The numbers behind Medicare in Panola County
| Panola County | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 4,699 | 4,188,063 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 20.6% | 13.7% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 5,716 | 5,048,909 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 2,794 | 2,770,279 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 48.9% | 54.9% statewide |
Sources: Census Bureau 2023 estimates and CMS Medicare Advantage penetration, September 2026.
With roughly 4,699 residents age 65 and older, Panola County is 107th among 254 Texas counties for older residents. That group is 20.6% of its population, compared with 13.7% across Texas. The 1,509 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Census 2023 estimates show 60% of the 65-plus population is under 75, 31% is 75 to 84 and 9% is 85 or older. Medicare Advantage enrollment in Panola County is 48.9% of people with Medicare, lower than the Texas average of 54.9%. 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 Panola County
Panola County is a non-metro county with towns and small cities (USDA: urban population of 5,000 to 20,000, adjacent to a metro area). Care is often split between local providers and a bigger hospital elsewhere, which is worth testing against each plan’s network.
CMS counts 5,682 Medicare beneficiaries in Panola County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the Texas average of 73. About 9% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, lower than the state figure of 11%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Panola County, CMS reported about 661 emergency room visits and 236 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is higher than the state average for emergency visits (580) and close to it for hospital stays (226). About 12% 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 Panola County can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in Panola County; we help Panola County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Panola County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Panola County:
- UT Health East Texas Carthage Hospital — Carthage (acute care; for-profit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 5 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.
Where people live in Panola County
People in Panola County live in communities such as Carthage (6,601), Beckville (742), Gary City (338), Tatum (187) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Panola County, that means areas such as 75631, 75633, 75639, 75642, 75643, 75669, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Panola 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.
- Texas Department of Insurance: Texas’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Panola County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Panola County households, including annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance and final expense insurance.
Get a clear answer for Panola County
A short call is enough to compare your options. Our help is free to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- 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
Panola County compared with similar Texas counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montague County | 4,698 | 36.9% | 9% | Smaller city/town |
| Limestone County | 4,707 | 52.9% | 18% | Smaller city/town |
| Titus County | 4,823 | 49.6% | 13% | Smaller city/town |
| Hale County | 4,571 | 50.9% | 12% | Smaller city/town |
| Shelby County | 4,446 | 53.1% | 14% | Smaller city/town |
| Houston County | 4,956 | 51.3% | 12% | Smaller city/town |
See every Texas county in our Texas directory or go to our Texas Medicare hub.