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New Mexico Medicare, by the Numbers

The data layer behind our New Mexico guide and all 59 city pages, in one place: CMS enrollment, Census demographics, and federal shortage designations, county by county.

Plans we accept in New Mexico covering ~66.3% of New Mexico's Medicare beneficiaries
  • Original Medicare
  • UnitedHealthcare ~33% of MA members

Coverage data 2025. Plan networks change - we confirm exactly what your plan covers before any work begins.

470,656Medicare beneficiaries statewide (2025)
49.7%chose Medicare Advantage plans
104,245dual-eligible for Medicare and Medicaid
113,555New Mexico residents 65+ live alone
168 minmedian ER visit statewide (CMS)
102federal primary-care shortage designations

Medicare Enrollment by County

The 29 of New Mexico's 33 counties that our city pages cover, with 466,705 beneficiaries. Each county links to its anchor city page.

County or city Medicare beneficiaries Medicare Advantage share Dual-eligible Residents 65+ Shortage designations
Bernalillo County 141,241 58.6% 28,233 119,885 11
Doña Ana County 48,469 53.3% 13,836 37,154 4
Santa Fe County 46,145 41.4% 5,745 42,341 5
Sandoval County 36,942 55.7% 5,449 29,710 14
San Juan County 24,619 34.7% 5,920 19,760 5
Valencia County 17,845 62.4% 4,355 14,337 1
Otero County 14,464 40.2% 3,199 11,723 2
McKinley County 12,405 30.9% 4,726 9,423 7
Chaves County 12,270 44.4% 3,676 10,463 1
Taos County 10,616 45.1% 2,441 10,244 4
Eddy County 10,030 33.5% 2,184 8,934 2
Rio Arriba County 9,804 50.4% 2,363 8,506 7
Lea County 9,743 31.8% 2,684 8,214 5
Grant County 9,206 46% 1,825 8,229 1
Curry County 7,887 34.1% 2,180 6,158 1
San Miguel County 7,408 54.5% 2,281 6,604 1
Luna County 6,768 60.5% 2,656 5,268 1
Lincoln County 6,507 39.7% 1,051 6,178 2
Cibola County 5,149 48.1% 1,489 4,745 7
Sierra County 4,689 51.8% 1,260 4,251 2
Socorro County 4,040 54.7% 1,227 3,288 2
Colfax County 3,891 44.7% 764 3,505 1
Torrance County 3,878 63.9% 1,098 3,376 1
Los Alamos County 3,746 14.8% 179 3,519 0
Roosevelt County 3,260 36.7% 948 2,797 3
Quay County 2,531 39.7% 710 2,225 1
Hidalgo County 1,125 53.4% 296 917 2
Guadalupe County 1,063 57.8% 344 900 2
Union County 964 20.9% 217 911 1

Statewide, 49.7% of beneficiaries chose Medicare Advantage in 2025. Counties above that line see more prior authorizations and more denials worth appealing; counties below it lean on Medigap, where a 2026 New Mexico law adds a yearly birthday rule starting January 1, 2027: policyholders 65 and older get a window of at least 60 days, starting the first day of their birthday month, to buy any Medigap policy of equal or lesser value from any insurer, without health questions. About 13.1% of New Mexico seniors live below the poverty line, the group most likely to qualify for unclaimed help: Extra Help and New Mexico's Medicare Savings Programs, which the Health Care Authority decides on income alone, with no asset test. For the full rundown, sources included, see our New Mexico patient advocacy hub.

The Numbers Are the Backdrop. The Help Is the Point.

One dedicated advocate for the bills, appeals, appointments, and paperwork, serving all 33 New Mexico counties virtually, usually at $0 with Medicare.

Or start from your city: every New Mexico city we serve.

Sources: CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment (2025); US Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year; CMS Care Compare Timely & Effective Care (median ER minutes, period ending 09/30/2025); HRSA Health Professional Shortage Area designation file. Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Understood Care is an independent private advocacy service, not a government agency.