ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Local YMCAs will stop accepting SilverSneakers, the popular health and fitness program for those over the age of 65, come Jan. 1, 2026.
SilverSneakers is included in many Medicare Advantage plans. Thousands of seniors use it to attend local YMCAs but they’ll soon need to either pay for a monthly membership out-of-pocket or find another place to work out.
Penny Colombo and Mary Kessler have been friends for decades. Since they retired from the Greece School District, they meet almost daily at their local YMCA. “I like the Y and I like the swimming classes because I feel like they help me stay limber,” says Colombo. “A lot of people will play cards here, you can go to the other Y’s with the passport now, they have cooking classes, they have book clubs, lunch and learn, they have a lot of…they provide a lot of extra things that are very important for older people,” adds Kessler…