Medicare in Austin · Travis County, TX
2026 Medicare Plans in Austin, TX (Travis County)
Travis County is home to 157,523 Medicare beneficiaries as of 2025 — the heart of the Greater Austin area & Central Texas. It's a near-even market: 47.7% have chosen Medicare Advantage and the rest stayed with Original Medicare. With 16,174 dual-eligible residents and one of Texas's youngest big-city populations aging into Medicare, the right fit really depends on your doctors and prescriptions. Here's the real CMS data — and a live tool to check your ZIP. SilverShield compares it all, free.
By the numbers · Travis County, TX
Quick facts for Travis County Medicare
How Travis County gets its Medicare
Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage in Travis County
Of the 157,523 people on Medicare in Travis County, 82,393 stayed with Original Medicare (often paired with a Medigap and a standalone Part D plan) while 75,130 — 47.7% — chose a Medicare Advantage plan. Enrollment grew 2.9% in the last year and is up 50% since 2013.
Source: CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment by County (2025). Part D includes both standalone (PDP) and Medicare-Advantage (MAPD) drug plans, so it overlaps the rows above.
Coverage breakdown
Where Travis County beneficiaries land (2025)
| Coverage path | People | Share of all beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|
| Original Medicare (Part A & B) | 82,393 | 52.3% |
| Medicare Advantage (Part C) | 75,130 | 47.7% |
| Standalone Part D drug plan (PDP) | 70,846 | 45% |
| Drug coverage built into an MA plan (MAPD) | 52,391 | 33.3% |
| Aged (65+) | 145,025 | 92.1% |
| Under-65 on Medicare by disability | 12,499 | 7.9% |
Source: CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment by County (2025). People can appear in more than one row (e.g. an MA member with built-in drug coverage).
Health profile · why coverage choice matters here
Chronic conditions among Travis County adults
The right Medicare plan depends on your health. Here's how common key conditions are locally (CDC PLACES, model-based prevalence among 1,334,961 adults) — a reason to check each plan's drug formulary and specialist network before you enroll.
Source: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County 2023 (2023).
Local economics · who you're planning for
Travis County by the numbers
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2022 5-year).
Where you get care
Doctors & pharmacies near Austin
- 200+ family-medicine providers in Austin
- 200+ internal-medicine providers in Austin
- 200+ pharmacies in Austin
Make sure your doctors and pharmacy are in a plan's network before you enroll — we check that for you.
Hospitals
Hospital quality near Austin
- Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas — Austin · CMS 4★ Strong (CMS 4★+)
Sources: NPPES NPI Registry (provider counts) · CMS Hospital Compare — Overall Star Ratings.
Choosing a Medicare plan in Austin — what matters here
- Two big health systems. Austin care centers on Ascension Seton and St. David's HealthCare. Dell Seton Medical Center at UT (downtown, CMS 4★) is one example — make sure your plan's network includes the hospital and specialists you actually use.
- Advantage vs. Medigap. With the county split 47.7% Medicare Advantage / 52.3% Original Medicare, both paths are common here. Advantage caps out-of-pocket costs and bundles extras; Medigap offers nationwide freedom and predictable bills. We model both.
- Your prescriptions. 78.2% of Travis County beneficiaries carry Part D. Drug formularies and tiers differ by plan, so the cheapest premium isn't always the cheapest year.
- Dual-eligible help. If you have Medicaid too, a D-SNP may add dental, transportation, and grocery benefits at $0 premium — we check your level first.
- Next door: growing fast just north? See Williamson County Medicare plans →
Austin & Travis County Medicare questions, answered
How many people are on Medicare in Travis County (Austin)?
About 157,523 people are enrolled in Medicare in Travis County (2025), per CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment data — up 2.9% from the year before. Of those, 145,025 qualify by age (65+) and 12,499 qualify under 65 by disability.
Do most Austin seniors choose Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare?
It's nearly split. In Travis County, 75,130 beneficiaries (47.7%) are in a Medicare Advantage plan, while 82,393 kept Original Medicare — many pairing it with a Medigap policy and a standalone Part D plan. SilverShield Medicare compares both paths against your doctors, drugs, and budget.
I'm dual-eligible (Medicare and Medicaid) in Austin — what are my options?
Travis County has 16,174 dual-eligible beneficiaries (10.3% of all enrollees), including 9,737 with full Medicaid. If you qualify, Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) can add benefits at $0 premium. We confirm your eligibility level before recommending anything.
Does SilverShield charge for help choosing a Medicare plan in Austin?
No. Our guidance is free — licensed agents are paid by the carriers, not by you. We do not offer every plan available in the Austin area, and we'll tell you when a plan we don't carry may fit you better.
When can I change my Medicare plan in Travis County?
Most people make changes during the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct 15 – Dec 7). Medicare Advantage members also get the Jan 1 – Mar 31 Open Enrollment Period, and dual-eligible or low-income beneficiaries often qualify for Special Enrollment Periods. We'll tell you which window applies to you.
Talk to a local Austin Medicare advisor
Free, no pressure — Dale Hofer and the SilverShield team, right here in Central Texas.