This is part of an ongoing series for Bronx writers to share their personal stories on the state of healthcare in America.

By Miriam Helbok, June 11, 2018

Late in 2017 I received a letter from AARP Medicare Complete Mosaic, my medical insurer since my retirement, stating that the Montefiore Hospital Medical Center would not renew its contract with that plan in 2018. Since my excellent primary doctor of many years and others among my physicians are associated with Montefiore, I opted to join a different plan, HealthFirst, which is connected with Montefiore. As a result I lost one of the best benefits offered by the AARP plan: membership in the Silver Sneakers program, through which insured seniors can use any of thousands of Silver Sneakers-affiliated neighborhood gyms in the United States free of charge.

The physical, mental, and emotional benefits that people of all ages get from regular exercise have been demonstrated in countless scientific studies....

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