It was all very simple to do. When I turned 65 four years ago, at the Medicare Store I signed up for a plan that was accepted by TV Health Care System. It was United Health Medicare Advantage for 65+. There is no premiums and I get health care from Dr. Raquet at the Brownwood Villages Office behind Traverse Shopping Center. I pay no premiums except for $40 copay for specialist.

In December 2017 United Health had a table set up at the entrance to MVP at Brownwood. They said if you have United Health you can get our membership for free. They said go the the Optum Group website, enter your info, and get a number. On January 2nd 2018 I gave the number to the front desk at MVP and filled out some paperwork. My monthly dues were returned at the end of the month and I've never been charged since.

I believe the Optum Group is now Renew, in fact every month I get a magazine called Renew. I would talk to a United rep and find out, if your a Villages Patient and 65+, why are you paying premiums and why is your MVP membership not free. In the beginning of this plan startup, MVP was signing up 200 new members a day. It really got out of hand, but since most of these new members were not motivated enough to pay to join, they drop out almost as quick as they sign up. MVP is a little more crowded, but it's manageable.

https://www.myrenewactive.com/conten...tness-location

MVP is too crowed, we need more options in TV with the new homes now available.

MVP in Brownwood ,with its one open floor is way too noisy, and they don't have any Nu-step machines, which I like to use-thats why I use the MVP in SS

I have just been recently checking out the local gyms.

MVP Spanish Springs is the most expensive and in the worst conditional of them all. Machines are getting worn, seats are torn, locker rooms facilities are dirty and crudely patched up, showers and shower curtains have mold and badly need attention. Can't they at least buy a $20 can of paint and paint the men's locker room door? This gym is $60 a month and going up around $6 a month in 2020. Starting next year you will not be able to use both facilities under one membership. It is free with United Healthcare and AARP United Healthcare supplement. This a full service gym with lots of programs and is very convenient for most Villagers.

On 441 in Baylee Plaza there is Anytime Fitness. It's $30 month for a 2 year commitment/$40 for 18 months/$50 month for an annual commitment. This gym is free with Silver Sneakers. Machines are in good shape. There are two showers (M+F) but no real locker rooms. There are also two tanning beds. It is not golf cart accessible.

And of course there are the recreation center gyms. Monthly (1-$44 / 3-$119 / 6-$210 / 9-$294 + tax) and annual ($363.49 + tax) memberships are available. This may be important if your insurance gives you a flat rebate towards an annual membership. I have heard these can get rather crowded and they are the only gyms with a 20 minute time limit on threadmills (if busy).

So a lot of your decision should be based on your insurance coverage if the membership costs matter to you. It may give you incentive to join one Medicare Advantage product over another.

Over-simplification. It’s not free with all UHC plans.

Plus, I don’t think MVPin SS is dirty and nasty like you make it sound. It’s a very nice facility that offers a lot that other facilities do not...tons of classes for example.

MVP is too crowded. Always waiting to use a machine or cardio equipment. Classes are also crowded.

On 441/27 in Lady Lake across from Oakwood BBQ is To Your Health Fitness Center. They've been open about two years, they have classes just like MVP, they also have a 60' indoor swimming pool. When they opened they were only $20 a month with automatic credit card, you'll have to call to get the latest rates. They are a local chain with about five locations in central Florida. Here's their website, they also have a facebook page.

http://tooyourhealthspa.yolasite.com/memberships.php

I've been going to MVP Brownwood for 5-1/2 years and for the past month it has been less crowded then it has been in the last two years. I've been able to get a treadmill about 10:30am without waiting, my wife's 11am Zumba class was moved from Room 3 to Room 2 doubling the size of the room. They now have 5 benches instead of three in the free-weight area. I don't have a problem with the crowding.

It is the gazelles that feel out of place in TV. The rhinos feel right at home! :icon_wink:

:1rotfl:

Point of Information: beginning January, 2020, the AARP United Health Medi-Gap plan I am signing up for will include Renue Active so we'll be able to go to a MVP at no additional charge. Checked out Brownwood MVP in the afternoon and there were plenty of empty machines. Looked clean. However, with these additional memberships it could get overwhelmed. Other near-by gyms were also included beginning in 2020 but not at the Rec. Centers.

UHC HMO provides membership to MVP, UHC PPO does not, at least last time I checked.

I've been going to MVP for free courtesy of United Health Medi-gap Villages Plan since January 2018, close to two years now. I've been an MVP paying member since I joined in May 2014. In November of 2017 UHC set up a table at the entrance to MVP to inform all Villagers who have United Health Villages plan and were over 65 that they membership would become free. We were told to go to a UHC Optum Group Website and put in your UHC card number and get an Optum number, which I did on January 1, 2018. Then the next day when MVP reopened I gave the front desk the number. They already charged my monthly dues as normal but three weeks later I got a charge-back on my CC and have never been charged since.

I've been receiving the Renew Magazine for about a year. I believe they changed the program name from Optum to Renew beginning of this year. This is the UHC plan that is accepted by The Villages Medical System, I go to the Brownwood medical facility and Dr. Raquet and pay no premiums. It's the best deal around.

As far as MVP increasing membership due to this plan, that ship has sailed. MVP Brownwood went from a nice quiet little gym to what it is now in the beginning of 2018. Most Villagers took advantage of this freebee back then and MVP was signing up 200 new members a day for quite awhile. They had to hire extra personnel just o give tours, they were coming in non-stop. It has really settled down the last month or so, even with the snowbirds Brownwood is tolerable now and I find many of those who joined because it was free, are not really dedicated to working out and have dropped out.

Is that the UHC Advantage plan?

All I can tell you is I went to the medicare store when I turned 65 four years ago and told them I wanted the plan that has no premiums and it accepted by TV medical offices.

My card has on the front: United Health Care The Villages (health plan 80840) group #82943. PCP - 0, Spec - $40 ER - $90. United Health Medicare Advantage 1 (HMO).

Initially we received cards that said members of Silver Slippers and were told we could go free to Anytime Fitness, Curves, and a few other smaller workout centers. Then in January 2018 as I mentioned in my previous post, they changed the name to Optum and included MVP, and I believe Optum is now Renew.

It's the same as my plan. It is an advantage plan. Thanks