To accept Silver&Fit and Active&Fit members, a gym joins the ASH Fitness network run by American Specialty Health. You apply by email or phone, and there are no application or contract fees. The program you join matters, because some ASH programs pay you for members and others are discounts the member pays for.
The four programs
- Silver&Fit is a Medicare fitness benefit.
- Active&Fit Enterprise covers employer and commercial plan members ages 18 to 64. Members may pay a nominal fee.
- Active&Fit Direct is offered through a sponsor, but the member pays the full cost, about $28 a month plus a $28 enrollment fee.
- Active&Fit Now is open to the general public.
Silver&Fit and Active&Fit Enterprise are subsidized by a health plan or employer. Direct and Now are discount programs. Discount programs carry the most risk for a gym, because a current member may be able to pay the network a low fee instead of paying you.
How gyms get paid
According to a 2022 ASH flyer, gyms receive a monthly membership reimbursement within 30 days for each utilized member. Pay is per active member, not per visit. ASH doesn’t publish the rate, so ask for it in writing, along with exactly what counts as a utilized member.
ASH also runs two networks, Premium and Standard. If you run a boutique studio or charge premium prices, ask to be placed in the Premium network.
In North Carolina
- WellCare NC Medicaid offers Active&Fit. Members 18 and older must complete two healthy activities before the benefit starts, and lose it after two inactive months.
- The NC State Health Plan, which covers about 740,000 people, offers an Active&Fit discount. Members pay for it themselves.
How to apply
Email FITLead@ashn.com or call 877-329-2746, option 5, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM Pacific. ASH also has an online form at ashlink.com/joinournetwork/fitness, but email or phone is the more direct route.
ASH’s website terms are the user agreement for its portal, not the gym contract, and they choose California law and courts. Ask whether the participation agreement you sign has the same clause, and have a lawyer review it before you sign.
At the front desk
Each adult member has their own ASH Fitness ID, 7 to 9 digits long, which you verify in ASH’s system. Silver&Fit members who aren’t sure they’re eligible can check at silverandfit.com.
Questions to ask before you join
- What is the monthly reimbursement per utilized member for Silver&Fit and Active&Fit Enterprise in my state?
- Can I join only the subsidized programs and skip Active&Fit Direct and Active&Fit Now?
- Can my current full-price members switch into a program?
- Do I qualify for the Premium network?
- Can I accept WellCare NC Medicaid and State Health Plan members?
- Does the participation agreement use California law and courts, like the website terms?
The short answer
If ASH fits your gym, focus on Silver&Fit and Active&Fit Enterprise, where a plan or employer subsidizes the member. Get the reimbursement rate in writing, ask for the Premium network if you’re a premium gym, and find out whether you can stay out of the discount programs before you sign.
Common questions
Who runs Silver&Fit and Active&Fit?
American Specialty Health, through its ASH Fitness network. Silver&Fit is for Medicare members, and the Active&Fit programs are for employer, commercial, some Medicaid, and general public members.
How does ASH pay gyms?
According to a 2022 ASH flyer, gyms get a monthly membership reimbursement within 30 days for each utilized, or active, member, rather than a payment per visit. ASH doesn't publish the rate, so ask what counts as utilized.
How does a gym apply to ASH Fitness?
Email FITLead@ashn.com or call 877-329-2746, option 5, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM Pacific. ASH charges no application or contract fees.
PayerFit is independent. We aren't paid by any network we write about. Network terms change, so confirm the details with the network before you sign.