Joni Robert is loving every minute of being retired. And her BCBSRI Medicare Advantage plan is a big part of that happiness.

"For the last two years, Blue Cross has been enhancing my daily life,” said Joni. “I had a hip injury, and I’m feeling better thanks to the doctor visits and physical therapy covered by my plan. And my fitness benefit includes my gym membership and online exercise classes I can do right at home. It’s really convenient.”

Being a regular at Your Blue Store

For Joni, one of her favorite parts of being a BCBSRI member is taking free classes at Your Blue Store^SM. “I live in Cumberland, so I go to the store in Lincoln all the time,” she said.

Here’s how Joni is making the most of what the store offers.

Choosing her plan
Six months before she retired from nursing, Joni sat down with a BCBSRI representative at the Lincoln store to learn about her Medicare options. “My daughter and her family have Blue Cross, and my son-in-law had told me how helpful the store employees were. So I decided to go there too.”

“I was thrilled to hear that the plan met all my needs and even gave me benefits I wasn’t expecting,” said Joni. “As soon as I was eligible, I went back and signed up.”

Going to free fitness classes
“The last few years of my job, I was working at home and just sitting all day. When I retired, I wanted to be out of the house and exercising. The instructors at the store are just terrific. They customize the classes to everyone—including people who’ve had surgery or have a health issue—and still challenge us,” Joni said. “I do chair yoga every Friday, and I’ve also tried yogalates, butts and guts, and others.”

Taking free healthy living classes
Joni goes to free BCBSRI healthy living classes at the Lincoln store and the Lincoln Senior Center. “I’m a big believer in lifelong learning. I’ve been to classes on everything from preventing back pain to nutrition.”

Joni said that she gets great ideas about healthy cooking from Chef Kevin Millonzi. “He does wonderful demos, offering tips on food safety and low-cost meals. I’ve sampled many of his recipes, including pasta made from lentils. It was so good. At the last demo I attended, I had to leave early to pick up my grandson, and they gave me samples to go!”

Building community
Since she’s at the store so often, Joni has gotten to know many of the other members, particularly those in her chair yoga class. “We all hang out and chat, checking in on how everyone is doing, especially if someone hasn’t been feeling well. We talk about our families and what everyone is going through.”

Find your favorites

Here’s how you can take advantage of the benefits and programs Joni mentioned—plus a few more she recommends.

Take a class at Your Blue Store
Interested in trying the free classes to see if you enjoy them as much as Joni? You can sign up for fitness and healthy living classes by visiting bcbsri.com/events.

Spend the funds on the Flexible Benefit Card
“For sure, I don’t miss out on the OTC benefit,” Joni said. “I spend my money at the pharmacy every quarter. Plus, you get money every year toward dental and hearing!” Find out more about using your Flexible Benefit Card.

Use the fitness benefit
Like Joni, you can exercise at the gym and at home. Choose from 16,500+ national fitness centers and access thousands of digital fitness videos. Visit silverandfit.com or call 1-888-797-8059.*

Join the Steppin’ Out: Fitness Challenge
This September, join this BCBSRI challenge, which is a fun way to connect with each other and move toward better health. As part of the challenge, Joni shares her physical activity in the Your Blue Store Studio Facebook group. “It’s inspiring to see what other members are doing, and it often motivates me to do a little more. Even months after the challenge has ended, people are still sharing their activity each day.” To get started, join the Your Blue Store Studio group. Then, starting in September, share pictures, short videos, or stories about your favorite places to move. You could even win raffle prizes!