Medicare in Orleans Parish
The parish seat is New Orleans, the parish's only city, so Orleans Parish and the city of New Orleans cover the same ground. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 population estimates count 66,128 residents age 65 and older in Orleans Parish (source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 population estimates).
Hospitals serving the parish include University Medical Center New Orleans on Canal Street and Touro Hospital on Foucher Street, both part of LCMC Health. Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability, and the provider networks behind them, are set county by county, which in Louisiana means parish by parish. That is why we check the plans offered where you live and confirm your doctors before you choose.
Medicare in Orleans Parish by the numbers
| Orleans Parish | Louisiana | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 66,128 | 793,655 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 18.2% | 17.4% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 70,814 | 977,541 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 48,124 | 561,903 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 68.0% | 57.5% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
Orleans Parish ranks 3rd of 64 Louisiana parishes by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 66,128 people in that age group, or 18.2% of residents (statewide: 17.4%). The 23,313 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Census 2023 estimates show 62% of the 65-plus population is under 75, 28% is 75 to 84 and 10% is 85 or older. Medicare Advantage enrollment in Orleans Parish is 68.0% of people with Medicare, higher 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 Orleans Parish
Orleans Parish 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 69,874 Medicare beneficiaries in Orleans Parish (2023). Their average age is 71, about the same as the Louisiana average of 72. About 26% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, higher than the state figure of 20%. 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 Orleans Parish, CMS reported about 660 emergency room visits and 224 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (648) and close to it for hospital stays (237). 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.
Communities and ZIP codes in Orleans Parish
The largest communities in Orleans Parish by 2023 Census population estimates are New Orleans (364,136). Each figure counts only the people living inside the county.
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Orleans Parish, that means areas such as 70112, 70113, 70114, 70115, 70116, 70117, 70118, 70119, 70122, 70124, 70125, 70126, 70127, 70128 and 6 more, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about your Medicare options?
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.
- Louisiana Department of Insurance: Louisiana’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Orleans Parish residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Orleans Parish 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 Orleans Parish options together
We will confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, by phone or video call.
Get my free comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- What Medicare Part D actually costs
- Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
- What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?
- When can you switch Medicare plans? Every enrollment window
Orleans Parish compared with similar Louisiana parishes
| Parish | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Baton Rouge Parish | 70,903 | 65.3% | 18% | Metro |
| St. Tammany Parish | 52,409 | 61.8% | 13% | Metro |
| Jefferson Parish | 82,284 | 71.2% | 20% | Metro |
| Caddo Parish | 44,291 | 54.6% | 19% | Metro |
| Lafayette Parish | 38,539 | 41.6% | 15% | Metro |
| Calcasieu Parish | 34,222 | 45.2% | 16% | Metro |
See every Louisiana parish in our Louisiana directory or go to our Louisiana Medicare hub.