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Retirement Living tested the medical alert systems and monitoring services offered by Medical Care Alert. Whether you spend the majority of your time at home indoors, in the yard, running errands or traveling, Medical Care Alert has a system to ensure you can get help if you need it, including several key features for caregivers and family members. The pendant and wristband emergency buttons are waterproof for continuous everyday use.
Medical Care Alert offers three affordable personal emergency response systems offering immediate access to help with the push of a button and a free caregiver app for additional tracking.
Medical Care Alert Review
Medical Care Alert has been keeping people safe for a decade by providing instant access to highly trained and certified emergency personnel 24 hours a day, every day of the year in U.S.-based offices. Medical Care Alert offers five medical alert emergency response systems with immediate access to help after pushing a button. There is no equipment to buy and no long-term commitment, with costs as low as $1 a day.
Pros
Bilingual EMT/EMD-certified operators with a minimum two-year college education or military service
Senior smartwatch plan with automatic fall detection and location tracking capability
No charge for equipment and no setup fee
Optional fall detection available with all packages
Call and text notifications to caregivers in an emergency
Cons
Spouse monitoring only offered with at-home plans
No wellness check service
Medical Care Alert Monitoring Systems and Packages
Medical Care Alert offers three medical alert systems. The wireless models run on AT&T’s cellular network with the cost of using the service included in the subscription price. The landline and wireless models use a base unit in your home with a two-way speaker and either a wristband or pendant with an emergency button. The wristband and pendant are watertight and can be worn while bathing.
The company also has GPS-enabled systems, which include its Smartwatch for Seniors and its Home & Away MINI. These systems can summon help from wherever you are in the U.S., and they also allow family and caregivers to track the devices.
HOME Medical Alert System: A landline-based model for use inside and around the home. This system includes a base unit with a powerful microphone and a speaker with volume control. To activate the monitoring signal, the buttons must be within 1,000 feet of the base. Be sure to determine whether a 1,000-foot range will provide enough coverage throughout your home. Some medical alert systems have slightly higher ranges of 1,400 or 2,000 feet.
Home & Away MINI system: It’s the smallest, shower-safe GPS system that works anywhere there is a T-Mobile cellular signal. Speak directly into the small GPS pendant when you need help. If you want to make quick check-in calls without contacting the emergency monitoring center, you can call your first emergency contact person (friend, family member, or neighbor) by tapping the side button.
Smartwatch Pro: Designed specifically for seniors, the smartwatch with fall detection option tracks location using GPS, heart rate, and steps. Press the button for help, and speak into the watch.
From Our Tester:
“The smartwatch feels sturdy and well-made – better than other medical alert watches we’ve tested. The screen is larger than Apple smartwatches, which is beneficial for those with vision problems, but its size could be cumbersome if your wrist is tiny.”
Our tester wearing the Smartwatch for seniors
How Medical Care Alert‘s Monitoring Service Works
All Medical Care Alert systems keep records of your home location, medical conditions and current medications to provide to emergency services personnel. The emergency operator will call or text your loved ones and caregivers in the event of an emergency. During our test, we were connected to the monitoring center within 17 seconds of pressing the button.
Your contacts can reply via text or phone to let the monitoring center know they are on the way to help you or to request additional help.
Additional Safety Features
Several additional monitoring features stood out to us during our test. These safety features are helpful for seniors, caregivers and family members.
Companion app for family and caregivers: The free WellBe Virtual Assistant app lets families track the watch location, set medication or appointment reminders (will send a notification to the watch) and keep a log of health care information. While Medical Care Alert does not offer wellness checks, this app allows family members to track the device.
Lockboxes with every package: Use this secure box to hide a key to your home so emergency response teams can enter. Dispatchers will only share the location and the code when EMS is dispatched. Not all medical alert companies include free lockboxes in their plans.
Emergency medical information form: Write down and display your home address, medications, allergies, medical conditions, and more in one convenient form. Keeping this form handy, such as on your refrigerator, is important for ensuring any emergency personnel, caregivers, or family members can quickly spot (and report) pertainment medical information in an emergency.
Timely alerts and messages: Medical Care Alert is the only company that also alerts designated family members of emergency dispatch via a phone call and a text message. You can also create a group chat for all persons on the notification list to help coordinate a response.
The emergency information form is included with all medical alert packages.
Does Medical Care Alert Offer Fall Detection?
All Medical Care Alert plans include optional Fall Detection for an additional $10 per month. To use the service, you’ll wear a pendant that features two-way communication and a sensor that analyzes movement to detect falls. If the pendant detects a fall, the device will automatically call a Medical Care Alert emergency operator in 30 to 45 seconds. You can also push the emergency button to trigger a call if you are able.
If the situation is non-emergency, you can cancel the alert within a few seconds.
From Our Tester:
As with most devices we’ve tested, automatic fall detection services do not work 100% of the time. If you’ve fallen and are injured, it’s best to press the help button yourself to ensure it alerts emergency personnel, if necessary. During our test, automatic fall detection worked for significant, hard falls that occurred from a standing position, but falls that occurred from a seated position were less reliable.
