Senior benefits in Union County, Tennessee

The East Tennessee Area Agency on Aging & Disability, run by the East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA), is the aging and disability resource point for Union County. It is a one-call entry point that connects older adults, caregivers, and people with disabilities to home-delivered and group meals, homemaker and personal-care help, limited transportation, family caregiver support, Medicare insurance counseling (SHIP), the long-term-care ombudsman, and information and assistance. Most services are for adults 60 and older in greatest need; adults 18 and older with disabilities may qualify for community-living options after a needs assessment. Reach information and assistance at 1-866-836-6678.

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

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps income-eligible Union County households pay home heating and cooling bills, with emergency funds set aside for households facing a shut-off. Tennessee's Housing Development Agency (THDA) funds the program, and the East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA) takes applications and delivers benefits for this county. Households generally qualify at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines; older adults and people with disabilities are prioritized. Assistance is usually available once a year while funds last. Apply through ETHRA, and call 2-1-1 Tennessee for referral help.

Estimated bill savings: $174–$750 a year

Union County has no hospital of its own, so residents most often use Knoxville-area hospitals - Covenant Health's Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and Parkwest Medical Center, and The University of Tennessee Medical Center. These nonprofit hospitals must provide financial assistance (charity care) under federal law: every nonprofit hospital is required by IRS Section 501(r) to have a written Financial Assistance Policy. Uninsured and underinsured patients with limited income can get free or discounted care. Covenant Health provides free or discounted care to patients at or below 300% of the federal poverty guidelines. Ask the hospital's financial-counseling office for its policy and application.

Estimated bill savings: $500–$20,000 a year

In this county: Under federal law (IRS Section 501(r)), nonprofit hospitals provide free or discounted charity care to lower-income uninsured or underinsured patients. Covenant Health's policy covers patients at or below 300% of the federal poverty guidelines, with the final amount set by individual review, so this shows as a may-qualify result. Union County has no in-county hospital; the nearest facilities are in Knoxville.

ETHRA Public Transit provides door-to-door, demand-response rides in Union County using regular and wheelchair-lift-equipped vehicles. It is the main public transportation for this rural county and is open to the general public, with priority given to medical trips. Trips are scheduled first-call, first-served (about three business days' notice is requested); in-county rides are a low flat fare each way. Older adults and people with disabilities rely on it for medical visits, shopping, and senior-center trips. Call to schedule a ride and ask about fares.

Estimated service value: $150–$1,200 a year