What Is Silver Sneakers & Is the Program Covered by Medicare?

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Free program offered through select Medicare plans

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Provides access to local fitness centers and online fitness classes

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Key Takeaways

• Silver Sneakers is an exercise program designed specifically for older adults.
• The programs offers an extensive catalog of online fitness classes and on-demand fitness videos.
• Silver Sneakers is only free to people with a Medicare Advantage plan and Medigap.
• The user-friendly website makes finding a fitness class to suit your needs and preferences easy.

Making regular exercise a part of your routine is fundamental for your overall health, providing such benefits as reducing your risk of chronic disease, improving your capability for daily tasks, and strengthening your bones and muscles. Unfortunately, a number of barriers can make it difficult for older adults to stay active, including lack of time and facilities, fear of injury, and high costs.

Silver Sneakers addresses these barriers—this program offers access to thousands of fitness centers nationwide, provides in-person workout classes or remote videos for all fitness levels, and is free through Medicare Advantage.

Our Silver Sneakers review dives into everything you need to know about the program, including the fitness classes offered, how to find a class or fitness center near you, and which Medicare Advantage plans offer this benefit. Keep reading to see if Silver Sneakers is right for you.

Why you can trust our Silver Sneakers review

Our Reviews Team conducts in-depth research so we can provide a thorough, comprehensive review of the products and services we test. We conducted research on nutrition, fitness, and overall healthy living to give you the most accurate information. To better understand the usefulness of fitness programs, we:

• Consulted with registered dietitians, nutritionists, and psychologists
• Became familiar with the Silver Sneakers app and website
• Interviewed 20 experts in nutrition, weight management, and nutritional psychology
• Read thousands of customer reviews

Pros and cons

What is Silver Sneakers?

Silver Sneakers is a free program available free to older adults through eligible Medicare Advantage plans. The program provides access to more than 15,000 online exercise classes, on-demand workout videos, and fitness centers across the United States. Silver Sneakers aims to eliminate barriers like cost and accessibility facing older adults seeking out fitness programs.

What does the Silver Sneakers membership include?

The Silver Sneakers membership includes:

• Access to more than 15,000 fitness locations across the country
• Various types of online exercise classes
• Community classes (online or in-person)
• A fitness app called SilverSneakers GO (available on the App Store and Google Play)

Fitness locations

Silver Sneakers gives you free access to participating fitness locations like gyms and community centers. The company’s contact information (address, phone number, and website) will be available when you find a location on the Silver Sneakers website.

Silver Sneakers allows you to take in-person classes at a fitness location near you. You can click through each fitness center to learn more about the classes and amenities. The one downside is a lack of specific class schedules for each fitness center on the Silver Sneakers website. You will have to contact each fitness center to learn more about their specific class schedule to see if the classes fit your needs and preferences.

Live online classes

If there isn’t a convenient Silver Sneakers location near you, you can opt for an online class. About 20–30 classes are available each day, all with various class types and instructors, so you can find something to fit your schedule, exercise preferences, and skill level.

During these classes, you can access a group chat if you wish to connect with other members. You will only see your instructor; no one in the class can see you.

Community classes

In community classes, you can exercise with others who are also part of the Silver Sneakers program. A sense of community might make exercise feel less daunting and more approachable. You may feel more motivated and likely to try something outside your comfort zone if you know others will support and encourage you. Being part of a workout community also helps with consistency—making you more likely to keep showing up to see your friends and enjoy a social connection while exercising.

Community classes are offered online and in person. Generally, in-person community classes aren’t located at traditional fitness centers. You will likely find these classes at a local community center or park. To find an online or in-person community class, enter your ZIP code on the website. You can also filter your results by choosing online, in-person, or all classes.

Silver Sneakers offers more than 80 fitness classes, but they may not be available near you. When we entered our location, 10 class types were available within the next week, including yoga, Zumba Gold, Barre, Tai Chi/Qigong, and chair aerobics.

Workout and nutrition videos

Although there are many live online classes, you may feel more comfortable exercising alone and on your own time. If you prefer this option, workout videos are available whenever you need them. Like in-person or live classes, these workout videos cover a variety of exercises focused on flexibility, balance, cardio, and strength.

As an added bonus, Silver Sneakers also offers nutrition and wellness videos to teach you more about overall health and healthy eating.

What kind of classes are included with Silver Sneakers?

