Medical Care Alert: Plans, Features & Pricing

Medical Care Alert is a family-owned medical alert company based in Northville, Michigan. Their systems and monitoring services are geared towards seniors and caregivers, and help button devices include in-home pendants, wrist-wearable buttons and mobile pendants with GPS and automatic fall detection. The company has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and 96% of current subscribers would recommend Medical Care Alert to friends and family.

Medical Care Alert’s monitoring services are delivered through American Response Technologies Inc., which operates two fully redundant 24/7 call centers located in New York and California. All the operators are EMT/EMD certified and fluent in English and Spanish, and upon request operators will stay on the line with callers until help arrives.

In this guide you’ll find all the information you need to decide if Medical Care Alert is the right emergency call provider for yourself or your loved one. Continue reading to learn about about the features, services and devices offered through Medical Care Alert.

Medical Care Alert Features

Accidental falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among adults age 65 and older, which is why Medical Care Alert offers optional fall detection on both their in-home and mobile emergency call systems.

All of the wearable Medical Care Alert devices are water-resistant and safe to wear in the shower, and landline and cellular-connected systems are offered. For protection outside of the home, Medical Care Alert has a mobile medical alert pendant that includes GPS, Wi-Fi and cellular location services. The mobile system includes a free RemoteCare 24/7 app that lets authorized caregivers and emergency operators track the location of the subscriber in real time.

Medical Care Alert also sends automatic SMS text messages to everyone on the subscriber’s emergency contact list when the help button is activated, providing loved ones with instant notification when their loved one needs emergency assistance.

Medical Care Alert Systems

There are three Medical Care Alert monitored systems. Each comes with a water-resistant help button pendant that is either paired with a base unit or equipped with a built-in cellular transmitter. Automatic fall detection, a feature that automatically calls the monitoring center if the subscriber suffers from a sudden fall, is optional on all Medical Care Alert systems.

HOME Medical Alert System

The Medical Care Alert HOME system is an easy to use entry-level medical alert system that includes a base unit paired with a pendant or wrist-style help button. The base unit includes a speakerphone for hands-free communication with the emergency monitoring center, and the battery in the help button never needs charging. This system can either connect with an existing landline or AT&T’s 4G LTE cellular phone network and provides coverage within 1000′ of the base unit.

HOME & YARD Medical Alert System

Medical Care Alert’s HOME & YARD system is a home medical alert system that includes a medical alert pendant and a base station that connects with an existing landline phone.

What makes this system unique is that it includes a water-resistant, 2-way voice pendant for clear, hands-free communication with the emergency monitoring center. The pendant is powered with rechargeable batteries rated to last up to 4 months on stand-by and for up to 4 hours of continuous talk time. The base unit includes a wireless charging cradle, and the pendant will automatically announce that the battery is low to eliminate any guesswork.

Another feature of the HOME & YARD system from Medical Care Alert is that the system can support up to four pendants, making this a cost-effective option for households where multiple medical alert systems are required.

HOME & AWAY ULTRA Mobile Medical Alert System

HOME & AWAY ULTRA is a mobile medical alert system that connects to the AT&T 4G LTE wireless network, providing coverage nationwide wherever cellular signals are available. The shower-safe help pendant has a 3-day battery life and comes with a wireless charging cradle.

The pendant is also equipped with a speakerphone and GPS, Wi-Fi and cellular location services that lets the Medical Care Alert call center pinpoint the exact location of a subscriber in an emergency. This feature can be invaluable in a crisis, and authorized users can check the location and status of the device through the free RemoteCare 24/7 smartphone app.

Medical Care Alert Costs

Medical Care Alert fees include use of their equipment, 24/7 emergency call monitoring, access to the RemoteCare 24/7 app (for the HOME & AWAY ULTRA system) and unlimited calls to the monitoring center. Monitoring fees also include text message notifications to emergency contacts, and automatic fall detection is available for an additional $10 per month.

Seniors who need more than one medical alert system may be able to save money with Medical Care Alert’s HOME & YARD system, as up to four help buttons can be linked to a single base unit. Subscribers simply need to purchase each additional HOME & YARD help pendant at a cost of $60 each.

Note that although Medical Care Alert fees are listed on a monthly basis, customers must choose either a quarterly, semiannual or annual service plan, with the lowest monthly costs offered on the annual plan.

Customers can request a full refund of any unused monitoring fees less return shipping costs once they have used their Medical Care Alert system for at least 14 days.

Who Should Use Medical Care Alert Personal Emergency Response Systems?

Medical Care Alert systems are specifically designed to meet the needs of seniors and their caregivers. The company’s help buttons are durable, water-resistant and easy to use, and automatic fall detection is available on the in-home and mobile devices.

Seniors Who Want Added Security At Home

Older adults who want to feel safer in their own home may want to consider Medical Care Alert’s HOME or HOME & YARD systems. These wireless medical alert devices let seniors instantly connect with the 24/7 call monitoring center at a touch of a button, while the optional fall detection feature ensures help will be called if the senior suffers from a fall within 1000′ of the base unit.

Seniors Who Are Active in the Community

Seniors who often run errands, participate in social activities and travel should take a look at Medical Care Alert’s HOME & AWAY ULTRA personal emergency response system. This all-in-one help button is equipped with a GPS locator that lets the call center and authorized loved ones track the exact location of the subscriber, which can make all the difference in an emergency situation.

Pros and Cons of Medical Care Alert Emergency Response Systems

As with all medical alert systems and providers, there are a number of pros and cons to consider before deciding if Medical Care Alert is right for you or your loved ones.

Pros of Medical Care Alert:

• Bilingual (Spanish and English) EMT/EMD-certified call center operators
• Monitoring centers are located in the U.S.
• Help buttons are simple to use and safe for damp environments
• Medical Care Alert users can take their systems with them anywhere in the United States at no additional cost
• Up to four emergency call pendants can be linked to the HOME & YARD system for the same monitoring fee
• Subscribers can cancel their service at no cost once they’ve tested the system for at least 14 days
• Free RemoteCare 24/7 smartphone app lets authorized caregivers check the location and device status of HOME & AWAY ULTRA subscribers
• Automatic fall detection is available on all systems
• Free PIN-protected key lockbox provided with every annual monitoring plan
• HOME system users can purchase wireless, wall-mounted help buttons ($29.95 per device)
• Monitoring fees are locked-in for as long as the customer stays with Medical Care Alert
• The pendant battery in the HOME system never needs charging or replacing
• Emergency contacts are instantly notified via text message when their loved one activates the emergency call button
• Medical Care Alert is family-owned and operated

Cons of Medical Care Alert:

• Costs are higher than many comparable medical alert systems
• No month-to-month monitoring option – subscribers must prepay for at least 3 months of service
• Subscribers must pay an extra monthly fee for automatic fall detection
• Customers who return the Medical Care Alert system within 14 days of activation are charged a $50 cancellation fee
• Wearable help buttons look like medical alert devices
• No medical alert smart watch offered
• The range between the base unit and the HOME & YARD pendant is limited to 600′, which is less than many similar devices

Keep in mind that the right medical alert system can make all the difference in an emergency, so it’s worth the time and effort it takes to find a personal emergency response system that fits your specific needs and budget.