Aetna Gym Membership 2027: SilverSneakers, Discounts and Reimbursement
Reviewed October 17, 2026. Aetna’s gym membership benefit for Medicare members is SilverSneakers. Aetna says it continues to offer a SilverSneakers basic fitness membership to all individual Medicare Advantage members at no additional cost for 2027, with access to thousands of gyms, community classes and online workouts. Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) members and drug-only (Part D) plan members don’t get it.
Quick answer: If you have an individual Aetna Medicare Advantage plan in 2027, get your 16-digit SilverSneakers member ID on the SilverSneakers website or by calling SilverSneakers at 1-855-627-3795, then show it at a participating gym. You pay $0 for the basic membership. If you have Aetna insurance through work or a commercial plan, you don’t get SilverSneakers; instead you get a gym discount program you sign in to through your Aetna member site. Open Enrollment for 2027 Medicare plans runs October 15 to December 7, 2026.
Does Aetna Medicare pay for a gym membership in 2027?
Yes, for most members. In its October 3, 2026 announcement of 2027 plans, Aetna (a CVS Health company) said: “We continue to offer a SilverSneakers basic fitness membership to all individual MA members at no additional cost.” A footnote adds that SilverSneakers is not available for I-SNP members. (CVS Health, October 2026)
The benefit is the same kind Aetna offered in 2026. Its 2026 announcement also promised a SilverSneakers basic membership to all individual Medicare Advantage members, with the same I-SNP exclusion. (CVS Health, October 2025) Aetna’s fitness page adds that the benefit isn’t part of stand-alone Part D plans, and that employer group retiree plans may differ. (Aetna: Gym memberships and fitness classes)
Original Medicare doesn’t include it. Medicare.gov says Medicare doesn’t cover gym memberships or fitness programs; some Medicare Advantage plans, other Medicare health plans and Medigap policies include them as an extra. (Medicare.gov)
What the Aetna SilverSneakers membership includes
According to Aetna’s fitness page, the SilverSneakers basic membership includes:
- Access to thousands of participating gyms and fitness locations
- Instructor-led group classes (some locations offer additional classes; classes vary by location)
- Classes at community centers and parks
- SilverSneakers LIVE online classes and On-Demand workout videos
- Live online mental enrichment classes
- The SilverSneakers GO app
- At-home fitness kits for members who prefer to work out at home
The 2027 Summaries of Benefits we checked describe the benefit the same way: “$0 copay for the fitness benefit when you use our authorized vendor, SilverSneakers,” a basic membership at any participating SilverSneakers facility, online classes, and one at-home fitness kit per year. The “basic” membership doesn’t include premium services a gym may sell separately, such as personal training or premium-tier classes.
2027 Aetna plan examples
Fitness wording is the same across most plans, but other extras differ. These examples come from Aetna’s 2027 Summaries of Benefits. Benefits vary by plan and county, so check your own plan.
| 2027 plan | Fitness benefit | Other fitness-related extras |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna Medicare Eagle (PPO) H5521-279 (SC, TN) | SilverSneakers basic membership, $0; one home kit per year | OTC allowance $30 per quarter (not listed for fitness) |
| Aetna Medicare Eagle (PPO) H5521-351 (Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties, UT) | SilverSneakers basic membership, $0; one home kit per year | Direct member reimbursement allowance of $300 per quarter listed under fitness benefits; unused amounts don’t roll over (see the plan’s EOC for eligible uses) |
| Allina Health Aetna Medicare Value (PPO C-SNP) H3219-016 | SilverSneakers basic membership, $0; one home kit per year | Varies; see the plan’s Summary of Benefits |
How to use your Aetna gym membership
- Check your plan. Look for “fitness” or “SilverSneakers” in your 2027 Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage, or call the member services number on your Aetna ID card.
- Get your SilverSneakers member ID. Use the eligibility tool on the SilverSneakers website, or call SilverSneakers at 1-855-627-3795 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.). Aetna says you’ll get a 16-digit member ID. (Aetna)
- Find a location. Search participating gyms on the SilverSneakers site or app. (SilverSneakers: How it works)
- Show your ID at the gym. The gym checks your eligibility and sets up your basic membership at $0.
- Order a home kit through SilverSneakers if you’d rather work out at home (one per year in the 2027 plans we checked).
