Senior benefits in Macon County, Missouri

Northeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging (NEMO AAA) is the Area Agency on Aging for Macon County. It is the local starting point that connects older adults and caregivers to Region 5 Area Agency on Aging in Kirksville, serving 16 northeast Missouri counties. Programs include information and referral/assistance, in-home services, congregate and home-delivered nutrition, legal assistance, the long-term care ombudsman program, transportation (contracted with OATS Transit), caregiver resources and respite, advocacy, and an in-house wellness center. Site states: "NEMO AAA programs and services are available for anyone above the age of 60 or a caregiver who resides in the counties of Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Ralls, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, and Warren." The services list and the age-60 sentence quoted above both appear on the NEMO AAA home page (https://nemoaaa.org/), which is cited here because the deeper pages https://nemoaaa.org/services/ and https://nemoaaa.org/services-by-county/ rate-limit automated fetchers (HTTP 429) and 403 plain fetchers; they load normally in a browser. Most services are for adults 60 and older; adults with disabilities may also qualify for some services. Call 1-660-665-4682 to get started.

Estimated service value: $500–$6,000 a year

Missouri's Energy Assistance and Energy Crisis Intervention programs (LIHEAP) help income-eligible households in Macon County pay heating and cooling bills and resolve utility emergencies. The DSS Family Support Division funds the program, and North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC) takes applications for this county. Winter and summer components run on their own seasons while funds last. Call 1-573-564-4002 to apply.

Estimated bill savings: $300–$1,000 a year

Uninsured and underinsured residents of Macon County can apply for financial assistance (charity care) at Northeast Regional Medical Center for emergency and medically necessary care. Discounts are based on household size and income compared with the Federal Poverty Level. Acute-care hospital in Kirksville (Adair County). Its Financial Assistance Program page states the hospital offers a "Charity Care Discount ... based on multiples of the U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines," plus an "Uninsured Discount" and a "Catastrophic Care Discount," and provides Medicaid eligibility screening. Application PDF is linked from https://www.nermc.com/nermc/financial-information.aspx. No parent health system is named on the site (the page says the hospital "is owned in part by physicians"), so system is null.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

OATS Transit serves Macon County. OATS Transit is a shared-ride, demand-response public transportation service covering 87 rural Missouri counties. Reservations are taken 7:00 am to 4:00 pm (next-day service must be requested by 1:00 pm). Fares are paid in advance from a rider account: add funds by credit or debit card ($10.00 minimum when adding funds by phone), or mail a personal check, money order, or cashier's check to the OATS Transit office. Drivers do not accept payment on the bus. Macon County also has Macon Chamber of Commerce service provided by OATS Transit within the city of Macon, Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., $2.00 per stop (reserve through the Chamber at 660-385-2811). OATS county routes: Kirksville on the 4th Thursday; to/in Macon on the 3rd Tuesday; Moberly on the 2nd Wednesday. InterCity service runs Hwy 63 to Columbia every Tuesday and Hwys 36 & 63 to Columbia on the 1st Wednesday and 3rd Monday ($10.00 round trip, plus $1.00 for each stop along the way). Fares $2.00 in-town / $3.00 county / $4.00 adjacent county / $10.00 round trip long distance. OATS Transit is open to riders of any age — the page for this county states it is 'available to anyone regardless of age, income, disability, race, gender, religion, or national origin'. Fares are listed above, but riders age 60 and older — and riders with disabilities — who travel under the Area Agency on Aging contract do not pay a set fare. They are asked to contribute what they can instead. Ask about the AAA contract when you book. Call ahead, as rides are scheduled in advance. Call 660-415-0901 or 800-654-6287 for schedules, fares, or to book a ride.

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