Taking care of an elderly person is never easy and aids such as medical alarms help in putting your mind at ease. They are a quick and easy way for aged individuals living alone to get in touch with emergency services in case of injuries or other medical crisis. There are several medical alert systems that offer a variety of services, but are they covered by Medicare? To understand this, it is essential to first learn more about both, the systems themselves and Medicare.

What are medical alarms or medical alert systems?
Also referred to as personal or medical emergency response systems, medical alarms are life-saving devices. They enable the user to summon assistance almost instantly with the press of a button. Some alarms even have sensors to detect falls. In certain cases, emergency help is not required and the dispatch center personnel can put the user in touch with a friend or family member. If it is a medical crisis, a team is dispatched immediately by the monitoring agency assessing the situation. An ambulance is provided if required. The agency also immediately contacts the user’s family members and caregivers to inform them about the situation.

What is Medicare and what does it cover?
Medicare is a federal government program that provides health care coverage for people who are 65 years of age or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Once an individual becomes eligible and enrolls for the program, they will receive its benefits under Original Medicare, which operates on a fee-for-service basis and is offered directly through the federal government. All members of Medicare can see any doctor, health care provider, hospital, or facility that is enrolled in the program and the government will pay a portion of the expenditure for them.

Original Medicare includes Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare B (Medical Insurance). In general, Part A covers inpatient stays in a hospital, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care, and some health care at home. Medical Part B essentially covers outpatient care, medical supplies, certain doctors’ services, and preventive services. It covers medically necessary services, i.e. services and supplies needed to diagnose or treat a medical condition used and that meet the accepted standards of medical practice. Part B also covers preventive services, clinical research, ambulance services, durable medical equipment, mental health coverage, and limited outpatient prescription drugs.

Does Medicare cover medical alarms?
Unfortunately, Original Medicare — Part A and Part B, does not directly cover medical alarms or medical alert systems. However, a few medical supplement insurance companies may offer some discount on the total cost of medical alarms. Also, if an individual has a Medicare Advantage Plan, meaning if they receive Part A and Part B benefits through a private insurance plan, there is a good chance of an alert system being provided for through it. The best way to know this is to directly contact the company and enquire how you can receive the benefits.

Types of medical alarms
There are various types of medical alarms that you can choose as per your preference. Before zeroing in on an option, you can also check if these medical alarms are covered by Medicare so as to save some money. Some of the most common types of medical alarms or devices include the following:

• Alarm bracelet or necklace pendant: These are wearable devices that have an emergency push button. Once the button is pressed, trained personnel at the monitoring center will try to contact the user via a call, assess the situation, and act as required. If there is no response, the police will be alerted about the incident. Some smart devices can sense a fall and alert the monitoring agency, in case of a scenario where you are unable to press the button.
• Speakerphone medical alert systems: Cellular medical alert systems can have built-in two-way speakerphones, enabling the user to speak directly to personnel at the monitoring center and describe the situation in detail. This will help the center to evaluate your needs better.
• Cellular medical alert systems: There are various types of cellular medical alert systems. With some, you can only speak to a representative of the monitoring agency, while other agencies can even track your location with the help of GPS technology. This ensures that the elderly can travel without worrying about their safety.

Top medical alert systems covered by Medicare plans
As mentioned earlier, medical alarms are not included under Medicare B plans. But, with the Medical Advantage Plan and other supplements, you can easily cover a part or the entire cost of medical alert systems. Here are some medical alarms covered by Medicare.

• Bay Alarm Medical
  An affordable medical alert system provider, its In-Home Medical Alert system comes with a push button in the form of a pendant or wristband and has a two-way communication feature. They even have the option of a mobile GPS help button with GPS tracking. For people who travel frequently, Bay Alarm Medical offers an In-Car Medical Alert system that you can plug into your vehicle’s 12V socket. Their alert systems also have an automatic fall/crash detection feature.

• MobileHelp
  They offer high-quality medical alert devices with 100% US-based emergency monitoring. They are the first company to offer a mobile medical alert system and are certified A+ by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Their medical alarms make use of the cellular network and GPS technology to protect members in case of emergency. The MobileHelp Fall Button™ can automatically detect a fall and call for help even if the user is unable to press the button.

• Philips Lifeline
  Recommended by over 200,000 healthcare professionals, Philips Lifeline offers multiple solutions to its members. Their HomeSafe system comes in two variants — the Standard and the AutoAlert, with the latter having automatic fall detection. Their GoSafe mobile systems can find the user using Assisted GPS and the GoSafe 2 is the newer option in that range.

• LifeStation®
  This is one of the most reliable and affordable medical alert systems and is easy to set up. Their medical alert device consists of a pendant or a wristband with a call button. You can also get help with their In Home Traditional system, In Home Plus system, and Mobile with GPS system. A fall detection sensor is an add-on available with all their systems, which sends them a notification in case a fall has occurred.