Senior benefits in Summit County, Ohio

Summit County emergency aid: (1) Summit County Job and Family Services for Ohio Works First (TANF), Prevention, Retention and Contingency (PRC) emergency assistance (TANF-funded; usually requires a minor child in the home), Ohio Medicaid (330-643-2273); (2) Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities for senior-specific case management (330-633-4045); (3) hospital FAP for healthcare safety-net (330-375-3000); (4) Akron Summit Community Action Inc for HEAP/PIPP+; (5) Catholic Charities / Salvation Army / Society of St. Vincent de Paul; (6) regional food bank; (7) Ohio 2-1-1 for general referrals.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$3,000 a year

Ohio HEAP for Summit County residents: Akron Summit Community Action Inc. is the HEAP/PIPP+/Winter Crisis administering agency for Summit County. Income limit: 175% FPL (~$27,930 single). Apply via energyhelp.ohio.gov, by calling 1-800-282-0880, or at the local administering agency. PIPP+ (ongoing 6%-of-income utility plan) + Winter Crisis Program (Nov-March emergency tier) layer on top.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$1,500 a year

In this county: Summit: HEAP delivery via Akron Summit Community Action Inc. PIPP+ + Winter Crisis layer on top.

Summit County hospital safety net is Summit = Summa Health (Akron INDEPENDENT flagship) + Cleveland Clinic Akron General (CC affiliate since 2015) + Akron Children's. Independent vs CC competition. Ohio's Hospital Care Assurance Program (HCAP) requires hospitals receiving HCAP funds (essentially all Ohio acute-care hospitals) to provide basic, medically necessary hospital-level services free of charge to Ohio residents at or below 100% FPL; each hospital's own Financial Assistance Program (typically sliding to 200-400% FPL) layers above HCAP. Apply at the hospital financial counseling office or at https://www.summahealth.org/patients-and-visitors/insurance-and-billing/financial-assistance. Phone: 330-375-6685.

Estimated bill savings: $500–$30,000 a year

In this county: Summit: Summit = Summa Health (Akron INDEPENDENT flagship) + Cleveland Clinic Akron General (CC affiliate since 2015) + Akron Children's. Independent vs CC competition. Ohio HCAP guarantees free basic hospital-level care at or below 100% FPL; each hospital's own FAP slides above that.

Self-directed home care for veterans who need help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing or fixing meals. The VA approves a budget, and the veteran decides what services and goods to buy, who provides them, and when. The veteran can hire their own workers, including family members or neighbors. A Direction Home care manager helps build a spending plan, and a financial management company (Acumen) pays the workers. VA eligibility is set up through the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. To start, call the Aging and Disability Resource Center at 877-770-5558 or email vdcinfo@dhad.org.

Summit County AAA = Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities. Services include: Title III Congregate + Home-Delivered Meals; OSHIIP (Medicare counseling); PASSPORT Medicaid Waiver enrollment + assessment; National Family Caregiver Support Program; Ohio Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program; Long-Term Care Options Counseling. Apply by calling AAA at 330-633-4045 or emailing info@dhad.org.

Estimated service value: $1,500–$6,000 a year

METRO Regional Transit Authority (METRO RTA) serves Summit County. METRO RTA (Akron METRO) serves Summit County. Older-adult and disability fare for riders 62+ ($0.50 per ride vs $1.25; $30 31-day pass vs $50). SCAT paratransit for ADA-eligible riders. Apply for Senior/Disabled Reduced Fare ID at METRO RTA Customer Service Center with proof of age, a METRO D&S photo ID, or a Medicare card. Ohio counties operate independent transit authorities — fare structure varies. Apply at the local transit authority customer service center with proof of age, a METRO D&S photo ID, or a Medicare card.

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