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MedicalAlert.com is part of ConnectAmerica, a nationwide company that provides a variety of goods and services to help older adults age in place more safely and securely. Medical Alert’s standalone web site is solely dedicated to medical alert systems.
The company offers medical alert systems including home-based and mobile systems. Unlike other leading medical alert companies, Medical Alert does not offer a smartwatch option.
Though MedicalAlert.com was formerly a low-cost leader in medical alert systems, the company’s 2024 pricing is now higher than most competitors.
Both of the company’s medical alerts have higher startup costs than many other medical alert systems. We don’t like the company’s high $99.95 programming fee, and its $24.95 ground shipping fee is high. We also found the company’s return/refund policy to be complicated and confusing.
MedicalAlert.com Mobile has a first year cost of ownership of $820.30, which places it among the more expensive mobile medical alert systems we evaluated.
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| Home System | |
Programming Fee | $99.95 |
Shipping | $24.95 |
Monthly Monitoring | $27.95 Landline / $37.95 Cellular |
Optional Fall Detection | $10.00 / month |
Total Cost (First Year) | $580.30 |
Medical Alert System Overview
MedicalAlert.com’s landline Home System is marketed as “basic monitoring equipment,” and it lives up to that description. Fall detection is available as an add-on for an extra cost. Customers opting for semi-annual or annual plans benefit from discounted monitoring fees and free shipping.
For a landline medical alert system, the initial costs are high. The $99.95 programming fee is steep, especially since many competitors don’t charge for similar services. Additionally, the $24.95 shipping fee is higher than what other companies typically charge.
We recommend reaching out directly to Medical Alert for more specific details about the Home System. While the website is easy to navigate, it lacks comprehensive product information. Thankfully, Medical Alert is easily accessible by phone, with minimal hold times and helpful, knowledgeable sales representatives.
In terms of performance, the system was both reliable and fast. In our tests, response times ranged between 45 seconds and one minute. The fall detection was particularly impressive, performing accurately across multiple tests and resisting efforts to trick it into triggering false alarms.
Medical Alert’s Home System stood out as having the most effective fall detection among all the landline systems we reviewed. This is especially important, given that research from the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society indicates that detecting real-life falls can be challenging. If fall detection is a top priority for you, this system could be a strong option.
Although the landline system and fall detection performed well, we found the account management app to be frustrating and difficult to use. Additionally, the return and refund process was cumbersome. Customers are responsible for notifying the billing department upon returning the unit, and it can take more than a month to receive a refund after the unit is sent back. Overall, customer support was lacking compared to other companies we reviewed.
If you’re looking for a basic, reliable landline medical alert system with limited features, Medical Alert might be a suitable choice. However, make sure to carefully review the return policy and deadlines to avoid overcharges or delays in receiving a refund if you decide the service isn’t right for you.
| Mobile System | |
|---|---|
Programming Fee | $99.95 |
Shipping | $24.95 |
Monthly Monitoring | $47.95 |
Optional Fall Detection | $10.00 / month |
Total Cost (First Year) | $820.30 |
MedicalAlert.com Mobile System
Though MedicalAlert.com was formerly a low-cost leader in medical alert systems, the company’s 2024 pricing puts them at the high end of the price spectrum.
The company’s Mobile System with Fall Detection features a base price of $47.95/month if you choose to pay monthly ($39.95/month if you commit to an annual subscription). Fall detection costs an extra $10/month. Startup cost is relatively high, with a one-time programming fee of $99.95 and $24.95 for ground shipping.
In total, the 1-year cost of ownership for the system is $820.30, assuming opt for fall detection and pay monthly. That’s 20% higher than the average cost of the six mobile systems we evaluated this year.
There are no contracts, and MedicalAlert.com offers discounts for semi-annual and annual subscriptions.
The system has all the features you expect from a mobile medical alert system, including two-way communication through the device, a mobile phone app for managing your account, and reliable fall detection. The system can be worn as a pendant or wristband. Fall detection requires a second pendant.
Our tests also revealed issues with the device’s GPS location. In one test, it took almost 8 minutes to find our location. When the GPS location function works, it works well. However, our success rate in getting a GPS lock on the device was about 50/50. Mobile medical alerts are design to work at home and around town, so hat’s a significant flaw in a system that needs to know your exact location in an emergency.
We also found MedicalAlert.com’s return/refund process to be over-complicated — placing burden on the customer to verify that the return was received by the company and charges refunded promptly. Pay close attention to your credit card statement if you decide to return your system.
Read our full review of ConnectAmerica’s MedicalAlert.com Mobile System.