Senior benefits in Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox 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

Nonprofit hospitals that serve Knox County - including Covenant Health's Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and Parkwest Medical Center, and The University of Tennessee Medical Center - 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, and those who qualify are never charged more than the amounts generally billed to insured patients. 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; The University of Tennessee Medical Center sets its own thresholds by individual review, so this shows as a may-qualify result. Apply at the hospital's financial-counseling office.

Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) serves the City of Knoxville with fixed-route buses and The LIFT, a door-to-door ADA paratransit service. Riders 65 and older and people with a qualifying disability pay a reduced cash fare (about 50 cents versus the standard adult fare) with a Medicare card or a KAT discounted-fare ID ($2 processing fee). The LIFT paratransit is for people whose disability prevents them from using the regular bus; it requires a certification application and re-certification every two years. Call for routes, the reduced-fare ID, and LIFT eligibility.

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

In this county: Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) offers reduced fixed-route fares to riders 65+ and people with a qualifying disability; The LIFT paratransit eligibility is decided by certification application, so this shows as a may-qualify result.