Saturday afternoon at the Southdale YMCA in Edina, Minnesota, you could hear feet pounding on treadmills and weighted plates striking each other as people of all ages exercised.

Away from the machines, you could hear the sound of whispers, as senior members try to work out what they're going to do in 2026 after finding out their insurance will no longer cover their gym membership.

This week, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota began telling customers that both the YMCA of the North and Life Time gyms would no longer be covered as of Jan. 1, 2026.

For several years, those chains have been included under the SilverSneakers program, which covers the cost of gym membership for Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare recipients.

According to YMCA leadership, this impacts around 7,800 seniors wh

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