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The Young Men’s Christian Association, better known as the YMCA, provides health and wellness resources and facilities all over the world. This is great for people who need to achieve a healthy lifestyle and prevent developing serious medical conditions.
One question that many seniors have about this organization is, “does Medicare cover YMCA membership?” In this article, we answer that question in clear, plain English. You will also find the average costs of YMCA membership and other helpful info.
Does Medicare Cover YMCA Membership?
The short answer is no. In most cases, Medicare will not cover the cost of YMCA membership. That said, there may be some situations where you can get these costs covered. Below we’ll take a closer look at this to see when you might be able to get Medicare to pay for your YMCA membership.
Original Medicare
Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) does not provide coverage for YMCA membership. That means you will have to pay 100 percent for your YMCA membership. Original Medicare does not provide coverage for YMCA membership because they mainly cover medically necessary services, equipment, and treatment.
Original Medicare does not provide coverage for gym and fitness memberships such as YMCA membership. That is because Original Medicare excludes weight loss supplements and programs from its coverage. The reason for that is because these types of things are viewed as lifestyle choices rather than medically necessary treatment for an illness.
If you are a Medicare beneficiary and you need exercise therapy as part of rehabilitation after a surgical procedure, Original Medicare may provide coverage for it. However, the rehabilitation has to be ordered by your healthcare provider and must take place in a skilled nursing facility or an outpatient treatment program.
Part C Coverage for YMCA Membership
However, Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C) may provide coverage for YMCA memberships. These plans must cover everything that Original Medicare does. However, they go above and beyond and cover things that Original Medicare does not. This can include gym memberships. The specifics of what an Advantage plan will cover and how much these things cost will depend on the plan.
Some Medicare Part C plans provide coverage for gym and fitness memberships such as YMCA memberships. Your Medicare Part C plan may offer gym membership plans or membership discounts for your overall health and wellness. You may either receive direct benefits for YMCA membership or file a reimbursement claim for your out-of-pocket expenses.
How Much Does A YMCA Membership Cost?
Here is a list of YMCA membership fees:
- Family Membership (Up To 2 Adults, 17 Years And Older)
- Initiation Fee (Per Family) $50.00
- Monthly Fee (Per Family) $64.00
- Youth (Ages 12-17)
- Initiation Fee (Per Teen) $0.00
- Monthly Fee (Per Teen) $15.00
- Young Adult (Ages 18-29)
- Initiation Fee (Per Person) (Young Adult) $25.00
- Monthly Fee (Per Person) (Young Adult) $29.00
- Adult (Ages 30 and Above)
- Initiation Fee (Per Person) (Adult) $25.00
- Monthly Fee (Per Person) (Adult) $39.00
Note: Medicare coverage changes all the time. And your specific coverage may vary from plan to plan for Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans. Always be sure to double check with your health care provider and/or Medicare insurance provider about what your plan covers and what it does not.
Additional Info on Medicare Coverage
This article is part of our series on “What does Medicare cover?”
Also, you can check out other articles in this series including: Does Medicare cover laser therapy?
