Worried about losing their “Silver Sneakers” gym memberships at YMCA and Lifetime Fitness locations in the Twin Cities, over 50 protesters expressed their concerns at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota’s headquarters in Eagan, seeking full restoration of Medicare Advantage fitness benefits.
Tere Thomas, who helped organize the chilly Wednesday afternoon protest alongside Steve Brandt, a former Star Tribune reporter and a member of the Minneapolis Board of Estimates and Taxation, mentioned they were met with a receptive audience. They received an invitation from Blue Cross to move their planned 30-minute picket—which included a brief, upbeat dance number—away from a crowded easement to a larger parking lot off Yankee Road.
The day prior, Thomas and Brandt had a meeting with Dr. Mark Stephan, the chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, along with the insurance company’s marketing and Medicare Advantage teams. Thomas noted that they explained a timeline of events to give a clearer picture of the situation.
“Many at the rally attributed this to corporate greed,” Thomas noted. “But I think that’s not entirely accurate. It’s more about the numbers. They wanted our feedback and claimed they were ready to discuss the financial aspects.”
Gym Benefits
Thanks to a two-year deal with Tennessee-based Tivity, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota provided “Silver Sneakers” gym memberships to all Medicare Advantage members this year. Of those members, around 26,000 signed up for free memberships at Lifetime Fitness and YMCA of the North across the Twin Cities, which Tivity considers its “best-in-class” offering.
According to Thomas, he learned that only about 11,000 seniors were actively using these gyms, but the contract pricing was “per person” since the law mandated that all members utilize the benefits.
By June, Blue Cross Blue Shield seemed to have decided on next year’s offerings, but later discovered that UCare, the state’s nonprofit health insurer, plans to end all Medicare Advantage contracts by 2026. As many UCare customers switch to Medica, an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 of them are moving to Blue Cross Blue Shield, resulting in an unexpected uptick in membership in Eagan. The insurer has over 500,000 Medicare Advantage members overall.
Blue Cross Blue Shield representatives indicated to Thomas that costs for Tivity’s top-tier service had risen substantially even before the influx of new members.
Possible Workaround
Thomas suggested several options to Blue Cross Blue Shield that could help subsidize or negotiate affordable memberships at YMCA and Lifetime Fitness, but officials indicated any such adjustments wouldn’t occur until 2027 at the earliest.
The YMCA has proposed reduced rates of $77 to $49 per person and $110 to $79 per couple for “Silver Sneakers” members impacted by the UCare and Blue Cross Blue Shield changes.
Medicare Advantage members under Blue Cross Blue Shield still have access to over 200 other gyms in the Twin Cities, as well as the Life Time and YMCA locations in neighboring suburbs. However, various boutique gyms and nursing home facilities have limited hours, lack pools, and offer senior classes infrequently.
“The health benefits of exercise are incredibly well-documented,” said Dr. A. Mark Fendrick, a University of Michigan internal medicine professor specializing in health insurance markets.
Fendrick emphasized, “Research on cognitive health, cardiovascular health, cancer survival, and mental health all indicate that regular exercise leads to better outcomes. More exercise definitely equates to better results.”
