Your stand-alone
Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) only provides coverage for your prescription medications and probably does not include a fitness benefit.
However, many
Medicare Advantage plans do include fitness program coverage. Please remember that, as you review Medicare Advantage plan options, there are two types of plans: Medicare Advantage
plans with a prescription drug benefit (MAPDs) or Medicare Advantage
plans without prescription coverage (MAs).
Please note: If you wish to have both a Medicare Advantage plan and prescription
drug coverage, you will need to seek either
(1) a Medicare Advantage HMO
or PPO or PFFS plan that includes prescription coverage (MAPD)
or
(2) a
PFFS Medicare Advantage plan (MA) that does not include prescription
coverage, plus join a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan.
Important: You
cannot join a Medicare Advantage HMO or PPO plan (MA) and join a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan.
All Medicare Advantage plans (MAs and MAPDs) provide coverage for your
Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B benefits -- and sometimes include limited
dental and/or vision and/or Health/Fitness club coverage.
Unfortunately, the Medicare Advantage plan Summary of Benefits documents may not include the specific term "Silver Sneakers" and instead just mention "Fitness Coverage" or some other general description in the plan details.
The good news is that you can learn more about the Medicare plans specifically offering Silver Sneaker coverage from the Silver Sneaker site.
Silver
Sneakers has an online system to help you find a Medicare plan in your area
that covers their fitness benefit, and you
can find the Silver Sneakers Health Plan tool here:
tools.silversneakers.com/Eligibility/HealthPlans
To
begin, just choose your state from the list and then you will see a list
of Medicare plans in your state that cover the Silver Sneakers program.
You can even click on the
Medicare plan names for more plan details and plan contact information.
If you are looking for additional coverage and benefits, you may also
want to contact your insurance carrier and ask about Medicare Advantage
plans that include a prescription drug benefit (the telephone number is
on the back of your Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan Member ID
card).
The Bottom Line: If you are seeking other insurance coverage
along with prescription medications (such as fitness coverage or
Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B coverage) , you may want to
consider a Medicare Advantage plan that
includes prescription drug coverage (MAPD). Just be sure you
understand the benefits and disadvantages of a MAPD plan before
enrolling. You can click here for more of the pros and cons of a
Medicare Advantage plan:
"
Is there really any difference between a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan and a Medicare Advantage Plan?"