2) CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions for senior case management and meals (317-803-6131). (3) The Marion County EAP Local Service Provider for HEAP utility help. (4) Eskenazi Health financial assistance + the hospital FAP network for healthcare. (5) Township + Trustee + Salvation Army / St. Vincent de Paul / Catholic Charities Indianapolis. (6) Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. (7) Dial 211 (Connect2Help) for general referrals.

$200–$3,000/yr

SCSEP places low-income job seekers age 55 and older into paid part-time community service assignments at nonprofits and public agencies — schools, libraries, food pantries, senior centers, parks departments, and similar host sites. Participants typically work 20 hours per week and earn at least the federal, state, or local minimum wage (in California, $16.50/hour in 2026, which works out to roughly $17,000 per year before taxes). The placement is paired with skills training, computer literacy, resume help, and one-on-one coaching aimed at moving the participant into unsubsidized employment within the broader job market. SCSEP is administered nationally by the Department of Labor and locally by AARP Foundation, the National Council on Aging, Goodwill, the National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, and state agencies; coverage exists in every California county though slot availability and the host-site mix vary by grantee.

$15,000–$17,000/yr

Funded under Older Americans Act Title III-C1 and run locally by Area Agencies on Aging, the Congregate Nutrition Program serves hot meals to seniors age 60 and older at senior centers, community centers, places of worship, and similar gathering sites. Most sites serve lunch on weekdays; some serve dinner or weekend meals as well. There is no income test. A voluntary contribution (typically $2–$4 per meal) is suggested but never required, and no senior is turned away for inability or unwillingness to contribute. Beyond the meal itself, sites typically offer health screenings, nutrition counseling, social activities, transportation assistance, and a built-in social network that reduces the isolation that contributes to depression and accelerated cognitive decline in older adults.

$1,000–$2,500/yr

Federally authorized under the Older Americans Act and locally operated by Area Agencies on Aging and Meals on Wheels affiliates, the Home-Delivered Meals Program brings hot or frozen meals — typically five to seven per week — to seniors age 60 and older who are homebound or have difficulty preparing meals safely on their own. There is no income test; the program is open to all qualifying seniors regardless of wealth. A voluntary contribution is suggested (a few dollars per meal) but never required, and no senior is turned away for inability or unwillingness to pay. Beyond the meals themselves, the daily home visit functions as a wellness check — drivers are trained to notice changes in health, mood, or living conditions and to alert local care coordinators when something looks wrong.

$1,500–$4,000/yr

SFMNP gives low-income seniors annual vouchers — roughly $40 per eligible person in California in 2026 — to buy fresh, unprepared, locally-grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey at participating farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs. The federal program is funded by USDA and distributed locally by the California Department of Food and Agriculture through county and nonprofit partners (food banks, area agencies on aging, senior centers). Vouchers are typically distributed once per year between May and October. SFMNP is small in dollar value relative to other senior benefits but pairs well with CalFresh because it lets recipients buy farmers'-market produce that traditional grocery-store benefits don't always cover well.

$35–$50/yr

CHAMPVA is the VA's health-care program for spouses, surviving spouses, and dependent children of veterans who are rated 100% permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected condition, who died of a service-connected condition, or who died on active duty. CHAMPVA shares the cost of covered services — inpatient and outpatient care, prescriptions, durable medical equipment, mental health, and skilled nursing care — typically paying 75% of the VA-allowable amount after a small annual deductible. Once a beneficiary becomes Medicare-eligible at 65, CHAMPVA functions as a secondary payer that picks up most of what Medicare doesn't cover, including Part B coinsurance and many Part D-equivalent prescriptions. CHAMPVA is administered out of the VA Health Administration Center in Denver and is separate from TRICARE; a person eligible for TRICARE cannot use CHAMPVA.

$3,000–$15,000/yr

VA Health Care covers primary care, specialty care, mental health, hospital stays, prescriptions, and preventive services at the nationwide network of VA medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics. Most veterans with an other-than-dishonorable discharge are eligible to enroll. After enrollment the VA assigns the veteran a Priority Group (1 through 8) based on service-connected disability rating, special circumstances (former POW, Purple Heart, catastrophic disability), and income relative to the geographic-means-test threshold. Priority Groups 1 through 5 receive most care at no cost; higher priority groups pay copays that are still well below typical Medicare and private-insurance cost-sharing. VA Health Care does not replace Medicare for most senior veterans — most enroll in both — but it can substantially reduce out-of-pocket costs for care received at VA facilities, especially prescriptions ($0–$11 per fill versus typical Medicare Part D copays).

