Silver Sneakers - Page 2

Retiredpsych · ‎09-28-2010

I have Silver Sneakers as a part of my UnitedHealthCare HMO insurance. But...every health-club and Curves in my area has dropped Silver Sneakers because they said that they could never get the money from the insurance company. They would bill the insurance for the client and never get paid. So..I pay a Senior rate at my health club and my Silver Sneakers card sits unused.

terrier3 · ‎03-10-2010

On 10/4/2014 ednapsych said:
I have Silver Sneakers as a part of my UnitedHealthCare HMO insurance. But...every health-club and Curves in my area has dropped Silver Sneakers because they said that they could never get the money from the insurance company. They would bill the insurance for the client and never get paid. So..I pay a Senior rate at my health club and my Silver Sneakers card sits unused.

My local health club sold out to LA Fitness.

They don't accept Silver Sneakers because they said the price point the local insurers wanted was too low.

Perkup · ‎03-09-2010

I'm afraid you're going to find that many programs you once had with Medicare are going to be lost with this new "health care" plan. DH has Humana and has lost two programs - I don't remember which ones. Just the conversation.

My Medicare was under my personal Blue Cross policy, and they discontinued the prescription drug coverage with very short notice. I then had to go to another program, chose Humana, and am now paying an additional $58.00 per month for drug coverage that was previously included with my Blue Cross payments. By the way the Blue Cross monthly fees did not go down when they discontinued drug coverage.

IMHO I will be shocked if you find Silver Sneakers again. Good luck.

terrier3 · ‎03-10-2010

On 10/4/2014 Perkup said:
I'm afraid you're going to find that many programs you once had with Medicare are going to be lost with this new "health care" plan. DH has Humana and has lost two programs - I don't remember which ones. Just the conversation.

My Medicare was under my personal Blue Cross policy, and they discontinued the prescription drug coverage with very short notice. I then had to go to another program, chose Humana, and am now paying an additional $58.00 per month for drug coverage that was previously included with my Blue Cross payments. By the way the Blue Cross monthly fees did not go down when they discontinued drug coverage.

IMHO I will be shocked if you find Silver Sneakers again. Good luck.

FYI - Advantage plans are managed by private insurance companies. Humana, BC/BS are both private companies...they can adjust the products they sell to maximize profits.

They are going to do whatever it takes to make as much profit as they can.

Unlike standard Medicare - they are in the business of generating profits for their stockholders. Why would anyone expect they wouldn't cut every corner they can?

They use the perks to attract new customers during open enrollment. If everyone drops the same perks, like Silver Sneakers, they will all be in a similar marketing position.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

The Advantage plans were an attempt started before Ocare by politicians thinking privatization could do a cheaper job than traditional Medicare even while providing more services.

Just like I didn't think Social Security generally should be privatized (and still don't after twice having my retirement saving decimated before the current admin came to office, I don't think privatization of healthcare works well either.

I don't even think you can blame what's happening in Advantage plans on Ocare. Lots of those companies were in trouble before it started - and, that's in spite of the fact that they start with lots of your tax dollars!

Why can't they make a profit? That's the question we all need to answer - even as a basically healthy retiree, I can tell you all, plan for healthcare problems and costs in your older years. Then if you're healthy and don't need them, you'll have dollars to help others or dollars to play with. Most of us ordinary retirees will not be worrying about having saved too many healthcare dollars.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

On 10/4/2014 Perkup said:
I'm afraid you're going to find that many programs you once had with Medicare are going to be lost with this new "health care" plan. DH has Humana and has lost two programs - I don't remember which ones. Just the conversation.

My Medicare was under my personal Blue Cross policy, and they discontinued the prescription drug coverage with very short notice. I then had to go to another program, chose Humana, and am now paying an additional $58.00 per month for drug coverage that was previously included with my Blue Cross payments. By the way the Blue Cross monthly fees did not go down when they discontinued drug coverage.

IMHO I will be shocked if you find Silver Sneakers again. Good luck.

The government does not tell them what to charge you or what incentives they can or should offer.They are a private business. Don't you people see they are jacking up the prices because they realize that everyone will blame O care instead of them. O care has nothing to do with it.

meem120 · ‎03-09-2010

Check with your local YMCA...they offer it there.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

For everything we get at our YMCA - pool - health club - trainers - classes and much more - I don't mind the $47 a month at all. It is still a bargain. And they suspend it during the summer so we don't have to pay when we aren't there and just resume when we get back home.

smoky22 · ‎05-30-2010

I realize the YMCA has great benefits (I used to belong), but they are a lot more expensive than most other fitness centers. Where I live now the YMCA is just not convenient (over 30 miles away). I'm going to ask the two health clubs I currently go to if they are still going to accept the silver sneakers memberships next year. If they do, then there must be an advantage plan still offering it.