February 14th 2024
By Ari Parker
SilverSneakers is a fitness program for people aged 65 and older that you can get included at no cost with some Medicare Advantage plans. Check which insurance plans offer the benefit in this post.
By Ari Parker
Staying active is an important part of managing your health and wellness as you age. Because fitness is so paramount to maintaining your health, many people are interested in Medicare plans that include fitness programs or gym memberships. A lot of Medicare Advantage plans do include some sort of fitness benefit, and even some Medicare Supplement plans include a free fitness membership for adults over 65 called SilverSneakers. SilverSneakers is incredibly popular, so many are familiar with the name.
In this article, we’ll let you know which Medicare insurance plans include SilverSneakers, how to browse policies in your area, and how you can enroll in a plan.
SilverSneakers is a fitness program for people aged 65 and over.
Some Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans include the membership as a free, added benefit.
If you’re interested in a Medicare insurance plan with SilverSneakers included, check which policies are available in your state.
The SilverSneakers program is a fitness membership for seniors. It is included at no extra cost in some Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans. With a SilverSneakers membership, you get access to:
15,000 gyms, recreation centers, churches, senior community centers, and neighborhood locations across the nation (check what locations are available to you here)
Fitness equipment
Social events
In-person and online exercise classes
A range of exercise classes including boot camp, circuit training, strength and balance, tai chi, yoga, water aerobics, and Zumba
Community amenities like swimming pools, tennis courts, saunas, and walking tracks
Wellness programs like SilverSneakers help seniors stay fit, active, and social. Because the program is tailored to people aged 65 and up, you can find classes specially designed for all levels and abilities.
With certain Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement plans that include the program, SilverSneakers is completely free. Note that you’ll have to pay for any services that aren’t included in the basic membership plan like personal training, massages, or tanning.
You don’t need a membership for certain services that SilverSneakers provides—access sample on demand videos and see what the community is like with a free account.
The SilverSneakers membership isn’t available on every Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan. Whether or not a plan includes the benefit depends on the insurance carrier and location. Insurance carriers that provide SilverSneakers include:
Aetna
Anthem
CareFirst
Clear Spring Health
Humana
Innovation Health
Sentara Health Plans
Washington National
You can check Medicare Advantage and Medigap insurance plans that include SilverSneakers in your state here.
Original Medicare (Part A and B) does not include SilverSneakers or any fitness membership. However, you can receive SilverSneakers as a benefit with some Medigap plans. That means you won’t have to switch to a Medicare Advantage plan if SilverSneakers is something you're interested in. In the section below, you can learn more about how to find an insurance plan with SilverSneakers.
Health and wellness benefits are one consideration of many that beneficiaries should take into account when choosing a Medicare plan. Before you switch or choose a new plan, you should do a thorough plan comparison. This is important to ensure that you are able to see your preferred doctors, your prescriptions are covered, and you get any other benefits you need at a price that is reasonable for you.
Chapter’s licensed Medicare Advisors can help you compare all of your Medicare options to find one that fits your healthcare needs and benefit priorities! Get started by calling us at 855-900-2427 today or scheduling a time to chat.