$5,000–$20,000/yr

CHOICE (Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled) is Indiana's STATE-FUNDED (non-Medicaid) in-home services program for residents age 60+ (and disabled adults) who need help to remain at home but may not qualify for the Medicaid PathWays waiver. DISTINCTIVE — CHOICE fills the gap for seniors above Medicaid limits, with a sliding-scale cost share based on income rather than a hard income cap. Services include homemaker, attendant care, home-delivered meals, respite, transportation, and home modifications. Apply through your local Area Agency on Aging (INconnect Alliance, 1-800-986-3505).

$2,000–$15,000/yr

HoosierRx is Indiana's state pharmaceutical assistance program for residents age 65+ enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan. It helps pay the monthly Part D premium, up to $70 per month. Eligibility: Indiana resident, age 65+, yearly income of $16,485 or less (single) or $22,095 or less (married couple living together). Comparable to Pennsylvania's PACE, New Jersey's PAAD, and New York's EPIC. Apply online at hoosierrx.fssa.in.gov or call 1-866-267-4679.

$300–$840/yr

Indiana Medicaid Aged/Blind/Disabled covers Hoosiers age 65+, blind, or disabled. Income limit (2026): ~$1,330/month single (roughly 100% of the Federal Poverty Level — more generous than Ohio's strict ~$967/mo, less than New York's ~138% FPL). Resource limit: $2,000 single / $3,000 couple. Indiana also offers M.E.D. Works (Medicaid for Employees with Disabilities) and a Medically Needy spend-down. Apply via the FSSA Benefits Portal (fssabenefits.in.gov), at the local Division of Family Resources (DFR) office, or by calling 1-800-403-0864.

$4,000–$30,000/yr

Indiana's Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) help pay Medicare costs for low-income Hoosiers with Medicare: QMB pays Part A & B premiums plus deductibles/coinsurance; SLMB and QI pay the Part B premium (about $185/month in 2026). Federal income limits apply (QI up to ~$1,800/month single). Indiana DID retain a resource test. MSP enrollment also triggers automatic Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy) for Part D drug costs. Apply through the FSSA Benefits Portal or with help from Indiana SHIP (1-800-452-4800).

$2,200–$7,000/yr

PathWays for Aging is Indiana's marquee Medicaid HCBS (Home and Community-Based Services) program for residents age 60+ at nursing-home level of care — it replaced the Aged & Disabled (A&D) Waiver on July 1, 2024 and is delivered through managed care (managed long-term services and supports). Services include personal care, home-delivered meals, adult day services, transportation, home modifications, attendant care, and respite. Income limit up to $2,982/month (300% of the SSI federal benefit rate), $2,000 resource limit, PLUS a nursing-home level-of-care need. Apply through your local Area Agency on Aging or call the INconnect Alliance at 1-800-986-3505.

$8,000–$60,000/yr

Indiana SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) provides FREE, impartial Medicare counseling for Hoosiers: comparing and enrolling in Medicare, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Medicare Advantage, and Part D plans, plus help applying for the Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help/LIS. No income limit to receive counseling. Delivered by trained volunteers through the Indiana Department of Insurance and local partners. Call 1-800-452-4800 or visit in.gov/ship.

$100–$2,000/yr

Marion County hospital safety net is anchored by Eskenazi Health (Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital) — a PUBLIC safety-net hospital owned by the Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County (which also runs the Marion County Public Health Department), the Indianapolis equivalent of a public hospital district. Eskenazi offers sliding-scale financial assistance and the Eskenazi Health Advantage program. The county is also served by IU Health (Methodist + University — academic flagship), Community Health Network, and Ascension St. Vincent, each with its own Financial Assistance Program. Indiana hospitals do not have a single state-mandated charity-care law (unlike NJ); each runs its own FAP, typically sliding 0-200/300% FPL. Apply at the hospital's financial counseling office or at https://www.eskenazihealth.edu/billing/financial-assistance.

$500–$30,000/yr

The Housing Choice Voucher program (commonly called Section 8) helps very-low-income households rent housing in the private market. The household generally pays about 30% of its adjusted income toward rent and the voucher covers the rest, up to a local payment standard, so housing cost scales to income instead of market rent. Unlike Section 202, a voucher is not tied to one building — it can be used at any rental whose owner accepts it and that meets program rent and quality standards, and in California source-of-income discrimination law requires most landlords to consider voucher holders. Vouchers are administered by local Public Housing Agencies, each with its own waiting list; many California PHAs maintain senior or senior/disabled preference categories. The benefit is large in high-rent California markets, but voucher waiting lists are among the longest of any benefit — frequently 5 to 10+ years, and many are closed except during brief lottery openings.

