The numbers behind Medicare in Lee County
| Lee County | Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 25,595 | 932,312 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 14.0% | 18.3% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 29,816 | 1,148,442 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 17,282 | 706,387 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 58.0% | 61.5% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
With roughly 25,595 residents age 65 and older, Lee County is 8th among 67 Alabama counties for older residents. That group is 14.0% of its population, compared with 18.3% across Alabama. The 10,181 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Among residents 65 and older, 61% are 65 to 74, 30% are 75 to 84 and 9% are 85 or older (Census 2023 estimates). About 58.0% of people with Medicare in Lee County are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. That is close to the Alabama average of 61.5%. 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 Lee County
Lee County is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of fewer than 250,000 population. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 29,121 Medicare beneficiaries in Lee County (2023). Their average age is 72, about the same as the Alabama average of 72. About 12% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 14%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Lee County, CMS reported about 514 emergency room visits and 195 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is lower than the state average for emergency visits (600) and lower than it for hospital stays (247). 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 you live decides which Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can join, and Lee County may have a different set of plans than the counties around it. We are not based in Lee County; we help Lee County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Lee County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Lee County:
- The East Alabama Healthcare Authority — Opelika (acute care; government-owned; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
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.
Lee County: communities and ZIP codes
Census Bureau 2023 estimates put the biggest communities in Lee County at Auburn (82,025), Opelika (33,572), Phenix City (6,724), Smiths Station (5,477), Loachapoka (162), Waverly (57), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Lee County number 9: 36801, 36804, 36830, 36832, 36849, 36865, 36870, 36874, 36877. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in Lee County?
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 Lee County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Lee County households, including Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities and Medicare Advantage.
Get a clear answer for Lee County
A short call is enough to compare your options. Our help is free to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap: how to choose
- Does Medicare cover dental, vision and hearing?
- What Medicare Part D actually costs
- Medicare 101 for families
Lee County compared with similar Alabama counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan County | 23,040 | 55.1% | 13% | Metro |
| Calhoun County | 21,825 | 57.0% | 14% | Metro |
| Houston County | 20,813 | 60.9% | 14% | Metro |
| Etowah County | 20,695 | 66.4% | 21% | Metro |
| Lauderdale County | 20,189 | 54.8% | 13% | Metro |
| Limestone County | 18,332 | 52.5% | 9% | Metro |
See every Alabama county in our Alabama directory or go to our Alabama Medicare hub.