Lincoln Parish Medicare at a glance
| Lincoln Parish | Louisiana | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 7,030 | 793,655 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 14.7% | 17.4% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 8,162 | 977,541 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 3,758 | 561,903 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 46.0% | 57.5% statewide |
Sources: Census Bureau 2023 estimates and CMS Medicare Advantage penetration, September 2026.
Lincoln Parish ranks 26th of 64 Louisiana parishes by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 7,030 people in that age group, or 14.7% of residents (statewide: 17.4%). About 2,342 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, 31% are 75 to 84 and 12% are 85 or older (Census 2023 estimates). Medicare Advantage enrollment in Lincoln Parish is 46.0% of people with Medicare, lower than the Louisiana average of 57.5%. 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 Lincoln Parish
Lincoln Parish is a non-metro county with towns and small cities (USDA: urban population of 20,000 or more, 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 8,210 Medicare beneficiaries in Lincoln Parish (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the Louisiana average of 72. About 17% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 20%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Lincoln Parish, CMS reported about 560 emergency room visits and 245 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is lower than the state average for emergency visits (648) and close to it for hospital stays (237). About 11% 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 Lincoln Parish may differ from those in a neighboring county. We are not based in Lincoln Parish; we help Lincoln Parish residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Lincoln Parish
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Lincoln Parish:
- Northern Louisiana Medical Center — Ruston (acute care; for-profit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 2 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.
Lincoln Parish: communities and ZIP codes
Census Bureau 2023 estimates put the biggest communities in Lincoln Parish at Ruston (22,233), Grambling (5,278), Choudrant (1,017), Dubach (890), Simsboro (797), Vienna (468), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Lincoln Parish number 6: 71227, 71235, 71245, 71270, 71272, 71275. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in Lincoln Parish?
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.
- Louisiana Department of Insurance: Louisiana’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Lincoln Parish residents
Here is what we can help Lincoln Parish residents with, drawing on plans from many insurers: Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement (Medigap).
Let’s check your Lincoln Parish options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
- Do you really need a Medicare agent?
- Does Medicare cover dental, vision and hearing?
Lincoln Parish compared with similar Louisiana parishes
| Parish | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avoyelles Parish | 7,092 | 47.9% | 28% | Smaller city/town |
| Webster Parish | 7,340 | 49.2% | 19% | Smaller city/town |
| Vernon Parish | 6,645 | 36.6% | 17% | Smaller city/town |
| Natchitoches Parish | 6,283 | 45.8% | 21% | Smaller city/town |
| Beauregard Parish | 6,094 | 39.6% | 16% | Smaller city/town |
| Washington Parish | 8,827 | 61.1% | 29% | Smaller city/town |
See every Louisiana parish in our Louisiana directory or go to our Louisiana Medicare hub.