The numbers behind Medicare in City of Suffolk
| City of Suffolk | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 15,699 | 1,498,879 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 15.6% | 17.2% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 21,025 | 1,764,998 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 8,781 | 698,851 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 41.8% | 39.6% statewide |
Sources: Census Bureau 2023 estimates and CMS Medicare Advantage penetration, September 2026.
With roughly 15,699 residents age 65 and older, City of Suffolk is 25th among 133 Virginia counties for older residents. That group is 15.6% of its population, compared with 17.2% across Virginia. Another 6,629 residents are age 60 to 64 and will reach Medicare eligibility within about five years (see our turning 65 guide). Census 2023 estimates show 60% of the 65-plus population is under 75, 31% is 75 to 84 and 9% is 85 or older. CMS data show 41.8% of City of Suffolk residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is close to the 39.6% average across Virginia. 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 City of Suffolk
City of Suffolk is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of 1 million population or more. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 19,881 Medicare beneficiaries in City of Suffolk (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the Virginia average of 74. About 8% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 9%.
Among people in Original Medicare in City of Suffolk, CMS reported about 718 emergency room visits and 211 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is higher than the state average for emergency visits (589) and close to it for hospital stays (206). About 9% 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 City of Suffolk can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in City of Suffolk; we help City of Suffolk residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in City of Suffolk
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in City of Suffolk:
- Bon Secours Harbour View Medical Center — Suffolk (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services)
- Sentara Obici Hospital — Suffolk (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
Network rules, not geography, decide whether a plan covers a hospital. We look up the hospitals and doctors you use and check them against each plan 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.
Communities and ZIP codes in City of Suffolk
The largest communities in City of Suffolk by 2023 Census population estimates are Suffolk (100,659). Each figure counts only the people living inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within City of Suffolk number 7: 23432, 23433, 23434, 23435, 23436, 23437, 23438. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in City of Suffolk?
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.
- Medicare Care Compare for hospitals and doctors.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Medicare.gov: Medigap on how Medicare Supplement works.
- Virginia Bureau of Insurance: Virginia’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer City of Suffolk residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for City of Suffolk 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.
Let’s check your City of Suffolk options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- Does Medicare cover dental, vision and hearing?
- 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
City of Suffolk compared with similar Virginia counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Portsmouth | 15,095 | 52.0% | 13% | Metro |
| Montgomery County | 14,290 | 35.4% | 8% | Metro |
| Franklin County | 14,066 | 45.3% | 8% | Metro |
| City of Roanoke | 17,699 | 53.0% | 15% | Metro |
| Rockingham County | 17,765 | 30.2% | 7% | Metro |
| Washington County | 13,565 | 54.0% | 11% | Metro |
See every Virginia county in our Virginia directory or go to our Virginia Medicare hub.