National Independent Health Club Association - NIHCA

Fitness Centers have an opportunity to do business with some of the largest insurance providers and employer groups in the industry! The National Independent Health Club Association works with insurance providers, employer groups and incentive programs that offer a fitness and wellness benefit. We are the clearinghouse that allows individual fitness centers the opportunity to take advantage of these great fitness incentive programs. For insurance providers and employer groups, NIHCA will help manage your fitness incentive programs at the facility level, maintaining the goals and perimeters of each individual program. Participating fitness centers will gain access to an entirely new market – our incentive programs help facilities attract new members and retain their current ones – all without having to offer discounts that hurt your bottom line! Besides being able to offer these great incentives and reimbursement programs, NIHCA members can take advantage of other value-added benefits, such as free webinars and a preferred vendor list. The National Independent Health Club Association, a non-profit organization, has been created to represent independent fitness centers across the nation, work with insurance providers and employer groups on existing or new health management programs.

Q: How does a health plan in Minnesota affect my club?

A: This national health plan has several Minnesota-based Fortune 500 clients with employees located throughout the country. By partnering with NIHCA, they are able to reach out to health clubs outside of the state for nationally known accounts.

Q: How do we begin to enroll members into the program?

A: The process looks like this:

Sign on with NIHCA – this will get you listed immediately as a participating club on our website and on some of the insurance partners!
Staff training information for the enrollment and submission process will be emailed to you following enrollment with NIHCA.
You will receive contact from NIHCA’s secure processor for the data submission process and how it can work for your club!
Inform your current members that you are now offering the fitness incentive programs and get the word out to your area businesses to bring in NEW members.

Q: Who is eligible for the program?

A: Currently, NIHCA works with 16 insurance partners and employer groups. Eligible individuals are notified and will be given a card indicating their eligibility. This will be required upon enrolling in the program. Zip code information on your community, with the number of residents with this plan, can be disclosed by request.

Q: How does the program work?

A: Eligible members who work out the required number of days according to their health plan will see monthly subsidies and/or points (reimbursement) from their incentive plan. Clubs must have a usage tracking mechanism to participate in the program. NIHCA’s secure processor will work with clubs to acquire the specific data transfer requirements.

Q: How will my members receive their reimbursement?

A: The club is responsible to submit a monthly usage count into a secured system called, NIHCArewards. The workout data is collected and verified. Then the member reimbursements are distributed accordingly to you eligible members.

Our secure processor will credit your member's bank account via an ACH.
WIN/WIN = You don’t discount your monthly membership rates. Your member gets paid to get healthier while maintaining a healthy lifestyle!

Q: What do I need to do?

A: Complete the activation form. This will allow your facility to have access up to 16 fitness incentive programs, while also being listed and linked on our websites as a participating fitness center. There is an activation fee to join NIHCA; there are also small monthly processing fees.