As we have talked with clergy in the Conference, a common question has come up: Does the Benefits Office reimburse gym memberships for clergy? The short answer is that we do not provide financial reimbursement for gym memberships. It is certainly something we could consider. However, we always want to support people immediately, so we wanted to share that there is a program for clergy enrolled in our active health insurance program through Blue Cross Blue Shield that offers discounts on gym memberships.
This program, called Blue365, offers discounts on a variety of items; however, this month, we want to emphasize that it collaborates with several partners to provide gym memberships. By accessing your BCBS account (if you don’t have one, create it) and clicking on Blue365 (you can even do this in the BCBS app on your phone), then selecting Fitness Deals, you will discover available gym discounts.
These discounts can make gyms as affordable as $20 per month. While it isn’t the same as the Benefits Office actually covering the gym membership costs, it is a savings opportunity for you. This option is only available to participants in our active BCBS plan, so we will continue to explore ways to make gym memberships accessible for those who want and would use them. However, this is one option for our BCBS participants.
If you need help navigating Blue365, please reach out to our office; we’d be glad to help you.
Last Updated on March 27, 2025