What’s the deal?
Fitness is increasingly being recognized as a core component of preventative healthcare. Insurance companies are recognizing that more $ spent up front to cover movement activities means less $ spent down the line. Simply put, there is a real ROI (return on investment) in movement.
Why now, hasn’t movement always been considered medicine?
Yes, but there’s been a number of cultural and system realignments brewing at the same exact time to make the relationship undeniable. ⬇️
the mental health crisis has highlighted movement as a highly accessible mood regulator
private sector businesses have begun to integrate wellness offerings into their compensation packages, proving the correlation between wellness and productivity
chronic illnesses like diabetes, depression and heart disease are on the rise and movement / lifestyle is a known factor
technology has made movement into something that can be quantified and measured so correlation data is easier to validate
more research into women’s health including the impact movement can have on bone density, hormone regulation and menstrual cycle symptom relief
Where is this change already showing up?
All over subtly but one clear signal is popular Pilates equipment brand Balanced Body now accepts HSA/FSA funds (pre-tax funds that are traditionally reserved for doctor prescribed medication and treatments). The same goes for wellness platforms like Alo Moves and Oura, signaling a shift in how fitness and recovery tools are being recognized as legitimate health expenses rather than personal luxuries.
The data doesn’t lie.
Conclusions from this study demonstrate what has long been believed which is movement is literally medicine. The study looked at two groups of colon cancer patients, one which was prescribed 150 minutes of movement per week for 3 years and the control group which was not. In the study, colon cancer patients who followed a strict fitness regimen saw:
28% lower risk of developing new cancers
37% reduction in recurrence of their original cancer
What’s next?
With movement proving its impact on everything from cancer recovery to hormone regulation, we’re on the edge of a new era: one where your workouts might be prescribed, reimbursed, and tracked like medical care.
This is a future where personal trainers (not just physical therapists), pilates instructors and gyms could accept health insurance as a legitimate form of payment. We believe the question isn’t if your workout will be reimbursed, it’s when.
Glow On.