Medicare in Jefferson County
Jefferson County's county seat is Birmingham, and the county also has a second courthouse in Bessemer. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 population estimates put the number of Jefferson County residents age 65 and older at 114,194, so many of your neighbors are making the same Medicare decisions. UAB Hospital in Birmingham is part of UAB Medicine, one of the health systems residents here may use.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability and provider networks are set county by county, and they can change each year. We check what is offered where you live, then confirm your doctors, hospitals and prescriptions before you enroll. We are an independent agency licensed in Alabama, helping Jefferson County residents by phone or video call.
Jefferson County Medicare at a glance
| Jefferson County | Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 114,194 | 932,312 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 17.2% | 18.3% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 135,398 | 1,148,442 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 92,926 | 706,387 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 68.6% | 61.5% statewide |
Figures come from the Census Bureau and CMS (September 2026).
Jefferson County ranks 1st of 67 Alabama counties by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 114,194 people in that age group, or 17.2% of residents (statewide: 18.3%). Another 40,669 residents are age 60 to 64 and will reach Medicare eligibility within about five years (see our turning 65 guide). By age, the 65-and-older group splits 61% ages 65 to 74, 29% ages 75 to 84 and 10% age 85 and up (Census 2023). Medicare Advantage enrollment in Jefferson County is 68.6% of people with Medicare, higher than the Alabama average of 61.5%. A county average does not tell you which kind of plan fits you. Whether Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare with a Medigap plan is the better fit depends on your doctors, your prescriptions and how you want to handle costs, so we compare both for your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Jefferson County
Jefferson County sits in a metro area, which the USDA defines as counties in metro areas of 1 million population or more. That usually means more doctors, more hospitals and more plan choices in the area.
CMS counts 141,309 Medicare beneficiaries in Jefferson County (2023). Their average age is 72, about the same as the Alabama average of 72. About 13% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 14%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Jefferson County, CMS reported about 620 emergency room visits and 259 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (600) and close to it for hospital stays (247). About 11% 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.
Jefferson County: communities and ZIP codes
Census Bureau 2023 estimates put the biggest communities in Jefferson County at Birmingham (194,706), Hoover (65,089), Vestavia Hills (37,980), Homewood (27,758), Bessemer (25,037), Trussville (24,672), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Jefferson County, that means areas such as 35005, 35006, 35020, 35022, 35023, 35036, 35060, 35061, 35062, 35064, 35068, 35071, 35073, 35091 and 40 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.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Medicare.gov: Medigap on how Medicare Supplement works.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Alabama Department of Insurance: Alabama’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Jefferson County residents
Here is what we can help Jefferson County residents with, drawing on plans from many insurers: Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement (Medigap).
Let's check your Jefferson County options together
We will confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonMedicare guides for Jefferson County residents
- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- When can you switch Medicare plans? Every enrollment window
- Do you really need a Medicare agent?
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
Jefferson County compared with similar Alabama counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile County | 73,219 | 70.9% | 15% | Metro |
| Madison County | 66,539 | 46.4% | 7% | Metro |
| Baldwin County | 55,923 | 57.9% | 6% | Metro |
| Shelby County | 40,691 | 61.0% | 6% | Metro |
| Montgomery County | 37,666 | 63.3% | 13% | Metro |
| Tuscaloosa County | 34,292 | 59.1% | 18% | Metro |
See every Alabama county in our Alabama directory or go to our Alabama Medicare hub.