$8,000–$20,000/yr

Section 202 funds nonprofit-owned apartment communities built specifically for low-income seniors age 62 and older, paired with on-site supportive services (a service coordinator, transportation, meal programs, light housekeeping referrals) designed to let residents age in place. Residents generally pay 30% of their adjusted income toward rent and HUD covers the rest, so the out-of-pocket housing cost scales down with income rather than tracking market rent. For a low-income senior in a high-rent California market this is one of the largest single dollar-value benefits available — but Section 202 properties are individually owned, have limited units, and almost always carry multi-year waiting lists, so it is best understood as something to get on the list for now rather than a benefit that starts quickly.

$5,000–$15,000/yr

SSI is a federal monthly cash benefit for people 65 and older (or blind / disabled at any age) with very limited income and resources. It's a separate program from Social Security retirement — you can qualify for SSI even if you never worked enough to get Social Security, and many people qualify for both. In California, SSI recipients also get the State Supplementary Payment (SSP) on top, which adds several thousand dollars a year to the federal benefit. SSI is also a gateway: it can automatically open the door to Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and Extra Help.

$11,604–$17,400/yr

Extra Help (also called the Part D Low-Income Subsidy or LIS) lowers your prescription drug costs under Medicare Part D. It can pay your Part D premium, cap copays at a few dollars per prescription, and eliminate the coverage gap. The Social Security Administration estimates Extra Help is worth about $5,300 a year for people who qualify. It's frequently bundled with QMB / SLMB / QI but you can apply independently.

$4,000–$5,300/yr

QI is the top income tier of the Medicare Savings Programs. Like SLMB, it pays the Medicare Part B premium (around $185/month, roughly $2,220/year) — but for households whose income is too high for SLMB. Eligibility falls between 120% and 135% of the federal poverty level. QI funding is a federal block grant awarded on a first-come, first-served basis each calendar year, and enrollment must be renewed every year. QI is mutually exclusive with full Medi-Cal — anyone already receiving Medi-Cal benefits is not eligible for QI but typically gets the Part B premium covered by Medi-Cal directly.

$2,100–$2,220/yr

QMB pays your Medicare Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. If you qualify, you should not be billed for any Medicare-covered services. It's the most generous of the four Medicare Savings Programs and is widely under-enrolled — the federal government estimates millions of eligible Americans are not enrolled.

$1,800–$2,400/yr

SLMB pays your Medicare Part B premium (currently around $175/month, ~$2,100/year) if your income is too high for QMB but still below 120% of the federal poverty level. It's the middle tier of the Medicare Savings Programs and is widely under-enrolled — when income is just above the QMB cutoff, SLMB usually applies. Asset limits are the same as QMB.

$2,100–$2,220/yr

Indiana's Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides vouchers (typically around $50 per program year) for residents age 60+ at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level to buy fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs at participating farmers' markets and roadside stands. Distributed seasonally (summer/fall) through the local Area Agencies on Aging while supplies last. Contact your local AAA via the INconnect Alliance at 1-800-986-3505.

$50/yr

Marion County's Area Agency on Aging is CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions (Area 8 AAA, serving 8 central-Indiana counties). Services: Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) options counseling; enrollment/assessment for the Medicaid PathWays for Aging waiver and state CHOICE program; home-delivered and congregate meals; caregiver support (NFCSP); transportation; and home modifications. One of Indiana's 16 AAAs. Apply by calling CICOA at 317-803-6131 or the INconnect Alliance at 1-800-986-3505.

$1,500–$6,000/yr

Title III-E of the Older Americans Act funds support specifically for the family members and informal caregivers who look after an older adult — not the senior, the person caring for them. Through the local Area Agency on Aging, an unpaid family caregiver (an adult child, a spouse, or another relative) of a person 60 and older can access respite care that gives them a break, individual counseling and caregiver support groups, training on safe transfers, medication management and dementia care, information and assistance navigating other programs, and limited supplemental services like consumable supplies or minor home modifications. There is no income test for the caregiver. Caregiver burnout is one of the leading reasons a senior ends up institutionalized, so this program protects both the caregiver's health and the senior's ability to stay home.