Silver Sneakers has something for every fitness level. If you are new to working out, there are plenty of options for beginners. More challenging options are also available if you’re at an intermediate or advanced level. All of the workouts last 30–45 minutes.

Beginner-friendly classes

We found these Silver Sneakers classes to be great for beginners, people recovering from an injury, and those managing chronic pain:

• Silver Sneakers Classic: During this class, you will build strength while staying seated. The classic workout is broken into segments; some involve handheld weights, elastic tubing with handles, and a soft non-weighted ball. If you don’t have any equipment, don’t worry. The workout can be modified to do without equipment.
• Silver Sneakers Splash: Splash is a fun water exercise class designed for all skill levels and safe for swimmers and non-swimmers alike. You will use a splash board to promote movement and aerobic exercise.
• Fall prevention exercises: These exercises are designed to help reduce your risk of falling. You may be more at risk for falling if you have a health condition like vitamin D deficiency, vision problems, foot pain, lower body weakness, or home hazards (like broken or uneven steps). This workout can help reduce your risk of falls and improve your balance and mobility.

Intermediate classes

If you are looking for slightly more challenging Silver Sneakers workouts, you can try an intermediate class, such as:

• Silver Sneakers Circuit: The circuit workout combines upper-body strength and low-impact cardio while using a chair for support. The class alternates three segments of cardio with three strength segments. While the workout uses handheld weights, elastic tubing with handles, and a non-weighted ball, it can be modified if you don’t have equipment.
• Silver Sneakers BOOM Mind: BOOM Mind classes are similar to yoga, Pilates, and barre, focusing on the relationship between the mind and body. The classes are designed to build endurance and flexibility.
• Bodyweight Bootcamp: Bodyweight Bootcamp doesn’t require any outside equipment, instead focusing on improving strength with bodyweight exercises. Floorwork is often a component of these classes.

Advanced classes

Silver Sneakers’ high-intensity classes are sure to break a sweat. If you’re looking for a challenging workout, try one of the following:

• Silver Sneakers BOOM Move: BOOM Move is a fun dance workout for improving cardio endurance through simple dance moves. The dance steps slowly become more complex as the workout progresses.
• Silver Sneakers BOOM Muscle: In a BOOM Muscle class, you work different muscle groups throughout several groups of exercises. You can expect a workout to tone your muscles and build your strength.
• Yoga Flow: Yoga Flow is more advanced and moves through poses faster than Silver Sneakers’ other yoga classes. It focuses on strength, flexibility, and breath awareness, and floorwork may be included.

A quick guide to all of the Silver Sneakers class types available for all skill levels:

Does Medicare cover Silver Sneakers?

The Silver Sneakers program is covered under most Medicare Advantage plans (also called Part C) and Medigap plans (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance). It is not covered under original Medicare Part A and Part B plans.

Is Silver Sneakers available outside of Medicare Advantage?

There are two main types of Medicare coverage—original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you’re likely eligible for the Silver Sneakers Program. Check with your plan to be sure.

If you have original Medicare, you might not be eligible for Silver Sneakers unless you have additional insurance, called a Medicare Supplement Plan, or Medigap. Use the Silver Sneakers tool to see if your plan covers the program. If you don’t have a Medicare Advantage plan that includes Silver Sneakers, you can access on-demand exercise videos by creating an online Silver Sneakers account.

If you are unsure if your health care plan covers Silver Sneakers, you can see a full list of health plan providers on the website, sorted by state.

UnitedHealthcare Renew Active Program

The UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan offers a program similar to Silver Sneakers called Renew Active. Renew Active provides membership to certain fitness locations at no additional cost.

Renew Active does not include an app or access to online fitness classes. They do have a brain health program through AARP called Staying Sharp. They also offer a Fitbit Community program where members can connect online (you do not need a Fitbit device to join) and access workout videos.

How to sign up for Silver Sneakers

If you have an eligible Medicare plan, you become a Silver Sneakers member by visiting their website (www.silversneakers.com). If you are unsure about your Silver Sneakers eligibility, you can fill out a quick eligibility check on their website. Checking our eligibility took us less than one minute to complete. It will prompt you to enter basic information about yourself (name, birthday, location, and email address), and the website will let you know if you’re eligible.

Once your eligibility is confirmed, you will start the enrollment process by creating an account. When complete, you can print out a membership card to bring to any Silver Sneakers location. As long as you’re logged into your account, you can access online Silver Sneakers classes.

