Medicare in Winston County by the numbers
| Winston County | Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 5,295 | 932,312 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 22.4% | 18.3% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 6,239 | 1,148,442 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 3,749 | 706,387 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 60.1% | 61.5% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
Winston County ranks 40th of 67 Alabama counties by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 5,295 people in that age group, or 22.4% of residents (statewide: 18.3%). The 1,850 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Among residents 65 and older, 56% are 65 to 74, 33% are 75 to 84 and 11% are 85 or older (Census 2023 estimates). CMS data show 60.1% of Winston County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is close to the 61.5% average across Alabama. 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 Winston County
Winston 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 6,374 Medicare beneficiaries in Winston County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the Alabama average of 72. About 20% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, higher than the state figure of 14%. 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 Winston County, CMS reported about 623 emergency room visits and 298 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (600) and higher than it for hospital stays (247). About 14% 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 Winston County may have a different set of plans than the counties around it. We are not based in Winston County; we help Winston County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Winston County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Winston County:
- Lakeland Community Hospital — Haleyville (acute care; for-profit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
- Lakeland Community Hospital — Haleyville (critical access; for-profit; emergency services)
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.
Communities and ZIP codes in Winston County
Census Bureau 2023 estimates put the biggest communities in Winston County at Haleyville (4,244), Double Springs (1,114), Addison (667), Lynn (618), Arley (329), Natural Bridge (35), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Winston County number 7: 35540, 35541, 35553, 35565, 35572, 35575, 35577. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in Winston 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.
- Alabama Department of Insurance: Alabama’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Winston County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Winston County households, including annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance and final expense insurance.
Let’s check your Winston County 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
- When can you switch Medicare plans? Every enrollment window
- Do you really need a Medicare agent?
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
Winston County compared with similar Alabama counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randolph County | 4,918 | 59.0% | 18% | Rural |
| Clarke County | 4,683 | 69.3% | 18% | Rural |
| Monroe County | 4,296 | 68.1% | 18% | Rural |
| Marion County | 6,329 | 48.2% | 22% | Rural |
| Cherokee County | 6,460 | 61.7% | 18% | Rural |
| Fayette County | 3,554 | 62.2% | 21% | Rural |
See every Alabama county in our Alabama directory or go to our Alabama Medicare hub.