Medicare in Horry County
Horry County includes communities such as Conway, Myrtle Beach and Little River. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 population estimates put the county's 65-and-older population at 107,430 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 population estimates). Hospital care for many residents runs through Conway Medical Center in Conway, Grand Strand Medical Center in Myrtle Beach, and McLeod Seacoast, which serves northern Horry County.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability and provider networks are set county by county, so a plan offered in one part of South Carolina may not be offered in Horry County. We check what is available at your ZIP code and whether your doctors and hospitals are in the plan's network before you enroll. Honorbrook is based in Tysons, Virginia, and works with Horry County residents by phone or video.
The numbers behind Medicare in Horry County
| Horry County | South Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 107,430 | 1,037,931 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 27.0% | 19.3% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 138,361 | 1,294,203 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 63,297 | 604,910 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 45.7% | 46.7% statewide |
Sources: Census Bureau 2023 estimates and CMS Medicare Advantage penetration, September 2026.
Among South Carolina’s 46 counties, Horry County comes in 1st for residents age 65 and up (107,430). Older adults make up 27.0% of the population here; the state figure is 19.3%. The 34,982 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Among residents 65 and older, 63% are 65 to 74, 30% are 75 to 84 and 6% are 85 or older (Census 2023 estimates). Medicare Advantage enrollment in Horry County is 45.7% of people with Medicare, close to the South Carolina average of 46.7%. Averages cannot choose a plan for you. Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with a Medigap plan each suit different people, depending on doctors, medicines and how you prefer to handle costs, and we compare both at your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Horry County
Horry County 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 126,577 Medicare beneficiaries in Horry County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the South Carolina average of 73. About 5% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, lower than the state figure of 7%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Horry County, CMS reported about 587 emergency room visits and 209 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (563) and close to it for hospital stays (202). About 8% 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.
Where people live in Horry County
People in Horry County live in communities such as Myrtle Beach (39,697), Conway (27,985), North Myrtle Beach (20,303), Surfside Beach (4,321), Loris (2,749), Aynor (1,051) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Horry County, that means areas such as 29511, 29526, 29527, 29544, 29545, 29566, 29568, 29569, 29572, 29575, 29576, 29577, 29579, 29581 and 2 more, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about your Medicare options?
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.
- South Carolina Department of Insurance: South Carolina’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Horry County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Horry County households, including life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA and group health insurance.
Let's check your Horry County options together
We will confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, by phone or video.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- What Medicare Part D actually costs
- Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
Horry County compared with similar South Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville County | 95,536 | 49.4% | 5% | Metro |
| Charleston County | 78,368 | 35.9% | 5% | Metro |
| Richland County | 61,710 | 43.1% | 7% | Metro |
| Spartanburg County | 58,315 | 54.3% | 9% | Metro |
| Beaufort County | 58,041 | 32.6% | 2% | Metro |
| Lexington County | 54,364 | 42.3% | 6% | Metro |
See every South Carolina county in our South Carolina directory or go to our South Carolina Medicare hub.