Medicare in Calcasieu Parish by the numbers
| Calcasieu Parish | Louisiana | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 34,222 | 793,655 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 16.8% | 17.4% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 41,048 | 977,541 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 18,534 | 561,903 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 45.2% | 57.5% statewide |
Figures come from the Census Bureau and CMS (September 2026).
Calcasieu Parish ranks 7th of 64 Louisiana parishes by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 34,222 people in that age group, or 16.8% of residents (statewide: 17.4%). Another 13,021 residents are age 60 to 64 and will reach Medicare eligibility within about five years (see our turning 65 guide). Census 2023 estimates show 61% of the 65-plus population is under 75, 30% is 75 to 84 and 9% is 85 or older. About 45.2% of people with Medicare in Calcasieu Parish are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. That is lower than the Louisiana average of 57.5%. What most people do in a county is less important than what fits you. We weigh Medicare Advantage against Original Medicare with Medigap using your doctors, your drugs and your budget.
Who has Medicare in Calcasieu Parish
Calcasieu Parish sits in a metro area, which the USDA defines as counties in metro areas of 250,000 to 1 million population. That usually means more doctors, more hospitals and more plan choices in the area.
CMS counts 39,504 Medicare beneficiaries in Calcasieu Parish (2023). Their average age is 72, about the same as the Louisiana average of 72. About 16% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 20%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Calcasieu Parish, CMS reported about 643 emergency room visits and 224 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (648) and close to it for hospital stays (237). About 10% received home health care. These figures describe how people use care under Original Medicare; they do not show what any plan covers or costs.
Sources: CMS Medicare Geographic Variation, 2023; USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023.
Insurers choose which counties to serve each year, which means the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can pick in Calcasieu Parish can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in Calcasieu Parish; we help Calcasieu Parish residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Calcasieu Parish
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Calcasieu Parish:
- CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital — Lake Charles (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services)
- CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital — Lake Charles (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
- Dequincy Memorial Hospital — Dequincy (critical access; for-profit; emergency services)
- Lake Charles Memorial Hospital — Lake Charles (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
- West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital — Sulphur (acute care; government-owned; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
A hospital being in the county does not mean every plan covers it. Medicare Advantage networks differ by plan, so we check the hospitals and doctors you actually use before you enroll. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
Communities and ZIP codes in Calcasieu Parish
Census Bureau 2023 estimates put the biggest communities in Calcasieu Parish at Lake Charles (79,633), Sulphur (20,400), Westlake (4,663), Iowa (3,106), Vinton (3,103), DeQuincy (2,847), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Calcasieu Parish, that means areas such as 70601, 70605, 70607, 70609, 70611, 70615, 70629, 70633, 70646, 70647, 70661, 70663, 70665, 70668 and 1 more, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Calcasieu Parish?
Reach out to us: fill out our short form or call (571) 354-0146, and a licensed agent will compare the plans available to you, check your doctors and drugs, and stay with you each year at renewal. For general Medicare information, the federal helpline is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare resources from official sources
- Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, searchable by ZIP code.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Medicare Care Compare for hospitals and doctors.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Louisiana Department of Insurance: Louisiana’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Calcasieu Parish residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Calcasieu Parish households, including group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance and ICHRA.
Ready to compare plans in Calcasieu Parish?
Tell us your doctors and medicines and we will show you what fits. No cost, no pressure.
Get my plan comparisonMedicare guides for Calcasieu Parish residents
- Why a Medicare Advantage plan drops a doctor or drug
- When can you switch Medicare plans? Every enrollment window
- Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap: how to choose
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
Calcasieu Parish compared with similar Louisiana parishes
| Parish | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Parish | 38,539 | 41.6% | 15% | Metro |
| Ouachita Parish | 25,711 | 49.5% | 19% | Metro |
| Caddo Parish | 44,291 | 54.6% | 19% | Metro |
| Rapides Parish | 22,178 | 42.5% | 22% | Metro |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 21,576 | 65.4% | 24% | Metro |
| Livingston Parish | 21,341 | 70.0% | 18% | Metro |
See every Louisiana parish in our Louisiana directory or go to our Louisiana Medicare hub.