Quick answers
- Is Medicare different in The Villages?
- No. Medicare's rules are federal and the same across Florida. What differs is the list of Medicare Advantage plans, which is set county by county, and which doctors near you are in each plan's network.
- Which county am I in if I live in The Villages?
- It depends on your address. The community spans Sumter, Lake and Marion Counties. For 2027, CMS data show 48 Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone in Sumter County, 48 in Lake and 51 in Marion.
- Do I need a plan with local doctors?
- Only if you choose Medicare Advantage, which usually uses a network. Original Medicare has no network: you can see any doctor in the U.S. who accepts Medicare.
- Can a plan or agent knock on my door in a 55+ community?
- Not uninvited. Federal rules bar Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, and agents selling for them, from door-to-door sales without an appointment, approaching you in common areas such as parking lots and lobbies, and cold calls or texts.
- I just moved into a 55+ community. Can I change plans?
- Usually yes. A permanent move gives you a special enrollment period, and a plan from your old area ends if you move out of its service area. Medigap and Original Medicare move with you.
The Villages by the numbers
Sumter County, home to most of The Villages, has the highest share of residents 65 and older of any county in the United States: 57% in 2024, by Census Bureau estimates (88,546 of 154,693 people). The next-highest U.S. county is far behind, at about 45%. The Census Bureau's "The Villages" area, a statistical area that doesn't cover the whole community, had 83,498 residents in its 2020–2024 survey, 85% of them 65 or older, with a median age of 74.1.
CMS counts 91,452 people with Medicare in Sumter County, 127,962 in Lake County and 135,492 in Marion County (July 2026). Statewide, Florida has 5,344,538 people with Medicare.
One community, three counties
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are approved for service areas made up of counties. So two neighbors in The Villages can have different plan lists if their homes are on different sides of a county line. Use your street address, not just "The Villages," when you look up plans.
| County (2027, CMS data) | Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone | Special needs plans | Companies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter | 48 | 58 | 12 |
| Lake | 48 | 54 | 12 |
| Marion | 51 | 56 | 12 |
Standalone Part D drug plans are the same across Florida, which is its own Part D region: 11 plans for 2027. Counts are not a measure of quality; what matters is whether a plan works with your doctors and drugs.
Doctors and networks near where you live
In a community where many neighbors use the same local practices, it's easy to assume a plan "everyone has" will work for you. Check for yourself:
- Original Medicare has no network. You can see any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that accepts Medicare, which helps if you travel or split the year between homes. Many people add a Medigap policy and a Part D plan.
- Medicare Advantage plans usually have networks. In an HMO you generally must use network providers except in emergencies; in a PPO you can go out of network, usually for more. Networks can change from year to year.
- Medicare Advantage plans may offer extra benefits such as dental, vision, hearing or fitness. Extra benefits vary by plan and county, may have limits and costs, and not every plan offers them. Check a plan's Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage.
See finding doctors who accept Medicare in Florida for Care Compare, assignment and opt-out doctors.
Medigap: pick carefully the first time
Florida has no Medigap birthday rule or yearly switching right. Your 6-month Medigap open enrollment, starting when you're 65 or older and in Part B, is the one time any company must sell you any policy it offers regardless of your health. Florida adds a 2-month window with no health questions after group health coverage ends. If you already have Medigap from another state, you can generally keep it after you move here. More on Medigap in Florida.
Moving into a 55+ community
- Check whether your plan follows you. Original Medicare and Medigap do. A Medicare Advantage or Part D plan from another state generally ends when you move out of its service area.
- Use your special enrollment period. A permanent move gives you a window to join a plan in your new county. Don't wait; a gap in drug coverage can mean a late penalty.
- Update your address with Social Security, so your Medicare records and mail follow you.
- List your new doctors before you choose a plan. Then check each plan's provider directory and call the offices.
Full details: moving to Florida with Medicare and snowbirds and Medicare if you keep a second home.
Sales rules that protect you at home
Under 42 CFR 422.2264, Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, and the agents who sell for them, may not:
- Knock on your door or leave materials without a scheduled appointment.
- Approach you in common areas such as parking lots, hallways and lobbies.
- Cold call, robocall, text or leave voicemails you didn't ask for.
Check any agent's Florida license on the DFS Licensee Search. Report suspected Medicare fraud to 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or the Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-877-808-2468; see Medicare fraud in Florida.
Florida's other older counties
Retirement communities are found across the state. These counties had the highest share of residents 65 and older after Sumter in 2024 (Census Bureau estimates):
| County | Share 65+ | Medicare Advantage plans, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 40.6% | 33 |
| Sarasota | 38.0% | 41 |
| Citrus | 36.6% | 35 |
| Highlands | 36.1% | 25 |
| Indian River | 36.1% | 43 |
Florida as a whole had 5.1 million residents 65 and older in 2024, second only to California.
Get help
To compare plans for your exact address and check your doctors, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent, or see plans for your ZIP code. Plans in your county change each year; see Florida plans ending in 2027 and Open Enrollment in Florida.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — County population by age and sex, Vintage 2024 estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2020–2024 5-year, Age and Sex (S0101), The Villages CDP
- CMS — Medicare Monthly Enrollment
- CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.2264, Beneficiary contact
- Medicare.gov — Your health plan options
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.62, special enrollment periods (change of residence)
- Florida Statutes — s. 627.6741, Medicare supplement issuance
- Florida Department of Financial Services — Licensee Search
Every question in this guide
- Can a Florida doctor charge an annual concierge fee if I have Medicare?
- Do I need Medicare Part B if I'm still working at 65 in Florida?
- Why won't some Florida doctors take new Medicare patients?
- How does Medicare work in The Villages, Florida?
- How do I find a doctor who accepts Medicare in Florida?
- How do I find a Spanish-speaking doctor who takes Medicare in Florida?
Frequently asked questions
How many people with Medicare live in Sumter County?
CMS counts 91,452 people with Medicare in Sumter County (July 2026). Sumter, home to most of The Villages, has the highest share of residents 65 and older of any U.S. county: 57% in 2024, by Census Bureau estimates.
Do my spouse and I need the same Medicare plan?
No. Medicare coverage is individual. Each of you chooses your own Medicare Advantage or Medigap and Part D coverage, and each Medigap policy covers one person.
Who regulates the insurance agents who sell Medicare plans in Florida?
The Florida Department of Financial Services licenses agents and takes complaints about them. You can check a license on its Licensee Search. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans themselves are regulated by CMS.
Where can I compare plans for my county?
On Medicare.gov's Plan Finder or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), which give information on all of your options. A licensed insurance agent can compare plans from the companies they work with.
Medicare in your Florida county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Miami-Dade · Broward · Palm Beach · Hillsborough · Orange · Duval · Pinellas · Lee · Polk · Pasco · Brevard · Volusia · Seminole · Sarasota · Osceola · Manatee · Lake · Marion · Collier · St. Lucie · All 67 counties →
