Even though Silver Sneakers are involved, this is not a fairy tale. But it does have a happy ending.

Hope (not her real name), a senior member of Mission Valley Aquatics, learned the swim and exercise center was cutting ties with Silver Sneakers, Silver and Active, and Renew Active – all programs related to Medicare, the federal insurance program for those 65 and older. She was concerned because Silver Sneakers was a benefit of her supplemental Medicare insurance and made her access to the pool affordable. 

She immediately emailed the MVA board, and scheduled an appointment with Rayanne Crick, MVA’s executive director.

She also called Humana, her supplementary insurance provider.

“They really did not care,” Hope said. They advised her to find someplace else to swim – perhaps in Kalispell or Missoula.

“Rayanne listened to what I had to say and said she would work on it,” Hope said. 

Crick also hosted a meeting called Coffee, Cookies, and Questions for all the Silver Sneakers seniors involved or concerned about the issue on July 14. Seven people showed up.

In a recent interview, Crick explained the aquatic center’s side of the issue. Leadership at the MVA is working really hard at making ends meet. The pool has been here for 11 years, and there has been a lot of turnover in leadership. 

Crick, who arrived in June as executive director, has been looking at everything about the facility, from safety to finances to classes. 

“One of our biggest promises is that this facility needs to be accessible to all; it’s part of the mission statement,” Crick said. That entails “providing the Mission Valley community with a facility that is accessible to all ages and abilities …”

She has also been looking at MVA from a financial perspective. The nonprofit facility keeps above water with donations and memberships. 

“That’s what’s going to keep us afloat,” she said.

The aquatics center has 1,532 members; 433 of those are seniors, or about 28 percent. Of those, seniors in the Silver Sneakers program comprise 58 percent, Renew Active is 17 percent, and Silver and Fit is 25 percent. 

Monthly memberships for a senior are $50 per couple or $30 per person. Members then pay $7 per class or $32 per month for access to all classes. Temporary memberships and drop-in rates are also available. 

According to Crick,  Silver Sneakers Insurance pays $3 per person per visit.  

If a person comes to MVA to do physical therapy exercises in the therapy pool, then takes a water aerobics class, and then goes to pilates, that would only count as one visit from Silver Sneakers, which would pay MVA $3. 

Crick said the classes are usually billed at $7-$10 per session.

In addition, it takes about three or four times the amount of effort and manpower to process the insurance claims.

“It’s not just sending it (a list of the number of attendees) off, you need to do all kinds of administrative work in order to facilitate the claim,” Crick explained. 

Her solution was to develop a sliding scale, which makes it possible for everyone to afford the pool. Rolled out last week, it already boasts one satisfied customer. “It’s pretty amazing,” Hope said.

For copies of the sliding scale, which is based on state and national poverty rates, or for a financial aid form, check at the MVA front desk or see Crick.  

“We’re not going to turn anyone away,” she said. 

More changes ahead

These changes are part of a larger stream of positive changes at MVA, which Crick describes as “an amazing facility.” 

“This whole pool was state-of-the-art 10 years ago,” she said. “There are not many improvements that need to be made.” 

The center will need to launch a  capital campaign to pay for new decking and new floors in the dressing rooms, “but most of it is beautiful.”  

Crick is also impressed with her staff. 

“My team is really, really strong in leadership skills,” she said.

They recently offered lifeguard training and gained five new lifeguards “who worked hard, passed their exams; they did what they needed to do.”

Crick will also be meeting with the yoga and pilates teachers to plan autumn schedules, and hopes to recruit certified exercise instructors. At the same time, the pool is partnering with Tribal Health on their programming and trying to add more classes for tribal members. 

Family Fun Day, held Saturday, offered lawn games, bouncy houses, and food trucks outside on the lawn. The “Dunk-a-Hero” dunk tank saw the Polson firemen squaring off against the Mission Valley Search and Rescue. Inside the aquatic center was face painting and free swimming. The pool was packed with families having fun.

    What's a party without face or arm painting? A girl gets a fanciful dragon on her arm for good luck during Mission Valley Aquatics Family Fun Day, held Saturday. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
  

    Mission Valley Aquatics hosted a family fun day on Saturday replete with bouncy houses, a dunk tank, and free swimming. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)