County

Etowah, AL

FIPS: 01055 · 27,579 Medicare beneficiaries · Geographic Variation 2023

Overview

Key headline metrics for Medicare beneficiaries living in Etowah, AL. Source data from the CMS Medicare Fee-for-Service Geographic Variation Public Use File (2023) and CDC PLACES/SDOH.

Total Medicare Spending per Capita
$14,496
Actual Spending per Capita
$13,098
includes local geographic adjustments
Average HCC Risk Score
1.05
1.00 = nationally average. Higher = sicker panel.
Average Age
71.0
30-Day Readmission Rate
17.9%
MA Participation
64.3%
share enrolled in Medicare Advantage
Dual Eligible
20.7%
also enrolled in Medicaid — low-income marker

Beneficiary Profile

Who the Medicare population is in this county — counts, enrollment mix, age, and risk-adjusted complexity.

Total Medicare Beneficiaries
27,579
Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries
8,862
MA Participation Rate
64.3%
Average Age
71.0
Average HCC Risk Score
1.05
CMS Hierarchical Condition Category score. Higher means a sicker average beneficiary.
Dual Eligible (Medicare + Medicaid)
20.7%
Share of beneficiaries also enrolled in Medicaid — a marker of low income and complex need.

Demographic mix

Female
54.9%
Male
45.1%
White
87.8%
Black
9.0%
Hispanic
0.8%

Utilization

How often Medicare beneficiaries use each service. Rates are per 1,000 beneficiaries; the "users" column shows the share of beneficiaries who used the service at least once.

30-Day Readmission Rate
17.9%
Share of hospital discharges followed by an unplanned readmission within 30 days.
ER Visits per 1,000 Benes
616.1

Health Outcomes

CDC PLACES — modeled prevalence of health outcomes among county adults. Values are age-adjusted or crude prevalence estimates with 95% CIs.

Obesity among adults
43.6%
95% CI: 36.2% – 51.3%
Age-adjusted prevalence
High blood pressure among adults
40.9%
95% CI: 36.6% – 45.2%
Age-adjusted prevalence
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened
36.0%
95% CI: 31.7% – 40.4%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Arthritis among adults
28.3%
95% CI: 25.1% – 31.7%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Depression among adults
24.9%
95% CI: 21.2% – 28.9%
Crude prevalence
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years
17.3%
95% CI: 13.9% – 20.8%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Diagnosed diabetes among adults
13.4%
95% CI: 11.6% – 15.3%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Current asthma among adults
10.3%
95% CI: 9.0% – 11.7%
Crude prevalence
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults
8.2%
95% CI: 6.9% – 9.6%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults
7.2%
95% CI: 6.5% – 8.0%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Coronary heart disease among adults
6.6%
95% CI: 5.8% – 7.5%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Stroke among adults
3.7%
95% CI: 3.2% – 4.1%
Age-adjusted prevalence

Health Status

CDC PLACES — modeled prevalence of health status among county adults. Values are age-adjusted or crude prevalence estimates with 95% CIs.

Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults
24.9%
95% CI: 21.2% – 29.0%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Frequent mental distress among adults
18.1%
95% CI: 15.8% – 20.6%
Crude prevalence
Frequent physical distress among adults
15.2%
95% CI: 13.1% – 17.5%
Age-adjusted prevalence

Prevention

CDC PLACES — modeled prevalence of prevention among county adults. Values are age-adjusted or crude prevalence estimates with 95% CIs.

Cholesterol screening among adults
85.4%
95% CI: 83.1% – 87.7%
Crude prevalence
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults
80.2%
95% CI: 76.9% – 83.6%
Crude prevalence
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years
74.7%
95% CI: 66.7% – 81.5%
Crude prevalence
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years
62.0%
95% CI: 57.0% – 66.8%
Crude prevalence
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure
60.9%
95% CI: 56.5% – 65.2%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults
54.7%
95% CI: 50.6% – 58.6%
Crude prevalence
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years
11.3%
95% CI: 8.9% – 14.1%
Age-adjusted prevalence

Health Risk Behaviors

CDC PLACES — modeled prevalence of health risk behaviors among county adults. Values are age-adjusted or crude prevalence estimates with 95% CIs.

Short sleep duration among adults
45.0%
95% CI: 38.3% – 51.7%
Crude prevalence
No leisure-time physical activity among adults
31.7%
95% CI: 26.4% – 37.2%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Current cigarette smoking among adults
17.8%
95% CI: 14.5% – 21.3%
Crude prevalence
Binge drinking among adults
13.9%
95% CI: 11.3% – 16.9%
Crude prevalence

Disability

CDC PLACES — modeled prevalence of disability among county adults. Values are age-adjusted or crude prevalence estimates with 95% CIs.