The Home & Away MINI Medical Care Alert System is small and discreet, but durable enough to withstand being worn on the go.
Medical Care Alert prices range from $29.95 per month for an in-home landline-based system to $39.95 per month for a mobile cellular plan with GPS, a smartwatch option, or a combination plan. You can opt for a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual subscription plan. If you choose its annual plan, you’ll receive one month free and lock in your rate for years to come.
Medical Care Alert gives you 14 days to try a system at no cost. There are no cancellation fees, and if you’re not happy with the system, you can return it for a refund within the 14-day trial period.
Product
Monthly Fee
Equipment Included
Fall Detection
GPS
Backup Battery Life
In-Home System – Landline or Cellular
$29.95 landline$34.95 cellular
Base unit, help button (wrist or necklace), wall mount, lockbox, accessories
$10/month
None
72 hours landline24 hours cellular
Senior Smartwatch With GPS
$39.95
Watch, lockbox, caregiver app, accessories
$10/month
Yes
N/A
Home & Away MINI GPS
$39.95
Pendant, lockbox, caregiver app, accessories
$10/month
Yes
72 hours
Medical Care Alert Equipment and Plan Packages
Setup Fees
No system setup, activation, or other fees apply when signing up for a Medical Care Alert plan except for the smartwatch plan, which includes a one-time equipment purchase of $149.95. Monitoring for multiple individuals is free of charge with the at-home plans. However, a one-time equipment purchase charge for an additional wearable help button device applies to some users.
Medical Care Alert offers a 14-day free trial. Customers must connect and activate the system during the trial before returning the equipment to avoid a $50 programming fee.
Warranties
Medical Care Alert equipment comes with a free lifetime replacement warranty for normal wear and tear. The company is responsible for all service or repairs and provides lifetime battery replacements. An optional extended warranty program covers Medical Care Alert bases and wearables against electrical damage, lightning strikes, and power surges. There are some deductibles involved with most equipment.
Returns
If you decide to return your Medical Care Alert system, you will receive a refund with a prorated amount of prepaid service and subscription fees based on the date you ship the equipment back. If you did not use the equipment for at least 14 days and did not at least test the system, there is a $50 programming and restocking fee.
Medical Care Alert Complaints
The Better Business Bureau gives this BBB-accredited business an “A+” rating and lists just one consumer complaint against the company in the last three years. Trustpilot rates the company 4.5 out of 5 stars.
A few complaints we found centered around returning equipment and Medical Care Alert claiming there was damage when the customer felt there was no damage. This resulted in an unwanted extra charge. Other complaints talk about the devices being uncomfortable to wear.
Our Testing Methodology
We test medical alert systems, evaluating their ease of setup, in-home range, fall detection feature, and additional safety features to create our list of best medical alert systems.
Our medical alert testing and review process for Medical Care Alert was as follows:
Navigate the Medical Care Alert website as mystery shoppers
Purchase medical alert devices and set up the systems
Set up each system and call the monitoring center
Record how long it takes to reach the monitoring center
Evaluate features such as battery life, response times, and fall detection
Consult with aging-in-place specialists and accessibility experts to determine top buying considerations
Medical Care Alert FAQ
Who manufactures Medical Care Alert equipment?
Bosch, a leading German healthcare manufacturer that has been in business for over 50 years, makes all Medical Care Alert system components.
Can one Medical Care Alert system protect multiple people in a single household?
Yes, if you use a HOME system. There is no additional monthly charge to monitor more than one person in a household, but each person will need to have their own personal medical alert wearable emergency button. The additional pendant or wristband is subject to a one-time cost depending on the model you choose. Since the HOME & AWAY systems use GPS, each person must have their own mobile device. Medical Care Alert offers a couples discount for the HOME & AWAY systems to help defray the cost.
What training do Medical Care Alert operators have?
All Medical Care Alert emergency operators must pass a thorough six-week training program certified by the Security Industry Association (SIA). Training consists of two weeks of formal classroom training followed by two weeks of operations training. New hires go through two weeks of hands-on training while being closely monitored by supervisors. The Medical Care Alert program is the most stringent in the medical monitoring industry.
Do I have to pay a fee when I push the emergency button and connect to an operator?
No. Medical Care Alert does not charge any fees for operator assistance, and the company also encourages customers to test their emergency buttons weekly by pressing them and speaking with an emergency operator.
What will happen to my Medical Care Alert system if the power goes out?
Every Medical Care Alert system comes with a backup battery that will last between 24 and 72 hours, depending on the model you buy. If there is a power outage or the backup batteries are low, a monitoring center operator gets a notification and will check on you. The base unit stops notifications when power is restored, or you replace the batteries.
Concluding Thoughts on Medical Care Alert
The sense of security that comes from knowing help is just a button push away is priceless for maintaining your independence as you age. Medical Care Alert systems can give you that peace of mind and the price will never go up. Furthermore, the company’s award-winning service and high-quality equipment make it a viable contender when you are considering a personal medical alert system.
