Senior benefits in Phelps County, Missouri

Aging Best (Region 6 Area Agency on Aging) is the Area Agency on Aging for Phelps County. It is the local starting point that connects older adults and caregivers to Congregate meals at nutrition activity centers and home-delivered meals; in-home support (homemaker, minor home repair and modification, pet care); long-term care ombudsman; benefits counseling (Medicare/Medicaid, marketplace navigation, help applying for financial assistance); transportation coordination to nutrition centers, classes, shopping and medical appointments. Most services are for adults 60 and older; adults with disabilities may also qualify for some services. Call 1-800-369-5211 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 Phelps County pay heating and cooling bills and resolve utility emergencies. The DSS Family Support Division funds the program, and Missouri Ozarks Community Action, Inc. (MOCA) takes applications for this county. Winter and summer components run on their own seasons while funds last. Call 1-573-765-3263 to apply.

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

Uninsured and underinsured residents of Phelps County can apply for financial assistance (charity care) at Phelps Health for emergency and medically necessary care. Discounts are based on household size and income compared with the Federal Poverty Level. In-county hospital (Rolla). Plain-language summary: 'You may be eligible for full or partial financial assistance if your household income is at or below 225% of the federal poverty level.' Eligible residents are those in the primary service area: 'Phelps, Dent, Texas, Pulaski, Maries, Crawford, Osage, Gasconade, Laclede, Camden and Miller'. Patient may be uninsured or underinsured; elective procedures are excluded. Full policy: https://phelpshealth.org/patients-visitors/patient-financial-assistance/financial-assistance-policy ; application instructions: https://phelpshealth.org/patients-visitors/patient-financial-assistance/financial-application-instructions

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Phelps County has adopted Missouri's senior property tax credit (SB 190): homeowners 62 or older can freeze the real-estate tax bill on their primary home, so it stops rising in later years. Applications: March 1 - May 31 each year (first-year applications and annual affidavits). Phelps County Senior Citizen Real Estate Property Tax Freeze, 'authorized under Senate Bill 190, which the Missouri Legislature passed and expanded under Senate Bill 756.' Locks the real-estate tax amount on the primary residence (State Blind Pension Fund and any voter-approved debt levy are exempt from the freeze). Ownership may be direct or beneficial (e.g., through a trust); the applicant must be responsible for paying the home's real estate taxes. Not retroactive to age 62. Applies to the primary residence only and does not transfer if the owner moves. If two owners live in the home, only one needs to be 62 by December 31 of the application year. The program is free. Participants must file an annual affidavit each March 1 - May 31 or lose the base year. Removal triggers: transfer of title, expiration of a written property interest, failure to file the annual affidavit, fraud, or more than 50% of the property being leased to others. Apply through the county's program office.

Estimated bill savings: $100–$2,000 a year

SMTS, Inc. is the rural transit provider for Phelps County: door-to-door local and long-distance routes, plus a deviated fixed route inside Rolla with multiple stops. Local routes: Monday Rolla city limits and rural Rolla (medical appointments only); Tuesday southwest Phelps County; Wednesday northwest/northeast Phelps County; Friday northeast Phelps County and service to St. James. Appointments 7 am - 3 pm; reserve no later than 12:00 pm the day before. Long-distance: 2nd & 4th Monday, entire county. Base fares (door-to-door): $8 in town, $18 in county, $32 adjoining county. Suggested 60+ contribution rates: $4 in town, $9 in county, $20 adjoining county. Medicaid NEMT rides are free via MTM, 1-866-269-5927. Rolla office: 11470 Twitty Drive, Rolla, MO 65401. Older adults and people with disabilities can use these services for medical appointments, shopping, and other essential trips. Rides are free or low-cost depending on the service. Call 573-364-7687 (Rolla office, local routes); 573-729-3133 (long-distance routes) for schedules, eligibility, or to book a ride.

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