Medicare to Reimburse Doctors for Physical Activity Assessments and GLP-1 Medications
Posted: November 7, 2025 in IHRSA
The Health and Fitness Association
WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the first time, Medicare will pay doctors to assess a patient’s physical activity levels as part of routine care. This new policy formally recognizes physical activity and nutrition as vital components of preventive healthcare and integrates them directly into how doctors assess and talk with patients about their overall health.
The change follows joint advocacy from the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) and the Physical Activity Alliance (PAA), including formal comments urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that oversees major national healthcare programs—to recognize physical activity as a measurable part of care and to engage fitness facilities as trusted community partners in prevention and chronic disease management.
The changes:
Annual Wellness Visits: Doctors can now include a physical activity and nutrition risk assessment as part of personalized prevention plans.
Cardiovascular Risk Management: Physical activity is now explicitly listed as a modifiable risk factor in new Medicare cardiovascular risk assessment guidance.
Terminology Shift: CMS replaced “Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)” with “Upstream Drivers,” acknowledging physical activity and nutrition as central to whole-person health.
This policy means doctors will now have both the reason and the support to ask Medicare patients about their physical activity habits—putting “move more” directly into the medical conversation.
With nearly 66 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, this change ensures more older adults hear from their doctors about the importance of being active—reinforcing the critical role of the fitness industry in supporting healthy, active lifestyles.
Bottom line: Medicare will now pay doctors to assess physical activity. That means more conversations about exercise, more recognition of its impact on health, and a stronger connection between the medical system and the fitness industry—helping more Americans move, feel better, and live healthier lives.
Beginning in 2026, doctors will be able to bill Medicare for conducting a physical activity and nutrition assessment every six months.
HFA will continue working with PAA to have CMS and other federal partners expand this foundation into broader reimbursement for exercise counseling, referral, and community-based activity programs.
This is a pivotal step toward a future where exercise is standard medical practice—and our industry is recognized as an essential partner in prevention and health promotion.
The Trump Administration also decided that Medicare would cover GLP-1 medications starting as soon as early 2026. In response, HFA President and CEO Liz Clark released this statement:
“Yesterday’s announcement by the Trump Administration expanding Medicare coverage for GLP-1 medications is an important step toward addressing obesity and chronic disease among older Americans.
“This move builds on recent progress by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which—beginning in 2026—will reimburse physicians for conducting physical activity and nutrition assessments during patient visits, a policy the Health & Fitness Association and our partners at the Physical Activity Alliance strongly advocated for. Together, these efforts signal a meaningful shift toward prevention and lifestyle-based care in our nation’s health system.
“To fully realize their impact, these advances must go hand-in-hand. GLP-1 medications are most effective when paired with structured exercise and behavior change. The next step is clear: Medicare should cover evidence-based physical activity programs and interventions delivered through trusted community partners like fitness centers, studios, and wellness facilities.
“Beyond weight management, regular physical activity—particularly strength training and balance-focused exercise—plays a vital role in preventing falls, the leading cause of injury and loss of independence among older adults. Expanding access to exercise-based prevention programs would not only improve quality of life but also reduce the substantial medical costs associated with fall-related injuries and hospitalizations.
“By connecting medical treatment to physical activity prescriptions and community-based support, we can help more Americans not only lose weight but also gain strength, mobility, and independence—the hallmarks of healthy aging.
The Health & Fitness Association stands ready to work with CMS, HHS, and policymakers to ensure exercise is recognized—and reimbursed—as essential medicine.”
