Medicare and Gyms: Silver Sneakers and alternative gym programs

Every Senior knows that exercising is one of the healthiest activities to take on once becoming Medicare eligible. Joining a gym is a great way to work out but who will pay for it? With Silver Sneakers or a similar gym benefit, you may find that your Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan will.

We will go over how Silver Sneakers allows anyone with a participating Medigap or Medicare Advantage can access to gyms with little or no additional fees. We will show you how to enroll and review some lessor known free gym alternatives for those who are Medicare eligible.

What is Silver Sneakers?

Silver Sneakers is a fitness program for men and women who have enrolled in participating Medicare insurance plans. A membership in Silver Sneakers allows you to work out in various name brand fitness centers across the country. You can take classes there, or at the comfort of your home with online video lessons.

There are more than 16,000 participating fitness locations. It does not matter if you are a beginner or an experienced participant. These classes are designed to be safe and effective for adults over 65. Depending on the center you select, you may have access to cardio and strength training equipment, as well as amenities like pools and walking tracks.

How much does Silver Sneakers cost?

You cannot just call Silver Sneakers and enroll. Silver Sneaker coverage is not available to purchase directly. Silver Sneakers is an ancillary benefit that comes with a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan.

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Some Medigap and Medicare Advantage offer Silver Sneakers

As you may know, Medigap and Medicare Advantage are two very different ways to help address costs not covered by Medicare. Some of these Medicare insurance plans will bundle a Silver Sneakers membership with its plans. Check out which Medigap insurance providers and plans cover Silver Sneakers. When it comes to Medicare Advantage, coverage varies by plan, so give us a call at 800-930-7956 to confirm.

Alternatives to Silver Sneakers

It is important to know that Silver Sneakers is not the only game in town. Some insurance providers offer different free fitness options. These are similar to Silver Sneakers and require that you have a certain Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan to access the benefits. Let’s check them out.

Mutually Well

With Mutually Well you can get access to a nationwide network of over 10,000 gyms and fitness locations. You will be able to take classes and enjoy amenities including pools, basketball courts, and racquet courts.

You can also save at 17,000+ locations for massage, acupuncture & chiropractic services. Plus, you get a personalized weekly plan that helps you balance exercise, nutrition, & rest.

To get these benefits, you will need to pay a $25 monthly fee, on top of your regular Medigap premium. Contact us at 800-930-7956 to enroll in a plan that offers Mutually Well.

Silver&Fit

Silver&Fit gives you access to 11.000+ fitness locations across the country. It also has online offerings providing access to a library full of online classes and healthy aging videos.

Apart from that, the program sends you a home-fitness kit that includes 17 types of classes. Silver & Fit generally does not ask for any additional payment.

Secret Gym Program

There is one other gym program that also offers a wide network of fitness centers and personal trainers to help you achieve your exercising goals. It even adds a brain-health program that includes a brain-health assessment plus access to games and tools to keep you always active. This “secret gym program” is available at no additional cost as long as you enroll in one of their qualifying plans.

Unfortunately, the top insurance company that offers this amazing program doesn’t allow us to publish information about this plan online. Give us a call and we can go over the specific benefits and price out the plans that offer it.

Conclusion

While Medicare does not offer fitness centers as an added benefit, many Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans do. Call us at 800-930-7956 to discuss which Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans offer these gym programs in your area and see the cost.

Remember we at Senior65.com dedicate ourselves to help people enroll in Medigap, Medicare Advantage and Part D. There is never a fee for our services and, since Medigap pricing is regulated, no one can sell the same plan for less than we do.