Any disability among adults
38.9%
95% CI: 33.7% – 44.2%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Mobility disability among adults
19.8%
95% CI: 16.7% – 22.8%
Crude prevalence
Cognitive disability among adults
18.8%
95% CI: 16.0% – 21.8%
Age-adjusted prevalence
Independent living disability among adults
11.0%
95% CI: 9.4% – 12.7%
Crude prevalence
Hearing disability among adults
9.6%
95% CI: 8.4% – 10.9%
Crude prevalence
Vision disability among adults
6.5%
95% CI: 5.6% – 7.4%
Crude prevalence
Self-care disability among adults
5.1%
95% CI: 4.4% – 5.9%
Crude prevalence

Health-Related Social Needs

Community-level social and economic factors that drive health outcomes. Combines CDC PLACES health-related social-need measures (modeled from BRFSS) with CDC SDOH structural measures (from the American Community Survey).

Reported unmet needs (PLACES)

Loneliness among adults
35.4%
95% CI: 30.1% – 40.9%
Lack of social and emotional support among adults
24.2%
95% CI: 20.5% – 28.3%
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults
20.8%
95% CI: 16.9% – 25.1%
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults
15.7%
95% CI: 12.6% – 19.0%
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults
13.9%
95% CI: 11.7% – 16.6%
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults
10.7%
95% CI: 9.0% – 12.5%
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults
9.6%
95% CI: 8.1% – 11.2%

Economic Stability

Below 150% Federal Poverty Level
26.7%
· MOE ±1.5
Share of county residents living below 150% of the federal poverty threshold.
Unemployment Rate
6.1%
· MOE ±1.0

Education & Connectivity

No High School Diploma (adults 25+)
13.8%
· MOE ±1.2
No Broadband Internet
17.7%
· MOE ±2.1
Share of households without a broadband internet subscription — a telehealth access barrier.

Housing

Housing Cost Burden
21.4%
· MOE ±1.7
Share of households paying more than 30% of income on housing.
Crowded Housing Units
1.5%
· MOE ±0.5
Single-Parent Households
6.8%
· MOE ±0.9

Demographics

Racial / Ethnic Minority Population
22.9%
· MOE ±0.7

All Data

Every labeled metric surfaced from Geographic Variation, PLACES, and SDOH, alongside the national county median for context.

