Monday, December 2nd
2024 Medical Alert System Reviews
Alert 1
- Yearly or monthly payment plans
- No charge for devices
- 24/7 monitoring service
- Free priority shipping
- No long-term contracts
- Cancel anytime
- "A+” Better Business Bureau rating
Alert1 began in 1988 out of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. At the time, the founder had a grandmother living by herself with no family nearby and he felt concerned for her. He wanted to help by getting her a medical alert system for her home, but found they were all unreasonably priced. He took matters into his own hands and founded Alert1 to help senior citizens. Since this time, Alert1 has grown into a nationwide company that helps save lives.
In-home and on-the-go
There are both in-home and mobile medical alert systems available through Alert1. They're designed similarly to those from other companies, where you simply push a button, get connected to an agent who will ask about your emergency, and then you will receive help right away. You can reach Alert1 24/7/365.
Plenty of choices
For a full overview of the medical alert systems available from Alert1, you can view their product page to see an overview of each one. They include:
- In-home medical alert (comes with a pendant to be worn around the neck) that works with a landline or wirelessly for an extra $10/month. It has 656.2 feet of range and uses a rechargeable battery. It costs $28.95/month if you pay month-to-month or $239.40 yearly. Both require a one-time $19.95 activation fee.
- In-home + fall detection medical alert (comes with fall detection pendant and personal help wristband) that can be used with a landline or wirelessly for an extra $10/month. It has 656.2 feet of range and a rechargeable battery. This costs $38.95/month if you pay month-to-month or $359.40 yearly. Both options require a one-time activation fee of $19.99.
- On-the-go medical alert with GPS (comes with a simple button pendant to be worn around the neck or clipped on the waistband) that does not require a landline. It is showerproof and compatible with pacemakers. You could add fall detection for an extra $10/month and your device will automatically call for help. This system is $359.40 if you pay yearly or $38.95/month.
- On-the-go medical alert wristband that can be worn as a lanyard or clip. It is water-resistant, rechargeable, and does not require a landline. You can add fall detection to this product for an extra $10/month. The regular cost is $359.40/year if you pay yearly or you could opt to pay $38.95 monthly. Either way you'll need to pay a one-time activation fee of $19.95.
- On-the-go medical alert system with GPS and fall detection lets you decide who the command center will call in an emergency, is showerproof and will automatically send out an alert in case of a fall. It is worn like a lanyard and does not require a landline. If you pre-pay annually, the cost for this device is $479.40 or you could pay $48.95 monthly. You are also required to pay a $19.50 one-time activation fee.
- On-the-go wristband medical alert with location service and fall detection is a stylish wristband (can also be worn as a pendant or on a belt clip) where you can speak to live agents directly through the device. It does not require a landline and comes with a rechargeable battery. Yearly this device is $479.40 or you could pay $48.95/month, but both plans require a one-time $19.95 activation fee.
- On-the-go + in-home fall detection medical alert is the highest level of protection and comes with two devices that are waterproof and have rechargeable batteries. The in-home base has a 600-foot range that you can take advantage of around the house or while your on-the-go button is charging. Annually these systems are $599.40 or you can opt to pay $58.95/month. You'll also need to pay a one-time activation fee of $19.95.
Upgrade for a warranty
All devices and systems come with free shipping that takes 2-3 business days. The company boasts that they're the only medical alert service that doesn't charge for devices. However, they do charge for a warranty on your devices. If you spill something on the base or you drop and crack your button, you'll only get a replacement (up to once per year) if you've been paying $8.33/month for Alert1's warranty plan.
Looking for full honesty
Alert1 has been featured by major news outlets like ABC News, Good Morning America, Frontiers in Robotics and AI, Fox News, the Los Angeles Times, Washington Business Journal, and the Florida Times Union. They have an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau, which is great. There are also over 1,500 customer reviews on Alert1's website that we believe are all real. However, every single one of them gives the company 5 out of 5 stars, and we know realistically this can't be a full report of people's feedback. Clearly Alert1 doesn't post anything critical about themselves for people to read (we get it) but we had to look elsewhere for a full overview of how people viewed this service.
Customer service issues and faulty equipment
We found that some people were completely pleased with Alert1 and hadn't run into issues, but there were also a lot of reports about problems with poor customer service and billing issues. Some advice we saw was not to sign up for the yearly plans because they make it hard to cancel or get refunds for unused portions of the service if you don't need it. Sometimes people have transmission issues and other things that make their devices feel less than useful.
Too many options
Overall we felt like Alert1 almost had too many medical alert systems for us to choose from. If they could condense and simplify their options, it would likely make it easier for both customers and the company. It could help with billing issues and just simplify processes. It's nice that they offer free shipping, but overall we don't feel like you're getting a way better deal here than you might elsewhere, especially if you are adding fall detection to your service and paying for the warranty each month. The ratings we found outside of Alert1's site were a little discouraging, so we haven't given this company one of our top scores.
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Medical alert systems bring an added sense of safety to the wearer and give peace of mind to their loved ones. For elderly or disabled individuals who live independently, it's important to have a quick means of communication to alert someone in case of an emergency. This could be a fall, the onset of a heart attack, or some other medical crisis. Medical alert systems contact emergency services to provide urgent care to the wearer.
You might think, "Why not just use a cell phone to call for help”? Well, sometimes the time it takes to dial a phone number or look up a phone contact will take too long. Also, it's likely that if someone fell out of their car or even around the house, they may not have their phone in hand. Plus, some patients who show signs of dementia may get confused and not know who to call when it comes down to it - or not have the dexterity to dial.
Medical Alert System FAQ
Continued from above...
Medical alert systems can be worn as a bracelet or necklace, so they stay out of the way, but are conveniently accessible at all times. Some companies have shower-mounted devices that can withstand heat and moisture. No matter how you wear your device or where it is, the point is that they're as easy as clicking a single button to connect to an operator and ask for help. A neat feature available with some medical alert systems is the ability for the device to detect a fall before the person even calls for help. This could be life-saving if someone was unable to speak or move due to their fall.
There are quite a few companies that offer medical alert services. Some have a long-established history and tons of feedback from customers. Others are newly entering the industry, so it's important to do a lot of research about each one to find a company that will be responsive to the wearer, keep up-to-date with latest technologies, and be around for a long time. Look for a company that's really transparent with their pricing so you won't be overpaying or confused about what the price will be month-to-month.
We've thoroughly explored many of the companies that sell medical alert systems. They each offer a slightly different variety of features and pricing plans, so you'll need to go with the one that will be the best solution for yourself or your loved one. We've highlighted a few things that we recommend you look for specifically as you shop around:
- Cost. There's usually a one-time cost to buy the medical device equipment and then an ongoing fee for the service to be available 24/7. Does the company have all their pricing clearly posted on their website or do you have to talk with a sales agent to figure it out? Transparent is best, so go with a company that makes it easy to see what you'll be paying.
- Contracts. How does the company structure their contracts? Are you able to pay month-to-month or will you need to commit to something longer than that? What is the process for canceling if you no longer need the service at some point?
- Features. Do you get automatic fall detection with your device? Does the company provide more than one device to keep around the house or does this cost a lot extra? How strong is the connection on the device around the house or in the yard?
- Reputation. You get a pretty good idea of how reliable and trustworthy a company is based on how they've treated their customers in the past. People will speak up about this, so pay attention to customer reviews as well as the company's rating from the Better Business Bureau.
To give you the best, most reliable experience with a medical safety device, the experts at Top Consumer Reviews have vetted multiple companies and done plenty of research on the pros and cons of each. We hope this information proves valuable guidance to help you find a medical device company that gives you an added sense of safety!
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