How to find a Silver Sneakers gym near you

To find a Silver Sneakers location, go to the fitness location map on the website and enter your ZIP code, city, or address to find a location near you. You can easily filter locations by class, amenities, and gender:

• Class: Silver Sneakers and BOOM (fast-paced and challenging 30-minute workouts)
• Amenities: Pickleball, cardiovascular equipment, resistance equipment, pool, hot tub/whirlpool, and group exercise
• Gender: Women-only locations

The map’s results are within a 25-mile radius from your location. If you want to see results outside the 25-mile radius, you’ll have to type in a new location. The map does not allow you to drag your cursor around the map to see additional locations further away. This can make it difficult if you travel and want to find a fitness location on the way or near your destination.

When we used the filters for classes in our area, we noticed it was most difficult to find women-only fitness centers and BOOM classes within a reasonable distance. Depending on where you live, you may have difficulty finding a location with these specific amenities.

How to find an online class

To find an online class, go to the Silver Sneakers website and click the “Classes” tab at the top. From there, you can choose between live online classes or on-demand videos.

You can apply several different filters when looking for a fitness class to join. These filters make it easy to sort through all available options and find a class specific to your preferences and skills. You can filter your Silver Sneakers class options based on:

• The type of class (options include cardio, flexibility, kickboxing, Zumba, pilates, line dancing, yoga, and more)
• Date and time of day
• Intensity (beginner, intermediate, and advanced)
• Instructor

How we research and evaluate fitness programs

Based on our expert consultations and research, we determined the following factors to be essential for our readers when signing up for a fitness platform:

• Variety in the types of classes offered
• Widespread availability across states and class times
• Amenities and features
• Ease of use of the app or website

We had all of our reviews medically reviewed by an expert in the field to ensure the information is appropriate for NCOA readers’ needs.

Silver Sneakers customer reviews

Currently, there are no reviews of Silver Sneakers on the Better Business Bureau or Trustpilot. But we could find reviews on the App Store and Google Play. While many reviews talk about the app’s functionality, others also discuss the programming.

Overall, reviewers are happy with the exercises, and described them as approachable and enjoyable. Some older reviews from 2020 and 2021 report technical issues with the app, specifically for guided workouts.

One review from the App Store says, “So far this past week, I’ve joined live workouts for 15 minutes and I’m already starting to feel much better, physically and mentally. I’m 80 years old and had a very bad fall last year which left me unable to exercise for one year. I’m so thankful for being able to work out from home and slowly get moving again.”

Bottom line

Silver Sneakers is a program designed to make exercise classes and workouts at local gyms more accessible for older adults. Although Silver Sneakers is free, it is only available to people with a Medicare Advantage plan or original Medicare plus Medigap.

The website is user-friendly, making finding a fitness location and online class to join easy. You can use the filters to narrow down your results to find a class or location to suit your preferences and skills. It is a little difficult to navigate the fitness location map, though, and you may have difficulty finding a nearby women-only fitness center or BOOM classes. But other than those amenities, you should be able to find a location for you.

Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.

Sources

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Benefits of Physical Activity. Aug. 1, 2023. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity. June 16, 2023. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adding-pa/barriers.html
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 3 Reasons to Work Out With a Friend. July 7, 2022. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/spotlights/workout-buddy.html
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts About Falls. April 12, 2023. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/falls/about/index.html
5. Lau C, et al. Effects of a 12-Week Hatha Yoga Intervention on Cardiorespiratory Endurance, Muscular Strength and Endurance, and Flexibility in Hong Kong Chinese Adults: A Controlled Clinical Trial. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. June 2015. Found on the internet at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4475706/
6. Lipecki K, Rutowicz B. The Impact of Ten Weeks of Bodyweight Training on the Level of Physical Fitness and Selected Parameters of Body Composition in Women Aged 21–23 Years. Polish Journal of Sport and Tourism. June 2015 Found on the internet at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283538191_The_Impact_Of_Ten_Weeks_Of_Bodyweight_Training_On_The_Level_Of_Physical_Fitness_And_Selected_Parameters_Of_Body_Composition_In_Women_Aged_21-23_Years
7. National Institute on Aging. How Can Strength Training Build Healthier Bodies as We Age? June 2022. Found on the internet at https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/how-can-strength-training-build-healthier-bodies-we-age