Medicare by region · Chillicothe, Portsmouth, Logan, Jackson, Hillsboro & the Hocking Hills
Ross, Scioto, Pike, Jackson, Adams, Highland, Vinton and Hocking counties — Adena in Chillicothe, Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, the Chillicothe VA, and Columbus specialists an hour up Route 23.
No cost, no obligation, no pressure.
No cost, no pressure. Prefer to call? (702) 706-6564.
Medicare in the region
South Central Ohio has two regional systems, Adena in Chillicothe and Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, a ring of small county hospitals, and Columbus an hour north for anything they refer out. Advantage menus are moderate in Ross and Scioto counties and short in Vinton, Pike and Adams, and several counties saw plans withdrawn for 2026.
The region also has one of Ohio’s larger veteran populations relative to its size, served by the Chillicothe VA Medical Center; how VA care coordinates with Medicare is on our Veterans page. We compare what is sold at your ZIP code with your doctors, the pharmacy you actually use, and any retiree or VA coverage in hand, and serve every town in the region by phone and video.
What to watch: Adena serves most of the region and refers to Columbus; SOMC anchors the Portsmouth end. The Chillicothe VA is a full medical center and the mental-health referral center for southern Ohio, so a lot of veterans here carry VA care and Medicare together, and the Part B timing rule matters.
Counties: Ross, Pike, Scioto, Adams, Highland, Jackson, Vinton, Hocking.
Each contracts differently with each plan; we check your doctors first.
We serve every town in the region by phone and video.
Turning 65? Your Initial Enrollment Period is the 7 months around your birthday. Already on Medicare? The Annual Election Period is Oct 15–Dec 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs Jan 1–Mar 31. A plan leaving your county opens a Special Enrollment Period.
Your options
All-in-one Part C plans, often $0 premium, that use a local network — so which hospital system your doctors belong to, your county and your prescriptions matter.
How Advantage worksMedigap pairs with Original Medicare and lets you see any provider nationwide that accepts Medicare — Cleveland Clinic, the James, or a clinic in Florida in February.
How Medigap worksStandalone drug coverage chosen around your medications and pharmacy. 2026 out-of-pocket cap: $2,100.
How Part D worksAdvantage plans built for a chronic condition, for nursing-facility care, or for people with both Medicare and Ohio Medicaid (MyCare Ohio).
About SNPsQuestions from South Central Ohio
Ross and Scioto counties typically offer a moderate Medicare Advantage menu, every Medigap carrier in Ohio, and the full Part D lineup. The smaller counties around them have fewer Advantage plans and some lost plans for 2026.
In most cases, yes. VA medical care is not creditable coverage for Part B, so delaying it can trigger a permanent penalty and leaves you without coverage at Adena, SOMC or a Columbus hospital. VA pharmacy is creditable for Part D.
Nothing. Independent agents are paid by the carriers when you enroll, so comparing plans and reviewing your coverage each year is free to you.
Ready when you are
A short, friendly conversation — no pressure, no cost.
Written and reviewed by Darin Weidauer — licensed insurance agent (NPN 18580338, OH License #1616139), Gerontologist (USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology), MBA, Registered Social Security Analyst, and 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran.Last reviewed September 13, 2026. Plan availability, benefits and costs change every plan year — verify current details at Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or OSHIIP at 800-686-1578.