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Source Metric Value National Median Pctl. Raw key
CDC PLACES All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years 17.3% — TEETHLOST
CDC PLACES Any disability among adults 38.9% — DISABILITY
CDC PLACES Arthritis among adults 28.3% — ARTHRITIS
CDC PLACES Binge drinking among adults 13.9% — BINGE
CDC PLACES Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults 7.2% — CANCER
CDC PLACES Cholesterol screening among adults 85.4% — CHOLSCREEN
CDC PLACES Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults 8.2% — COPD
CDC PLACES Cognitive disability among adults 18.8% — COGNITION
CDC PLACES Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years 62.0% — COLON_SCREEN
CDC PLACES Coronary heart disease among adults 6.6% — CHD
CDC PLACES Current asthma among adults 10.3% — CASTHMA
CDC PLACES Current cigarette smoking among adults 17.8% — CSMOKING
CDC PLACES Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years 11.3% — ACCESS2
CDC PLACES Depression among adults 24.9% — DEPRESSION
CDC PLACES Diagnosed diabetes among adults 13.4% — DIABETES
CDC PLACES Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults 24.9% — GHLTH
CDC PLACES Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults 20.8% — FOODINSECU
CDC PLACES Frequent mental distress among adults 18.1% — MHLTH
CDC PLACES Frequent physical distress among adults 15.2% — PHLTH
CDC PLACES Hearing disability among adults 9.6% — HEARING
CDC PLACES High blood pressure among adults 40.9% — BPHIGH
CDC PLACES High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened 36.0% — HIGHCHOL
CDC PLACES Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults 13.9% — HOUSINSECU
CDC PLACES Independent living disability among adults 11.0% — INDEPLIVE
CDC PLACES Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults 10.7% — LACKTRPT
CDC PLACES Lack of social and emotional support among adults 24.2% — EMOTIONSPT
CDC PLACES Loneliness among adults 35.4% — LONELINESS
CDC PLACES Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years 74.7% — MAMMOUSE
CDC PLACES Mobility disability among adults 19.8% — MOBILITY
CDC PLACES No leisure-time physical activity among adults 31.7% — LPA
CDC PLACES Obesity among adults 43.6% — OBESITY
CDC PLACES Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults 15.7% — FOODSTAMP
CDC PLACES Self-care disability among adults 5.1% — SELFCARE
CDC PLACES Short sleep duration among adults 45.0% — SLEEP
CDC PLACES Stroke among adults 3.7% — STROKE
CDC PLACES Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure 60.9% — BPMED
CDC PLACES Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults 9.6% — SHUTUTILITY
CDC PLACES Vision disability among adults 6.5% — VISION
CDC PLACES Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults 54.7% — DENTAL
CDC PLACES Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults 80.2% — CHECKUP
CDC SDOH Below 150% FPL (%) 26.7% — POVERTY
CDC SDOH Crowded Housing (%) 1.5% — CROWDING
CDC SDOH Housing Cost Burden (%) 21.4% — HOUSING_BURDEN
CDC SDOH No Broadband (%) 17.7% — NO_BROADBAND
CDC SDOH No High School Diploma (%) 13.8% — NO_DIPLOMA
CDC SDOH Racial/Ethnic Minority (%) 22.9% — MINORITY
CDC SDOH Single-Parent Households (%) 6.8% — SINGLE_PARENT
CDC SDOH Unemployment (%) 6.1% — UNEMPLOYMENT
Geographic Variation Acute Hospital Readmission Rate (%) 17.9% — ACUTE_HOSP_READMSN_PCT
Geographic Variation Average Beneficiary Age 71.00 — BENE_AVG_AGE
Geographic Variation Average HCC Risk Score 1.05 — BENE_AVG_RISK_SCRE
Geographic Variation Black Beneficiaries (%) 9.0% — BENE_RACE_BLACK_PCT
Geographic Variation Dual Eligible Beneficiaries (%) 20.7% — BENE_DUAL_PCT
Geographic Variation ER Visits per 1,000 Beneficiaries 616.1 — ER_VISITS_PER_1000_BENES
Geographic Variation Female Beneficiaries (%) 54.9% — BENE_FEML_PCT
Geographic Variation FFS Beneficiary Count 8,862 — BENES_FFS_CNT
Geographic Variation Hispanic Beneficiaries (%) 0.8% — BENE_RACE_HSPNC_PCT
Geographic Variation Home Health Actual Per Capita Payment ($) $848 — HH_MDCR_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation Home Health Standardized Per Capita Payment ($) $1,121 — HH_MDCR_STDZD_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation Hospice Actual Per Capita Payment ($) $839 — HOSPC_MDCR_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation Hospice Standardized Per Capita Payment ($) $979 — HOSPC_MDCR_STDZD_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation Inpatient Actual Per Capita Payment ($) $3,614 — IP_MDCR_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation Inpatient Standardized Per Capita Payment ($) $3,666 — IP_MDCR_STDZD_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation Male Beneficiaries (%) 45.1% — BENE_MALE_PCT
Geographic Variation Medicare Advantage Participation Rate (%) 64.3% — MA_PRTCPTN_RATE
Geographic Variation Outpatient Actual Per Capita Payment ($) $1,719 — OP_MDCR_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation Outpatient Standardized Per Capita Payment ($) $1,931 — OP_MDCR_STDZD_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation SNF Actual Per Capita Payment ($) $481 — SNF_MDCR_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation SNF Standardized Per Capita Payment ($) $668 — SNF_MDCR_STDZD_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation Total Actual Per Capita Medicare Payment ($) $13,098 — TOT_MDCR_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation Total Beneficiary Count 27,579 — BENES_TOTAL_CNT
Geographic Variation Total Standardized Per Capita Medicare Payment ($) $14,496 — TOT_MDCR_STDZD_PYMT_PC
Geographic Variation White Beneficiaries (%) 87.8% — BENE_RACE_WHT_PCT

Methodology

Primary source: Medicare Geographic Variation by County (dataset id geo-var-county, vintage 2023, downloaded 2026-04-13, 33,639 rows in source).

Additional data sources: CDC PLACES County-Level Data (2026), CDC SDOH Measures for County (2017-2021).

Percentile badges compare this county against all US counties that appear in the relevant dataset. "Lower is better" metrics (spending, readmission rates, chronic-disease prevalence, SDOH adversity) use an inverted color ramp — low percentile = green (good), high percentile = red (bad).

Medicare Geographic Variation shows standardized per-capita spending, utilization, and demographic characteristics for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries at the county level. Standardized payments remove geographic payment adjustments so counties can be compared fairly. AHRQ Prevention Quality Indicators (PQIs) measure the rate of hospitalization for ambulatory-care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs).

Full methodology →