Senior benefits in Lee County, Mississippi

The Three Rivers Area Agency on Aging, part of the Three Rivers Planning and Development District in Pontotoc, serves Lee County. It serves Calhoun, Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc, and Union counties. Its services include information and referral, nursing home ombudsman help, homemaker services, respite for caregivers, legal help for people age 60 and over, job training for people age 55 and over, free Medicare counseling, and nutrition: home-delivered meals for people who cannot leave home without help and group meals at meal sites. Three Rivers also lists limited transportation in rural Calhoun and Lee counties. The Mississippi Access to Care (MAC) Center in Pontotoc (662-488-6983) helps with long-term care options and Medicaid waiver screening. Call Three Rivers at 662-489-2415.

Estimated service value: $200–$2,000 a year

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps pay home energy bills and energy crisis costs. In Lee County, LIHEAP is handled by LIFT, Inc., the Community Action Agency (CAA) that serves Calhoun, Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc and Union counties. Its Belden office is at 2577 McCullough Blvd., Belden; call 662-842-9511. To apply, submit a pre-application on Access MS and mark "Community Services"; the CAA then mails or emails an appointment notice, and the full application is finished in person. A household typically qualifies with income at or below 60% of the state median income and an energy bill due. Households with elderly or disabled members get priority and should get an appointment within 30 business days. If approved, the CAA pays the energy company directly. Funding is limited.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$1,500 a year

The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) county office for Lee County is at 220 South Industrial Rd, Suite A, Tupelo, MS 38801. Call 662-841-9050. County offices help with SNAP food benefits and can explain what documents to send with an application. Older adults can use the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP), a simpler way to apply for SNAP, when everyone in the household is 65 or over and no one has earnings from work; the application is form MDHS EA 904. People who get SSI can apply for SNAP through the Mississippi Combined Application Project (MSCAP) at the Social Security office or the local county MDHS office. ESAP and MSCAP participants can call 800-948-4060 for help with a SNAP case.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC-Tupelo) in Tupelo is a North Mississippi Health Services (NMHS) hospital. NMHS hospitals offer financial assistance to uninsured and underinsured patients for emergency or medically necessary care. Eligibility depends on income compared with the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and discounts range from 5% to 100% on a sliding scale based on family size and income. Insured patients with a large out-of-pocket bill for one visit may also qualify. A patient who qualifies will not be charged more than amounts generally billed to insured patients. Get a Financial Assistance Application from the hospital's Admissions, Emergency or Business Office, download it from the NMHS website, or call 662-377-3219. Return it with proof of income to the Business Office of the hospital where care was received within 240 days of the first bill. A decision letter is sent within 30 days.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Tupelo Transit is the City of Tupelo's on-demand public transit. It picks riders up curb to curb, Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. The fare is $2.00 one way and $4.00 round trip. Anyone can ride; the service is not limited to people with disabilities. Call 662-269-3735 at least 48 hours ahead for a guaranteed seat; other callers are served when seats are open. Children under 12 must ride with an adult. Service runs only within the city of Tupelo.

Estimated service value: $150–$1,500 a year