Pro Tip: To learn more about this life-saving technology, check out my pick for this year’s best medical alert system.
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Medical Care Alert provides independent adults with reliable monitoring systems that work both inside the home or away. With 24/7 U.S.-based monitoring centers, Medical Care Alert is known for its customer service and EMT and EMD-certified operators that can respond to any emergency.
Apart from great customer care, Medical Care Alert offers several quality devices. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.
Pro Tip: To learn more about this life-saving technology, check out my pick for this year’s best medical alert system.
In-Home System | $27.45 per month |
Mobile System | $32.04 per month |
Most Affordable System | $27.45 per month |
Fall Detection | $10 per month |
Extra Users | Free |
Protection Plan | $5 per month |
Currently, Medical Care Alert offers three different systems designed for use in the home, outside of the home, or somewhere in between. All of them can be paired with fall detection for an additional $10 per month.
This system starts at $27.45 per month and is great for adults who spend a lot of time at home and want to enjoy their independence. The system comes with a sensitive whole-house, two-way speakerphone and a wearable. With shower-safe buttons that come as either a pendant or wristband, these accessories don’t require charging. Users can easily plug the system into a landline connection or choose the optional cellular system instead.
The connectivity range is approximately 1,000 feet from the base unit, providing users with reassurance when they’re walking in other areas in the home. As a perk, with the system’s annual plan, you’ll get a free EMS lockbox where you can set up a four-digit combination in case emergency responders need to enter your home. You can opt for either the landline or cellular medical alert system for this plan.
Perfect for active and on-the-go users, the HOME & AWAY ULTRA has GPS and Wi-Fi location tracking with optional fall detection. The system includes a two-way voice pendant, charging station, and an optional RemoteCare 24/7 Smartphone app for caregivers.
When the system is activated, you’ll get 24/7 monitoring and immediate help from trained EMT/EMS certified operators. At $36.62 per month, this system has a locked-in rate and no activation fees. With its long-lasting battery life, this mobile medical alert system is lightweight, compact, and comes with either AT&T or Verizon 4G LTE Wireless cellular connectivity.
To learn more about this system, check out my Medical Care Alert review.
Starting at $32.04 per month, this system has a 600-foot range from the base station and is intended for “mildly active” users that enjoy activities such as visiting neighbors or gardening. It’s also a great choice for couples who want to stay monitored and protected. This system consists of a base station as well as an alert necklace for adults who like to have the freedom to do certain outdoor activities.
The system can include up to four pendants that can be added with no extra monitoring fees. You can add your spouse or others in the home with an extra alert pendant added on for $60. To carry your emergency button, you can choose from a belt clip, breakaway lanyard, or a wristband/wheelchair strap holder. The setup for the HOME & YARD system is the same as the HOME system, with some variations.
FYI: As a general tip, it’s important to switch out and charge the battery in your pendant once a month when you get a message that states that your “battery is low.”
System | HOME Medical Alert System | HOME & AWAY Ultra Mobile Medical Alert System | HOME & YARD Medical Alert System |
---|---|---|---|
Monthly Price | $27.45 per month | $36.62 per month | $32.04 per month |
Initial Fees | None | None | None |
For Use | In-home | In-home and on the go | In-home and around the home |
Equipment |
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Connection Type | Landline or optional cellular system | Cellular connectivity (AT&T or Verizon 4G LTE Wireless) | Landline |
Fall Detection | Optional add-on $10 per month | Optional add-on $10 per month | Optional add-on $10 per month |
Caregiver Portal | No | Yes | Yes |
Additional Features |
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Pro Tip: Preventing falls is the best way to keep loved ones safe. Are you worried about a fall and not having a plan in place? Read my article on five ways seniors can prevent falls.
While companies like Bay Alarm Medical systems offer a slew of add-on and accessory options, Medical Care Alert takes a different, streamlined approach. Since their equipment is leased, Medical Care Alert aims to already include and provide comprehensive systems that don’t require many costly add-ons. In the long term, this may save you time and the hassle of adding on more equipment. For instance, Medical Care Alert already includes a free lockbox with any annual plans in addition to price-locking that’s guaranteed for life.
