Medicare in Willacy County by the numbers
| Willacy County | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 3,012 | 4,188,063 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 15.0% | 13.7% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 3,767 | 5,048,909 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 2,992 | 2,770,279 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 79.4% | 54.9% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
Among Texas’s 254 counties, Willacy County comes in 139th for residents age 65 and up (3,012). Older adults make up 15.0% of the population here; the state figure is 13.7%. The 957 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Census 2023 estimates show 56% of the 65-plus population is under 75, 34% is 75 to 84 and 10% is 85 or older. CMS data show 79.4% of Willacy County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is higher than the 54.9% average across Texas. A county average does not tell you which kind of plan fits you. Whether Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare with a Medigap plan is the better fit depends on your doctors, your prescriptions and how you want to handle costs, so we compare both for your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Willacy County
Willacy 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 3,791 Medicare beneficiaries in Willacy County (2023). Their average age is 72, about the same as the Texas average of 73. About 38% 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 Willacy County, CMS reported about 604 emergency room visits and 262 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (580) and higher than it for hospital stays (226). 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.
Insurers choose which counties to serve each year, which means the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can pick in Willacy County can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in Willacy County; we help Willacy County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals and doctors near Willacy County
CMS Hospital General Information lists no acute care, critical access or children’s hospital located inside Willacy County. Residents often use hospitals in neighboring counties, which matters for Medicare Advantage because a plan’s network may include or leave out the hospital you use. We check your hospitals and doctors before you enroll.
Willacy County: communities and ZIP codes
People in Willacy County live in communities such as Raymondville (10,135), Lyford (2,207), San Perlita (540) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
ZIP codes that fall mostly inside Willacy County include 78561, 78569, 78580, 78590, 78594, 78598. Plan availability can change by ZIP code, so have yours ready when we compare plans.
Questions about Medicare in Willacy 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 Willacy County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Willacy County households, including life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA and group health insurance.
Let’s check your Willacy County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?
- Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
- Why a Medicare Advantage plan drops a doctor or drug
- Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
Willacy County compared with similar Texas counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 3,131 | 45.2% | 11% | Smaller city/town |
| Nolan County | 2,719 | 48.2% | 18% | Smaller city/town |
| Scurry County | 2,612 | 40.9% | 13% | Smaller city/town |
| Gray County | 3,457 | 39.7% | 12% | Smaller city/town |
| Moore County | 2,502 | 39.3% | 13% | Smaller city/town |
| Wilbarger County | 2,428 | 38.6% | 21% | Smaller city/town |
See every Texas county in our Texas directory or go to our Texas Medicare hub.