Medicare in Tazewell County by the numbers
| Tazewell County | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 9,377 | 1,498,879 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 24.0% | 17.2% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 11,994 | 1,764,998 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 6,810 | 698,851 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 56.8% | 39.6% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
Among Virginia’s 133 counties, Tazewell County comes in 38th for residents age 65 and up (9,377). Older adults make up 24.0% of the population here; the state figure is 17.2%. Another 2,667 residents are age 60 to 64 and will reach Medicare eligibility within about five years (see our turning 65 guide). By age, the 65-and-older group splits 59% ages 65 to 74, 31% ages 75 to 84 and 10% age 85 and up (Census 2023). About 56.8% of people with Medicare in Tazewell County are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. That is higher than the Virginia average of 39.6%. What most people do in a county is less important than what fits you. We weigh Medicare Advantage against Original Medicare with Medigap using your doctors, your drugs and your budget.
Who has Medicare in Tazewell County
Tazewell County is a non-metro county with towns and small cities (USDA: urban population of 5,000 to 20,000, not 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 12,387 Medicare beneficiaries in Tazewell County (2023). Their average age is 72, younger than the Virginia average of 74. About 15% 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 Tazewell County, CMS reported about 678 emergency room visits and 206 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 Tazewell County can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in Tazewell County; we help Tazewell County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Tazewell County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Tazewell County:
- Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital — Tazewell (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services)
- Clinch Valley Medical Center — Richlands (acute care; for-profit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
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.
Tazewell County: communities and ZIP codes
The largest communities in Tazewell County by 2023 Census population estimates are Richlands (5,095), Bluefield (4,906), Tazewell (4,332), Cedar Bluff (1,024), Pocahontas (257). Each figure counts only the people living inside the county.
ZIP codes that fall mostly inside Tazewell County include 24316, 24377, 24601, 24602, 24604, 24605, 24606, 24609, 24612, 24613, 24630, 24635, 24637, 24641 and 1 more. Plan availability can change by ZIP code, so have yours ready when we compare plans.
Questions about Medicare in Tazewell 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 Tazewell County residents
Here is what we can help Tazewell County 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 Tazewell County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- 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
Tazewell County compared with similar Virginia counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Danville | 8,851 | 62.8% | 20% | Smaller city/town |
| Halifax County | 8,829 | 43.5% | 14% | Smaller city/town |
| Shenandoah County | 10,108 | 36.1% | 9% | Smaller city/town |
| Mecklenburg County | 8,445 | 45.8% | 12% | Smaller city/town |
| Orange County | 8,069 | 37.0% | 8% | Smaller city/town |
| Carroll County | 7,819 | 39.8% | 14% | Smaller city/town |
See every Virginia county in our Virginia directory or go to our Virginia Medicare hub.