$1,000–$5,000/yr

Title III-B of the Older Americans Act funds a broad menu of non-medical supportive services that help seniors age 60 and older stay independent in their own homes and communities. Through the local Area Agency on Aging, eligible seniors can access subsidized or free transportation to medical appointments and grocery stores, homemaker and chore help, personal care, friendly-visitor and telephone-reassurance programs, adult day care, home repair and modification (grab bars, ramps), legal assistance for non-criminal matters like benefits appeals and consumer fraud, and case management to coordinate all of it. There is no income test, though local agencies target services to those in greatest social and economic need and a voluntary contribution may be requested. The same Area Agency on Aging that runs senior meals administers these services, so one phone call opens the door to the whole package.

$500–$3,000/yr

The Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled is a nonrefundable federal income tax credit, claimed on IRS Schedule R, for taxpayers who are age 65 or older (or who are permanently and totally disabled) and have low income. The maximum credit is $1,125 for a single filer and up to $1,500 for a married couple, but the actual amount is reduced — often to zero — by any nontaxable Social Security benefits and by adjusted gross income above a low threshold. Because the income limits have not been updated since the 1980s, the credit most often produces a real dollar benefit for low-income seniors whose income comes from small pensions or wages rather than Social Security, and for people under 65 retired on permanent disability. It is one of the most under-claimed line items on the senior tax return, in part because the seniors it targets frequently are not required to file at all.

up to $1,125/yr

Indiana offers two senior property tax benefits for homeowners age 65+: (1) the Over-65 Deduction, which reduces a home's assessed value (income limit ~$30,000 single / ~$40,000 combined, assessed value cap $240,000); and (2) the Over-65 Circuit Breaker Credit, which caps your property tax bill from increasing more than 2% per year (adjusted gross income ≤$60,000 single / ≤$70,000 combined for pay-2026, assessed value cap $240,000). These stack on top of the universal Homestead Standard Deduction ($48,000 off assessed value) plus the new 2026 automatic 10% homestead credit (up to $300). Apply to your COUNTY AUDITOR; deadlines are early in the year (often Jan 15 for the new credits).

$200–$1,500/yr

IndyGo serves Marion County and Indianapolis with fixed-route bus plus the Red Line and Purple Line bus rapid transit. HALF FARE for riders age 65+ (with a government-issued Medicare card or an IndyGo Half Fare ID card). IndyGo Access is the ADA complementary paratransit service for riders who cannot use the fixed route. Apply for a Half Fare ID at the IndyGo Customer Service Center with proof of age or a Medicare card.

$200–$2,000/yr

Federal Lifeline is a Universal Service Fund program that discounts a single phone or internet (or bundled) service line by $9.25 per month for low-income households — and by up to $34.25 per month for residents of qualifying Tribal lands. Eligibility has two paths: an income test (household income at or below 135% of the federal poverty level) and a program-based path (current participation in Medicaid/Medi-Cal, SNAP/CalFresh, SSI, federal public housing assistance, or the Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension Benefit). Either path qualifies the household — both don't have to be met. The federal Lifeline discount is separate from but designed to stack with California LifeLine, so most California seniors who qualify for one will qualify for the other.

$111–$411/yr

WAP funds free home energy upgrades for income-eligible households to reduce energy bills, improve comfort, and address health-and-safety hazards. After a free professional energy audit, local providers install whatever the audit identifies — typically attic and wall insulation, air-sealing, weatherstripping, duct sealing, water-heater wraps, LED lighting, smart thermostats, refrigerator replacement (for very old high-draw units), HVAC tune-ups or replacement, ventilation upgrades, and carbon-monoxide detector installation. Average per-home investment in California ranges from $3,000 to $8,000 depending on the home's condition. WAP is open to homeowners AND renters (rental units require landlord written consent). The program is one-time per home (typically), though homes can sometimes be re-weatherized after 15 years if a new audit identifies additional measures. WAP is funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy with additional layered funding from HHS (LIHEAP-Wx) and state utility programs, all delivered by the same local providers.

$3,000–$8,000/yr

Aid & Attendance is a tax-free monthly benefit added on top of the basic VA pension for wartime veterans (or their surviving spouses) who need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating, or managing medications — or who are housebound, in a nursing facility, or have very limited eyesight. The benefit is widely under-claimed because many veterans assume their non-service-connected condition disqualifies them. Eligibility requires the veteran to have served at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a recognized wartime period, plus income and net worth below VA limits. VA uses a special income calculation that subtracts unreimbursed medical expenses from gross income before applying the limit — so the income test here is approximate.

$12,000–$34,488/yr