Medicare in Rusk County by the numbers
| Rusk County | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 9,332 | 4,188,063 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 17.6% | 13.7% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 11,522 | 5,048,909 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 6,074 | 2,770,279 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 52.7% | 54.9% statewide |
Figures come from the Census Bureau and CMS (September 2026).
Among Texas’s 254 counties, Rusk County comes in 66th for residents age 65 and up (9,332). Older adults make up 17.6% of the population here; the state figure is 13.7%. The 3,363 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Census 2023 estimates show 60% of the 65-plus population is under 75, 30% is 75 to 84 and 9% is 85 or older. Medicare Advantage enrollment in Rusk County is 52.7% of people with Medicare, close to 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 Rusk County
Rusk County is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of 250,000 to 1 million population. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 11,179 Medicare beneficiaries in Rusk County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the Texas average of 73. About 10% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 11%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Rusk County, CMS reported about 703 emergency room visits and 250 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is higher than the state average for emergency visits (580) and close to it for hospital stays (226). About 13% 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.
Where you live decides which Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can join, and Rusk County may have a different set of plans than the counties around it. We are not based in Rusk County; we help Rusk County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Rusk County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Rusk County:
- UT Health East Texas Henderson Hospital — Henderson (acute care; for-profit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 5 of 5)
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.
Rusk County: communities and ZIP codes
The largest communities in Rusk County by 2023 Census population estimates are Henderson (13,464), Kilgore (3,323), Overton (2,148), Tatum (1,190), New London (980), Mount Enterprise (510). Each figure counts only the people living inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Rusk County number 13: 75641, 75652, 75654, 75658, 75667, 75680, 75681, 75682, 75684, 75687, 75689, 75691, 75784. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in Rusk 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 Rusk County residents
Here is what we can help Rusk County residents with, drawing on plans from many insurers: annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance and final expense insurance.
Ready to compare plans in Rusk County?
Tell us your doctors and medicines and we will show you what fits. No cost, no pressure.
Get my plan comparisonMedicare guides for Rusk County residents
- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- Does Medicare cover dental, vision and hearing?
- Why a Medicare Advantage plan drops a doctor or drug
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
Rusk County compared with similar Texas counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson County | 9,323 | 51.0% | 8% | Metro |
| Medina County | 9,733 | 57.2% | 10% | Metro |
| Coryell County | 9,961 | 50.1% | 9% | Metro |
| Hardin County | 10,404 | 54.9% | 11% | Metro |
| Upshur County | 8,204 | 53.9% | 9% | Metro |
| Kendall County | 10,474 | 39.6% | 4% | Metro |
See every Texas county in our Texas directory or go to our Texas Medicare hub.