Senior benefits in Stone County, Missouri

SeniorAge Area Agency on Aging is the Area Agency on Aging for Stone County. It is the local starting point that connects older adults and caregivers to Missouri AAA Region 1 (Springfield). Five Older Americans Act core service lines: support services (information and assistance with home care, housing, adaptive equipment and public benefits); care coordination with in-home assessments; nutrition (congregate dining at area senior centers plus home-delivered meals for homebound seniors); health and wellness (falls prevention, fitness classes, chronic disease self-management); and advocacy (long-term care ombudsman, elder abuse prevention). Also tax counseling, property tax/renters rebate help, Medicare and insurance enrollment navigation, telephone reassurance and transportation arrangements. The services page states the Silver-Haired Legislature is for "seniors (age 60 or older)". Toll-free 1-800-497-0822. County list at https://senioragemo.org/counties-we-serve. Most services are for adults 60 and older; adults with disabilities may also qualify for some services. Call 1-417-862-0762 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 Stone County pay heating and cooling bills and resolve utility emergencies. The DSS Family Support Division funds the program, and Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) takes applications for this county. Winter and summer components run on their own seasons while funds last. Call 1-417-864-3460 to apply.

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

Uninsured and underinsured residents of Stone County can apply for financial assistance (charity care) at Cox Medical Center Branson for emergency and medically necessary care. Discounts are based on household size and income compared with the Federal Poverty Level. Stone County has no hospital; the nearest is Cox Medical Center Branson, 525 Branson Landing Blvd, in adjacent Taney County (Mercy Hospital Aurora in Lawrence County is a comparable alternative from the county's western edge). CoxHealth financial assistance covers emergency and medically necessary services (not elective procedures). Income eligibility is set against the Federal Poverty Level figures published each year and is detailed in "Schedule 2: CoxHealth Financial Assistance Income and Discount Schedule"; the percentages are not printed on the page itself. Apply through MyChart or by mailing/faxing/delivering the Schedule 5 application; applications are accepted up to 240 days after the initial bill and a response typically arrives within 10-15 business days. Covered hospitals include Cox Medical Center Branson, Cox Barton County Hospital (Lamar), Cox Medical Center South and Cox North (Springfield), Cox Monett Hospital and Meyer Orthopedic Hospital.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Stone 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 through May 31 each year. "The Stone County Commission passed an order authorizing the implementation of this program and it was leter passed as a local law for Stone County. YOU MUST BE 62 years of age to apply." The credit freezes future real estate tax bills at the amount owed in the year the taxpayer became eligible; it is a credit shown as a reduction on the real estate tax bill, not a payment to the taxpayer, and it must be applied for annually. Applications must be notarized and submitted to the Stone County Collector's Office, PO Box 256, Galena, MO 65656 with a copy of the recorded deed (plus trust documents if the home is in a trust), driver's license, voter ID card if available, and a paid tax receipt. The site states "MARCH 1 THROUGH MAY 31, 2027 FOR THE 2028 TAX YEAR" and, as of this research, "Senior Citizen Property Tax Credit Application Process is now CLOSED We will reopen March 1 through May 31, 2027." Apply through the county's program office.

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

OATS Transit serves Stone County with Rural demand-response. To Branson West from Crane, Galena, Cape Fair and Reeds Spring on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, and from Reeds Spring, Kimberling City, Blue Eye and Lampe on the 2nd Thursday; Shell Knob area Tuesdays and Thursdays; north Stone County Nixa employment transportation Monday-Friday. Book at 417-887-9272 or 800-770-6287. Fares (one way): in-town rural communities $2.00, in-county $3.00, adjacent county $4.00, long distance $6.00. 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; call ahead to book, as rides are scheduled in advance. Call 1-417-887-9272 for schedules, fares, or to book a ride.

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