The numbers behind Medicare in Lee County
| Lee County | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 5,149 | 1,498,879 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 23.7% | 17.2% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 6,393 | 1,764,998 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 4,468 | 698,851 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 69.9% | 39.6% statewide |
Figures come from the Census Bureau and CMS (September 2026).
Lee County ranks 71st of 133 Virginia counties by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 5,149 people in that age group, or 23.7% of residents (statewide: 17.2%). About 1,495 more people are 60 to 64 and are heading toward Medicare; our turning 65 guide explains their first steps. Among residents 65 and older, 58% are 65 to 74, 33% are 75 to 84 and 9% are 85 or older (Census 2023 estimates). CMS data show 69.9% of Lee County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is higher than the 39.6% average across Virginia. 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 rural county (USDA: urban population of fewer than 5,000, adjacent to a metro area). Plan choices can be narrower than in a city, and we focus on networks that include the doctors and hospital you actually use.
CMS counts 6,698 Medicare beneficiaries in Lee County (2023). Their average age is 71, younger than the Virginia average of 74. About 26% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, higher than the state figure of 9%. 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 Lee County, CMS reported about 738 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 Lee County can be different from the ones offered next door. 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:
- Lee County Community Hospital — Pennington Gap (critical access; nonprofit; emergency services)
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 Pennington Gap (1,577), Jonesville (850), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Lee County number 8: 24221, 24243, 24248, 24263, 24265, 24277, 24281, 24282. 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.
- Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace, Virginia’s own health insurance exchange, if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Virginia Bureau of Insurance: Virginia’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 ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap) and Part D drug plans.
Let’s check your Lee County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?
- When can you switch Medicare plans? Every enrollment window
- What Medicare Part D actually costs
- Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
Lee County compared with similar Virginia counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westmoreland County | 5,335 | 35.5% | 10% | Rural |
| Page County | 5,426 | 37.3% | 12% | Rural |
| Patrick County | 4,869 | 49.8% | 13% | Rural |
| Buchanan County | 4,714 | 65.1% | 25% | Rural |
| Northumberland County | 4,646 | 32.8% | 6% | Rural |
| Caroline County | 5,673 | 42.5% | 9% | Rural |
See every Virginia county in our Virginia directory or go to our Virginia Medicare hub.