UHC Bringing Back Fitness in Many States

Dennis46c: Im not ripping UHC or any other company...But in a general sense I find a lot of seniors focus on the minutia of a gym membership vs coinsurance, copays, or in network verses out of network coverage for services. The focus becomes on the Medicare C dental package or the gym membership. It becomes ridiculous. How about focusing on things that can really impact your bottom dollar...LIKE in network national coverage or out of network coverage...I love it when seniors become experts on their dental or gym memberships but know nothing about their MEDICAL benefits and how the medical portion works. Thats STOOPID to me. Brother Dennis, chill and laugh..
 
Yeah he’s not saying you’re stupid. He’s right in when he says a lot of clients will call me and say they want a plan with more dental, vision, Silver sneakers etc.
without regard to the actual plan benefits.
 
Why is it "Stoopid"? I buy a plan based on coverage and benefits, I do my due diligence. I joined a gym last year because of Silver Sneakers. UHC informed their customers they were switching to Optum Fitness and it was the same, providing free gym memberships. Turns out it wasn't the same so they were falsely marketing benefits (they have corrected). That is wrong. I buy a car and pay for a radio installed, I expect the radio. I bought the plan based on the coverage, not a gym membership. However, when they tell me I also get a free membership, I think it is stupid to pay for the same gym membership I am told I will get for free. It is included in the plan I pay for.

I switched plans to UHC Medicare Advantage plan. Before switching I was told that they now have Optum Fitness instead of Silver Sneakers. This was a concern for me as I am disabled and use the aqua fitness classes for my back. I was assured by the rep that everything including classes will be the same and there will be even better things coming with Optum Fitness. Well I was deceived because I had back surgery a few months ago and two weeks ago went back to my rec center (they take Optum) to get my new card. I was told I can use the pool but am no longer able to join the classes for free. I was told the classes were only for Silver Sneakers people. The lady at the rec center told me the Optum people were in the facility at the beginning of the year and arguing with them that all the people with Optum should be getting the same benefits. The rec told them nope and the attorneys agreed. So here Optum knows about this and now I have to pay for my classes. I called UHC and was told they do have complaints about this. I hope at open enrollment UHC goes back to Silver Sneakers if not then I will be looking for a new plan. I am so disappointed though because there is nothing I can do. You said in your post that they have corrected this. The rep I talked to at UHC said there is nothing I can do. Do you have other info?
 
I switched plans to UHC Medicare Advantage plan. Before switching I was told that they now have Optum Fitness instead of Silver Sneakers. This was a concern for me as I am disabled and use the aqua fitness classes for my back. I was assured by the rep that everything including classes will be the same and there will be even better things coming with Optum Fitness. Well I was deceived because I had back surgery a few months ago and two weeks ago went back to my rec center (they take Optum) to get my new card. I was told I can use the pool but am no longer able to join the classes for free. I was told the classes were only for Silver Sneakers people. The lady at the rec center told me the Optum people were in the facility at the beginning of the year and arguing with them that all the people with Optum should be getting the same benefits. The rec told them nope and the attorneys agreed. So here Optum knows about this and now I have to pay for my classes. I called UHC and was told they do have complaints about this. I hope at open enrollment UHC goes back to Silver Sneakers if not then I will be looking for a new plan. I am so disappointed though because there is nothing I can do. You said in your post that they have corrected this. The rep I talked to at UHC said there is nothing I can do. Do you have other info?

If you bought you health insurance plan based on you gym membership you probably bought the wrong plan
 
If you bought you health insurance plan based on you gym membership you probably bought the wrong plan

Well considering you do not know me at all. And considering that I was in the insurance business for 30 before becoming disabled and have had 4 back surgeries as well as cancer I bought my plan based on everything that I needed in a plan. However, one of my needs was a membership to our recreation center that I had for years with Silver Sneakers. See if I had to do aqua therapy with the plan I would have to pay $25 per visit. With Silver Sneakers classes are free. I was told UHC switched to Optum Fitness and it is going to cover everything and more then Silver Sneakers. I saw that my recreation center was on the plan and I was very pleased. Come to find out just recently (my fourth back surgery was in February) when I went to change my card from Silver Sneakers to Optum that I am unable to attend the classes. So I was only speaking of the Optum Fitness vs Silver Sneaker in my post, nothing else. So shame on you for making an assumption that I probably purchased the wrong plan because on of the items that I wanted was to be able to go to the classes at my recreation center.
 
It isn't the same in Kentucky. I was using Planet Fitness at no cost to me. Eff 1/1/2018, with Optum Fitness, will have to pay $99 for my no cost membership. They charge 50% basic monthly amount and charge the $39 annual fee for Optum Fitness senior customers. Per one location, Optum only pays half of the membership while Silver Sneakers was paying full amount, so they are charging the difference to the customer. PF is listed on the Optum site as providing the membership at no cost, they just don't honor it.
Many of us were lead to believe that Optum Fitness was going to be great. It is not. I had similar issues as you have had. And when I talked to a rep at UHC he said many others have had the same issues. It is very frustrating when the people selling the plan were mislead so they mislead you. The rep from UHC said they also believed it would be the same as SS. He said he told people the same and now feels bad that he was mislead as well. Please continue to post. Do not let anyone on here intimidate you because they probably work for Optum Fitness. Believe me they do troll the accounts. And then there are others who are just plain mean. I appreciate your post as it concurs to what happened to me. Have a great day!!
 
I have always been told that Silver sneakers only covers the basic membership at the gym. No extra classes or anything. Optum fitness covers the same basic gym membership.

I wonder if the gym or something got mixed up
 
I have always been told that Silver sneakers only covers the basic membership at the gym. No extra classes or anything. Optum fitness covers the same basic gym membership.

I wonder if the gym or something got mixed up
At the recreation centers in my city, and the next two cities over all have Silver Sneaker classes listed on their websites. They are free for those who have silver sneakers. This has been around for years. You can go to Medina Recreation Center in Medina Ohio and you can see all that is offered. I no longer can go to these classes being a Optum Fitness member. The recreation center did not get mixed up.
 
In my experience, I've learned that a vast majority of my clients don't care about the health club memberships. I always tell them about it when selling plans, and I ask..."is that something you think you might use?? 90% of the time they say "NO...but do you offer dental?"
 
In my experience, I've learned that a vast majority of my clients don't care about the health club memberships. I always tell them about it when selling plans, and I ask..."is that something you think you might use?? 90% of the time they say "NO...but do you offer dental?"
Yep well that is why we have unhealthy people. Even the insurance companies offer incentives to live a healthy lifestyle and to exercise. I guess, since I have been going to the city recreation center, that I have met people who are interested in maintaining this type of lifestyle and do care about the memberships. But for those that do want the memberships which for you is 10% of your business you should know the options that are out there and give those people clear and concise and factual information. I was not provided that when I asked about this Optum Fitness program that UHC has. Shame on that rep and shame on UHC for providing the reps with misinformation.
 
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