Senior benefits in Madison County, Iowa

Aging Resources of Central Iowa is the Area Agency on Aging for Madison County. It serves adults age 60 and older, adults 18 and older with disabilities, grandparents raising grandchildren, and people facing elder abuse. Its services are free. Specialists answer questions about housing, transportation and help at home, and options counselors can help you apply for programs. Other services include case management, family caregiver support, group meals and home-delivered meals, nutrition counseling, farmers market checks, and elder abuse prevention. Appointments are required, so call 515-255-1310 (toll free 800-747-5352) first.

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

LIHEAP (the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) gives a one-time payment toward winter heating bills for households with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Households with someone 60 or older or disabled can apply starting October 1; everyone else can apply starting November 1, and applications close April 30. In Madison County, MATURA takes LIHEAP applications at its Madison County Outreach Center, 1724 N. John Wayne Drive in Winterset (open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday). You do not need to be behind on your heating bill to apply. If you have a disconnect notice, are at 30% or less on deliverable fuel, or your furnace does not heat, call the outreach office; crisis help can include furnace repair, emergency propane, blankets and heaters. Call 515-462-4704.

Estimated bill savings: $80–$800 a year

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lists an office for Madison County at 209 East Madison, Winterset. This office is by appointment only and is served by the Dallas County office in Adel. Phone: 515-993-5817. Iowa HHS says you can apply for SNAP food benefits and for Medicaid health coverage, including Medicaid for older adults and people with disabilities, at your local HHS office. You can also apply online through the Iowa HHS Benefits Portal, or apply for Medicaid by phone at 1-855-889-7985.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Madison County Health Care System in Winterset offers financial assistance to all patients. It checks your household size and yearly income against the federal poverty guidelines. Assistance covers only services billed by Madison County Memorial Hospital; it does not cover ambulance rides, prescriptions, specialty clinic providers or medical equipment. To apply, complete the application (download it or apply online), give proof of income for the past year including your federal income tax return, and be willing to look at other ways to pay, such as Medicaid and the Health Insurance Exchange. Mail it to the Revenue Cycle Director, Madison County Memorial Hospital, 300 W. Hutchings St., Winterset, IA 50273. Call 515-462-9747 for help.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA) gives door-to-door public transit rides in Madison County, open to the general public, including people with disabilities. Call 1-877-686-0029, email erides@ridehirta.com, or use the HIRTA On Demand app to book a ride, and tell them the date, time and place. In Madison County, rides run Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fares are one-way: $3.00 in town and $6.00 in the county; trips to Des Moines are $6 from Grimes, Norwalk and Waukee and $25 from other areas. If you are 60 or older, ask whether you qualify for donation-based rides, which are partly funded through Aging Resources of Central Iowa. Drivers pick you up within a 20-minute window and help riders who use a wheelchair or scooter.

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

Madison County Veterans Affairs, at 209 East Madison Street in Winterset, offers temporary emergency assistance to eligible veterans with financial hardships. Staff also help veterans apply for other benefits, such as VA medical care, compensation and pension, the Iowa Veterans Home, military records, grave markers and home loan benefits. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment; call ahead for an appointment at 515-462-4680.

Estimated cash: $200–$1,500 a year