With that said, here are the accessories they offer:
Fall Detection: This is an optional add-on feature for both the HOME and HOME & AWAY medical alert systems, starting at $10 per month, in addition to the cost of your basic medical alert system monthly fee. Since the AutoFALL pendant is waterproof, you don’t have to worry about dropping it in the shower.
Additional Pendant: For an additional $60, you can add a pendant for spouse monitoring without an additional monitoring fee.
You can purchase medical alert systems from Medical Care Alert either online or by phone. I was disappointed to find that while other medical alert systems offer longer risk-free trials, Medical Care Alert only offers their system risk-free for 14 days with a full refund. However, with no additional cancellation fees, users have the convenience of canceling service from Medical Care Alert at any time.
Pricing plans for Medical Care Alert systems start at semiannual, annual and quarterly pricing installments. I was also pleased to find out that rates are locked in and guaranteed to never go up. Given the uncertainty of the industry, price hikes are bound to happen, so I was happy to see that Medical Care Alert offers affordable and locked-in-pricing options compared to its competitors.
Every plan for Medical Care Alert comes with a lifetime warranty for issues with the base unit or other equipment that stops working due to wear and tear. However, if your equipment is lost, damaged or stolen, you’ll be responsible for the cost of repair without an extended protection plan. Medical Care Alert’s extended protection plan starts at $5 monthly or $60 annually.
If you want to cancel your system, you can contact customer service. The good news is you won’t be charged any cancellation fees. However, the user is responsible for shipping costs. Keep in mind that if the returned equipment is not in satisfactory condition, you might incur a $350 charge.
The HOME and AWAY systems come with RemoteCare 24/7, a free smartphone app available on both Apple and Android devices. This app allows caregivers or authorized emergency contacts to have access to your current location, signal strength, weather, and other details. The app is intended for use in tandem with the HOME & AWAY ULTRA mobile GPS medical alert system or the HOME & AWAY DUO GPS Medical Alert system.
I appreciated the fact that those who are listed as emergency contacts can easily log in and monitor the device. In addition to monitoring capabilities, the app can also locate your device if you lose it and even send you appointment reminders and other updates to keep you safe and comfortable.
With GPS capabilities, you can also access the previous seven-day location history. When you click the “More” button, you can easily view and update your loved one’s profile and get instant information on medications, prescriptions, allergies, and other detailed information. What I loved most about this app is that it’s helpful for caregivers who want to track multiple users via the app. If an additional spouse or parent is added to the Medical Care Alert system, you can use the app to track their status and activity (if they are both registered).
Medical Care Alert is known for its award-winning U.S.-based monitoring centers in New York and California. Both centers are UL-certified, so you can rest assured that your call is being answered by trained and compassionate EMT/EMD-certified operators. Each operator is required to monitor medical alert calls, complete an intensive six-week training program certified by the Security Industry Association, and undergo rigorous background checks. Each monitoring center is also equipped with a backup power system to make sure it’s able to support Medical Care Alert subscribers at all times.
Medical Care Alert is worth considering if you’re looking for top-notch 24/7 monitoring centers with EMS/EMD trained operators who are based in the U.S. With no hidden fees, no long-term contracts, exceptional customer service, and an enticing price lock that’s guaranteed for life — Medical Care Alert is a reassuring option in an industry riddled with price hikes and costly add-on services. Although their lowest plan is a bit higher than other providers, I think the benefits of quality and long-term service for peace of mind outweigh the cons. Whether you need simple two-way speakerphone communication in the house or GPS medical alert systems when you’re on the go, Medical Care Alert helps you regain your independence with streamlined plans starting at $27.45.
Yes. Fall detection is an optional feature of the HOME and HOME & AWAY medical alert systems offered by Medical Care Alert. The feature costs $10 per month in addition to the monthly plan you choose.
Yes. Medical Care Alert’s current offer saves you 10 percent when using the code TEN-VIP during online checkout.
Medical Care Alert offers systems intended for adults who spend a majority of their time at home or outdoors. They are for adults who enjoy their independence, but still require a level of monitoring for peace of mind and safety. They may also have a medical condition that may require medical attention and 24/7 monitoring.
The most affordable system is the HOME Medical Alert System, which starts at $27.45 per month.
Fortunately, each system is equipped with 24-72-hour back-up battery life in the event of a power outage. If there’s a power outage in your area, the U.S.-based monitoring centers are notified of power loss or low batteries.