Lafayette Parish Medicare at a glance
| Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 38,539 | 793,655 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 15.4% | 17.4% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 48,418 | 977,541 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 20,162 | 561,903 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 41.6% | 57.5% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
With roughly 38,539 residents age 65 and older, Lafayette Parish is 6th among 64 Louisiana parishes for older residents. That group is 15.4% of its population, compared with 17.4% across Louisiana. Another 15,412 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 63% ages 65 to 74, 28% ages 75 to 84 and 9% age 85 and up (Census 2023). Medicare Advantage enrollment in Lafayette Parish is 41.6% of people with Medicare, lower than the Louisiana average of 57.5%. 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 Lafayette Parish
Lafayette Parish is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of 250,000 to 1 million population. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 46,516 Medicare beneficiaries in Lafayette Parish (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the Louisiana average of 72. About 15% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, lower than the state figure of 20%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Lafayette Parish, CMS reported about 598 emergency room visits and 228 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 Lafayette Parish can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in Lafayette Parish; we help Lafayette Parish residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Lafayette Parish
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Lafayette Parish:
- Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital — Lafayette (acute care; physician-owned; no emergency department)
- Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center — Lafayette (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
- Ochsner University Hospital and Clinics — Lafayette (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
- Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center — Lafayette (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
- Park Place Surgical Hospital — Lafayette (acute care; for-profit; no emergency department)
Being located in the county is not the same as being in your plan’s network. Each Medicare Advantage plan builds its own network, so we confirm that your hospital and your doctors are included before you choose. 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 Lafayette Parish
Census Bureau 2023 estimates put the biggest communities in Lafayette Parish at Lafayette (121,467), Youngsville (18,002), Broussard (14,349), Carencro (12,639), Scott (8,728), Duson (1,168), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Lafayette Parish number 11: 70501, 70503, 70506, 70507, 70508, 70518, 70520, 70529, 70558, 70583, 70592. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in Lafayette 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 Lafayette Parish residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Lafayette 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 Lafayette Parish?
Tell us your doctors and medicines and we will show you what fits. No cost, no pressure.
Get my plan comparisonMedicare guides for Lafayette Parish residents
- Why a Medicare Advantage plan drops a doctor or drug
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- Does Medicare cover dental, vision and hearing?
Lafayette Parish compared with similar Louisiana parishes
| Parish | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcasieu Parish | 34,222 | 45.2% | 16% | Metro |
| Caddo Parish | 44,291 | 54.6% | 19% | Metro |
| Ouachita Parish | 25,711 | 49.5% | 19% | Metro |
| St. Tammany Parish | 52,409 | 61.8% | 13% | Metro |
| Rapides Parish | 22,178 | 42.5% | 22% | Metro |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 21,576 | 65.4% | 24% | Metro |
See every Louisiana parish in our Louisiana directory or go to our Louisiana Medicare hub.