Senior benefits in Grant County, Kansas

The Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging (SWKAAA) serves older Kansans and people with disabilities in Grant County and 27 other counties in southwest Kansas. Its services include case management, help paying for in-home care (such as personal care, homemaker, respite and chore services), information and assistance, free Medicare counseling (SHICK), caregiver support, and Friendship Meals at meal sites or delivered to people who are homebound. Friendship Meals are for people 60 and older and their spouses. SWKAAA also does the CARE assessment that everyone must have before entering a nursing home. SWKAAA's resource list for Grant County names local senior centers such as Grant County Senior Center in Ulysses. Call the main office in Dodge City at 620-225-8230 (toll free 1-800-742-9531), Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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

Grant County is in the Southwest Region of the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). Service centers in DCF's Southwest Region include Dodge City, Garden City, Great Bend and Liberal. Through DCF you can apply for SNAP Food Assistance, TANF Cash Assistance and LIEAP Energy Assistance. Applying online through the DCF Self-Service Portal is recommended. For a paper application, visit your local DCF office or call 1-888-369-4777. LIEAP helps pay winter heating costs and is open only during its yearly application period. KanCare health coverage is not handled by DCF; apply for it through the KanCare Self-Service Portal.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital in Ulysses is part of CommonSpirit Health. Under the CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region financial assistance program for Kansas hospitals, patients whose household income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level pay reduced amounts. At or below 150%, you pay a $650 copay for a hospital stay, observation visit or same-day surgery, a $50 copay for recurring outpatient care, and 15% of charges for provider fees. From 151% to 200%, you pay 10% of hospital charges; from 201% to 250%, you pay 20% of hospital charges. Uninsured patients can be screened for financial assistance, and payment plans are offered. Emergency and urgent care is given regardless of ability to pay. For billing or payment questions about your stay, call the financial counseling department at 620-272-2455.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

The Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging lists Grant County Senior Center as a local transportation provider for Grant County. Call 620-356-2216 to ask about rides for older adults, how to schedule a trip, and any fare. Rides may need to be booked ahead, and service hours are set by the provider.

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