Aetna gym membership discount (non-Medicare plans)
Aetna members with insurance through an employer or an individual plan don’t get SilverSneakers. Aetna’s discounts page lists “gym memberships and fitness programs” among its member discounts: savings on gym memberships, virtual fitness programs, apparel, wearables and yoga gear, with “no referrals, forms to fill out or waiting for reimbursement.” Family members can use them too. You find the current offers by signing in to your Aetna member website and opening the health and wellness discounts section. Aetna notes that discount offers aren’t insurance, aren’t guaranteed and may end at any time. (Aetna: Member discounts)
Aetna doesn’t publish one national price for the discount program on its public pages, so check the price shown after you sign in before you join a gym.
Does Aetna reimburse gym memberships?
Usually not in cash. For Medicare Advantage members, the main benefit is the $0 SilverSneakers membership. Some 2027 plans add a separate fitness allowance; for example, Aetna Medicare Eagle (PPO) H5521-351 lists a $300-per-quarter direct member reimbursement allowance under its fitness benefits. The 2027 Summaries of Benefits also say that if you use a fitness vendor other than SilverSneakers, you pay up front and can ask for reimbursement at a lower rate, up to the allowable amount. Your plan’s Evidence of Coverage spells out what qualifies.
The Aetna Medicare Extra Benefits Card, now “powered by CVS Flex Benefits” for 2027, pays for OTC items and, on some plans, groceries or utilities. Aetna’s official materials don’t list gym fees as an eligible card purchase. See our guide to the Aetna Extra Benefits Card and OTC allowance and the Aetna healthy food card.
How Aetna compares with other carriers’ fitness programs
| Carrier (Medicare Advantage) | Fitness program |
|---|---|
| Aetna | SilverSneakers basic membership (all individual MA plans except I-SNP) |
| Humana | SilverSneakers on most plans; see Humana gym membership |
| UnitedHealthcare | Renew Active; see Renew Active explained |
| Wellcare | See Wellcare gym membership |
For the differences between the two big programs, read Silver&Fit vs SilverSneakers. Veterans should also see Medicare vs TRICARE for SilverSneakers.
Choosing a 2027 Aetna plan for fitness
Because SilverSneakers comes with every individual Aetna Medicare Advantage plan, fitness alone won’t separate one Aetna plan from another. Compare the things that change: premiums, out-of-pocket maximum, doctor network, drug costs, dental and OTC allowances. Aetna offers 2027 Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage in 41 states and Washington, D.C. (CVS Health) Our Aetna Medicare Advantage plans guide covers the plan types. Changes you make during Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7, 2026) start January 1, 2027. (Medicare.gov)
Aetna phone numbers
- SilverSneakers: 1-855-627-3795, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Aetna Medicare Advantage members: 1-844-979-3435 (TTY 711), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week (Aetna member services); your ID card may show a plan-specific number
- 2027 plan information: 1-844-588-0041 (TTY 711), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week (Aetna 2027 announcement)
Frequently asked questions
Does Aetna Medicare include SilverSneakers in 2027?
Yes. Aetna says all individual Medicare Advantage members get a SilverSneakers basic fitness membership at no additional cost in 2027. I-SNP members and stand-alone Part D members are excluded.
Is the Aetna gym membership free?
The SilverSneakers basic membership is $0 for eligible Aetna Medicare Advantage members. Extra services a gym charges for, such as personal training, aren’t included. Commercial Aetna members get discounts, not a free membership.
What gyms take Aetna SilverSneakers?
Any participating SilverSneakers location. Participating gyms change, so search the SilverSneakers location finder with your ZIP code before you go.
Does Aetna have a gym membership reimbursement?
Some plans do. In 2027, Aetna Medicare Eagle (PPO) H5521-351 lists a $300-per-quarter reimbursement allowance under fitness benefits, and plans may partly reimburse a non-SilverSneakers fitness vendor. Check your Evidence of Coverage.
Can I use my Aetna Extra Benefits Card at the gym?
Aetna’s official materials don’t list gym fees as an eligible card purchase. Use your SilverSneakers membership for gym access.
This article is general information. Medicare365 is an independent website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Aetna, CVS Health, SilverSneakers or any U.S. government agency. Benefits vary by plan and county; check your plan’s Evidence of Coverage or call the number on your member ID card.
Sources
- CVS Health: Aetna 2027 Medicare plans announcement (October 2026)
- CVS Health: Aetna 2026 Medicare Advantage announcement
- Aetna: Gym memberships and fitness classes
- Aetna 2027 Summaries of Benefits: H5521-279, H5521-351, H3219-016 (available through Aetna’s plan document finder)
- Aetna: Member discounts
- Aetna: Medicare member services
- SilverSneakers: How it works
- Medicare.gov: Gym memberships and fitness programs