Senior benefits in Meade County, Kansas
Not in Kansas? Meade County, Kentucky
Meade County, Kansas has several kinds of help for older adults and the family members who support them. A good first stop is the Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging, which offers Area Agency on Aging services for Meade. You can also visit the Kansas DCF benefits office in Meade to ask about food and other support. If a hospital bill is a worry, Meade District Hospital has a financial assistance program. For getting around town, the Meade County senior centers, including Beam Senior Center, Fowler Senior Center, and Young at Heart, Inc., provide local transportation. Kansas also offers programs such as KanCare, the Kansas Senior Care Act, the Kansas Homestead Refund, and free Medicare counseling through SHICK. Federal programs may apply too. The page below lists each program with its official source and the date it was last verified. Keep in mind that the agency running each program makes the final decision on who is eligible.
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Local programs
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Kansas programs
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Federal programs
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Categories
Last verified · October 23, 2026
Local starting point
Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging (SWKAAA)
1-620-225-8230 (toll free 1-800-742-9531)
See which of these Meade County programs you may qualify for.
Discover my benefitsHelping others? Print the Meade County benefits checklist — free to hand out.
When benefit rules change, it’s tracked here
Income limits, new requirements, how to apply — see what’s changed across senior benefit programs, from the official source in plain English.
Programs run in Meade County
Run by the county, its Area Agency on Aging, or another agency serving Meade County. Start here.
Elder Services in Meade County
Programs here typically provide services worth $200–$2,000 a year to an eligible household.
Area Agency on Aging services (Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging) — Meade
County · KansasThe Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging (SWKAAA) serves older Kansans and people with disabilities in Meade 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 Meade County names local senior centers such as Beam Senior Center in Meade and Fowler Senior Center. 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
General Assistance in Meade County
Kansas DCF benefits office — Meade
County · KansasMeade 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
Healthcare in Meade County
Hospital financial assistance (Meade District Hospital) — Meade
County · KansasMeade District Hospital, part of Artesian Valley Health System, has a financial assistance program. Its website posts a Financial Assistance Policy, a 2026 federal poverty level sliding scale and a Financial Assistance Application. Call the Meade District Hospital Business Office at 620-873-2141, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., to ask about help and how to apply.
Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year
Transportation in Meade County
Programs here typically provide services worth $150–$1,500 a year to an eligible household.
Local transportation (Meade County senior centers) — Meade
County · KansasThe Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging lists local transportation providers for Meade County. The Beam Senior Center in Meade serves Meade and the surrounding area (620-873-5363). The Fowler Senior Center serves Dodge City, Fowler, Meade and Minneola (620-646-5360). Young at Heart, Inc. serves Plains and the surrounding area (620-563-7807). Call to ask about rides, how to schedule a trip, and any fare.
Estimated service value: $150–$1,500 a year
Local agencies serving Meade County
Who runs the county programs above, and how to reach them. Every line comes from a program record on this page — nothing is added that the catalog does not cite.
Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging (SWKAAA)
Runs: Area Agency on Aging services (Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging)
Meade District Hospital (Artesian Valley Health System, Meade)
Runs: Hospital financial assistance (Meade District Hospital)
Beam Senior Center; Fowler Senior Center; Young at Heart, Inc.
Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF)
Kansas and federal programs
Open to eligible households in Meade County and across the rest of Kansas. Full details are on the Kansas benefits page.
Money & income2 programs
Cash paid to you, and emergency help when money runs short.
Health & Medicare costs8 programs
Medicaid, Medicare savings, and help with drug and doctor bills.
- Medicare Savings Programs in Kansas (QMB, LMB, ELMB)
- KanCare (Kansas Medicaid) for people who are aged (65+), blind, or disabled
- Extra Help (Part D Low-Income Subsidy)
- Qualifying Individual (QI)
- Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB)
- Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB)
- Community Health Center Sliding Fee Discount
- State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Food6 programs
SNAP (food stamps), meals, and farmers market coupons.
Home, bills & taxes12 programs
Help with heating and electric bills, rent, property taxes, and home repairs.
- Kansas Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP): Energy Assistance
- Kansas Homestead Refund for disabled veterans (Form K-40H, 50%+ service-connected)
- Kansas Disabled Veteran Sales Tax Exemption (100% or TDIU, up to $24,000 of purchases a year)
- Kansas Homestead Refund (Form K-40H): property tax refund for homeowners 55+, disabled, or blind
- Kansas income tax: Social Security and public pensions are not taxed
- Kansas SAFESR Property Tax Relief for Low Income Seniors (Form K-40PT): 75% property tax refund for 65+
- Kansas Property Tax Relief for Seniors and Disabled Veterans (Form K-40SVR): property tax freeze refund
- Federal Lifeline
- Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
- Federal Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled (IRS Schedule R)
- Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
- HUD Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly
Care at home & long-term care7 programs
Help staying in your home, nursing home alternatives, and support for family caregivers.
- KanCare Frail Elderly (FE) HCBS waiver: in-home care instead of a nursing home
- Kansas Senior Care Act (SCA) in-home services for people 60 and older
- Kansas Soldiers' Home (Fort Dodge): nursing, dementia, domiciliary care, and cottages for veterans
- Kansas Veterans' Home (Winfield): nursing, dementia, and assisted-living care for veterans
- Kansas family caregiver support through the Area Agencies on Aging
- PACE — Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
- National Family Caregiver Support Program (OAA Title III-E)
Help, advice & legal7 programs
Free counseling, legal help, rides, and other senior services.
- SHICK: Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (free Medicare counseling)
- Kansas free permanent hunting and fishing licenses for disabled veterans (30%+)
- Kansas State Veterans' Cemeteries (Fort Dodge, Fort Riley, WaKeeney, Winfield)
- Kansas Office of Veterans Services: free help with VA claims from Veteran Service Representatives
- Older Americans Act Supportive Services (Title III-B)
- Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
- Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)
Veterans3 programs
Benefits for veterans and their surviving spouses.
Nearby counties
Local programs differ from one county to the next. If you live near a county line, or you are helping a parent who lives in one of these, it is worth checking there too.
Not legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.