The numbers behind Medicare in Wilbarger County
| Wilbarger County | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 2,428 | 4,188,063 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 19.4% | 13.7% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 2,869 | 5,048,909 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 1,106 | 2,770,279 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 38.6% | 54.9% statewide |
Sources: Census Bureau 2023 estimates and CMS Medicare Advantage penetration, September 2026.
Wilbarger County ranks 148th of 254 Texas counties by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 2,428 people in that age group, or 19.4% of residents (statewide: 13.7%). About 877 more people are 60 to 64 and are heading toward Medicare; our turning 65 guide explains their first steps. Among residents 65 and older, 57% are 65 to 74, 32% are 75 to 84 and 11% are 85 or older (Census 2023 estimates). Medicare Advantage enrollment in Wilbarger County is 38.6% of people with Medicare, lower than the Texas average of 54.9%. 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 Wilbarger County
Wilbarger 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 2,956 Medicare beneficiaries in Wilbarger County (2023). Their average age is 72, about the same as the Texas average of 73. About 21% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, higher than the state figure of 11%. Where many people have both, special plans for dual-eligible members can matter; see our Medicaid and dual eligible guide, since availability varies by plan and area.
Among people in Original Medicare in Wilbarger County, CMS reported about 876 emergency room visits and 283 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is higher than the state average for emergency visits (580) and higher than it for hospital stays (226). About 25% 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.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability and provider networks are set county by county, so the plans open to you in Wilbarger County may differ from those in a neighboring county. We are not based in Wilbarger County; we help Wilbarger County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Wilbarger County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Wilbarger County:
- Wilbarger General Hospital — Vernon (acute care; government-owned; emergency services)
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.
Wilbarger County: communities and ZIP codes
People in Wilbarger County live in communities such as Vernon (9,788) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Wilbarger County, that means areas such as 76364, 76373, 76384, 79247, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Wilbarger 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.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Medicare Care Compare for hospitals and doctors.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Texas Department of Insurance: Texas’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Wilbarger County residents
Here is what we can help Wilbarger County residents with, drawing on plans from many insurers: ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans and ACA health insurance.
Let’s check your Wilbarger County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- Do you really need a Medicare agent?
- When can you switch Medicare plans? Every enrollment window
- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- Medicare 101 for families
Wilbarger County compared with similar Texas counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaf Smith County | 2,373 | 49.3% | 16% | Smaller city/town |
| Moore County | 2,502 | 39.3% | 13% | Smaller city/town |
| Brewster County | 2,292 | 39.3% | 12% | Smaller city/town |
| Lamb County | 2,246 | 47.9% | 17% | Smaller city/town |
| Scurry County | 2,612 | 40.9% | 13% | Smaller city/town |
| Frio County | 2,201 | 70.5% | 29% | Smaller city/town |
See every Texas county in our Texas directory or go to our Texas Medicare hub.