Medicare Advantage, Medigap Beneficiaries Lose Fitness Program Built into Health Insurance

A fitness program once embedded into Medicare Advantage is no longer available. The loss of this program concerns many seniors who used it to stay fit and healthy, allowing them to age in place.

UnitedHealthcare ceased offering the program as of January 1, 2019, upsetting over 2 million beneficiaries using it. That said they also replaced it with their own fitness program that may be more innovative and flexible.

According to UnitedHealthcare, people enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans with the company can now take advantage of “Renew Active.” The main reason the company opted to bring in their own health/fitness program is that they are able to offer more customized programs based on what members want. UnitedHealthcare’s program offers wellness coaches, incentive programs for achieving walking goals and even online exercises. Taken as a whole or in part, the new approach hopes to help seniors improve the quality of their life and health.

Renew Active comes at zero additional cost to those enrolled in eligible UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans and it offers access to over more than 6,000 fitness locations locally, regionally and nationally for “no” additional cost.

Perhaps the most unique option about Renew Active is that seniors have the choice of an in-person fitness orientation plus the benefit of a standard membership at participating fitness locations. This opens the door to the ability to be able to use more amenities, a wider range of fitness equipment and also be able to get into group exercise classes.

It is good news for seniors wishing to stay fit and active that Renew Active does not cost them extra at a time in their life when finances are typically sparse. With the wide range of fitness choices now offered, seniors are likely to find that they have access to just about any program that they are interested in.