Insurance-Based Memberships
Your health plan may include a YMCA membership.
Many Medicare and employer health plans cover membership at the Whatcom Family YMCA through one of the fitness programs below. Your eligibility depends on your insurance provider and plan.
Check Your Eligibility
Learn More
Silver&Fit Premium is offered through many Medicare plans and group retiree plans. We accept the Premium level only, so check with your plan to confirm it covers Silver&Fit Premium.
Learn More
Renew Active is offered through UnitedHealthcare Medicare plans. You'll need your confirmation code, which you can find in your UnitedHealthcare account or by calling the number on the back of your insurance card.
Changes Coming in 2027
Kaiser Permanente: Kaiser Medicare Advantage plans, which currently include Y membership through One Pass, will not be offered in Whatcom County in 2027. If you're choosing a new plan during Open Enrollment, ask whether it includes Silver&Fit Premium or Renew Active.
UnitedHealthcare: UnitedHealthcare is offering fewer Medicare Advantage plans in Washington in 2027. Call the Member Services number on your Annual Notice of Change letter to find out if your plan will still include Renew Active.
Regence: Regence plans are moving from Silver&Fit Premium to Silver&Fit Basic in 2027, which means Y membership will no longer be fully covered. Stop by our front desk and we'll help you explore your options.
Free Medicare help: Washington's SHIBA program offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Call 800-562-6900 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) or find SHIBA help near you.
Finding the Right Fit for You
While we at the Y would love to accept every insurance company's plan, it is up to each insurance company to choose which fitness programs its plans include. Since every plan is different, your provider is the best place to learn what you're eligible for.
Whichever plan you have, partnered or not, we'll be glad to welcome you. If your plan isn't one we accept, please explore our other membership options or learn about financial assistance to find the right fit for you.
Let's Get Started
- Call your insurance provider's Member Services number to confirm your fitness benefit for 2027, including whether it covers the Premium level.
- Get your confirmation or Fitness ID number.
- Visit the Whatcom Family YMCA front desk at 1256 N State Street in Bellingham with that number and a photo ID, and we'll get you set up.
Open Enrollment tip: Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7. It's a great time to ask your plan about fitness benefits for 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Insurance can be confusing. Here are answers to the questions we hear most. Click a question to see the answer.
How does an insurance-based membership work?
Some health plans include a fitness benefit. Your plan partners with a fitness program, like Silver&Fit or Renew Active, and that program pays the Y when you visit. You don't pay the Y directly. You just bring your confirmation or Fitness ID number to our front desk to get started.
Which programs does the Whatcom Family YMCA accept?
We currently accept Silver&Fit Premium and Renew Active. If your plan uses a different fitness program, the Y may not be included.
What's the difference between Premium and Basic?
Fitness programs like Silver&Fit sort the gyms in their network into levels. The Basic (or Standard) level covers lower-cost gyms, and the Premium level covers full-service facilities like the Y.
The Y doesn't choose its level. The fitness program decides which level each facility belongs to, and your insurance company decides which levels your plan covers. If your plan only covers the Basic or Standard level, Y membership usually isn't included, or you may be asked to pay part of the cost yourself.
When you call your plan, ask specifically whether it covers the Premium level.
Does Original Medicare include a fitness benefit?
No. Original Medicare, through the federal government, doesn't include a fitness benefit. Fitness benefits usually come through Medicare Advantage plans offered by private insurance companies, and some group retiree plans include them too.
Why does my coverage change from year to year?
Insurance companies review their plans every year. A company might stop offering a plan in certain counties, switch to a different fitness program, move from the Premium level to the Basic level, or drop its fitness benefit altogether.
When your plan changes, it must send you an Annual Notice of Change letter in September or October. Changes take effect January 1, which gives you time to compare plans during Open Enrollment.
Why doesn't the Y know what's changing with my plan?
Health plans share benefit changes directly with their members, not with the public, and fitness programs can't share that information with us either. Your Annual Notice of Change letter is the most accurate source. If you learn something about your plan, we'd love to hear it. It helps us support other members in the same situation.
Can the Y recommend a Medicare plan?
We can't recommend a specific plan, but we're happy to share which fitness programs we accept. It's up to you to confirm with your current or future plan whether it covers Y membership.
Where can I get help choosing a plan?
SHIBA: Washington's Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors offer free, unbiased Medicare counseling. They can help you compare plans but can't enroll you. Call 800-562-6900.
Medicare brokers: A licensed Medicare broker can help you compare plans and enroll in the one you choose. Their help is free to you, since brokers are usually paid by the plan you pick.
I have insurance through my employer. Does it cover the Y?
Some employer plans include a fitness benefit, but many ask you to pay part of the cost. Check whether your plan includes Silver&Fit Premium or Renew Active. If it uses a different program, ask our front desk team to help you compare it with our other membership options.
What if my plan no longer covers the Y?
You're still welcome here. Our team will help you find a membership that fits, and our financial assistance program can make membership more affordable. Stop by the front desk or call us anytime.
Still have questions? Call the Whatcom Family YMCA at 360-733-8630. We're looking forward to seeing you at the Y!