AlertUSA Review

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  • Starting Price at $29.95/mo

Alert USA has been in business for a quarter of a century, providing monitoring for 75,000 seniors every year.

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About AlertUSA

Studies show that one-third of American seniors suffer at least one fall every year. These falls can be fatal depending on their circumstances. The chances of surviving a fall are six times greater if you are found within an hour. If you live alone, it would be easy to run out of time. That’s where a medical alarm device from Alert USA could save your life. Alert USA has been in business for a quarter of a century, providing monitoring for 75,000 seniors every year. The company claims to be the largest direct marketer of medical alert systems in the world.

If you ever need help, all you have to do is press the medical alert button that you wear around your neck or wrist, or the help the button on the base unit. A call will be placed automatically to a certified monitor. Speaking to you through the base unit, the Alert USA monitor will already have your name and address, your medical information, your preferred hospital and the names and numbers of your emergency contacts. If necessary, the monitor will dispatch a local ambulance to your home.

Your alert button will work within around 300 feet of the base unit, so you do not have to be in the same room as the unit for it to work properly. The microphone on the unit is very sensitive, so the operator will be able to hear you. The speaker is loud so you will be able to hear the monitor as well. If you are unable to talk, or if for some reason the monitor cannot hear you, the system is designed that the monitor will automatically send help.

There are many medical alert companies that offer similar services. All of them do basically the same things, but there are some differences that could sway you away from one service and towards another. Here are some pros and cons of choosing Alert USA:

Final Review About AlertUSA

If you want to maintain your independence, a medical alert system is a necessity. Alert USA is a solid company with a long track record of successfully helping seniors remain independent as they grow older.

The Pros ( + )

  • Alert USA says it “guarantees” the lowest monthly rates in the business. You can check the current rates on the company’s website.
  • Your monthly monitoring price will never go up; your initial price is what you will pay for as long as you are a customer of Alert USA.
  • It has two monitoring stations staffed with trained operators. Each station backs up the other in case one goes down from a blackout or natural disaster, so you will never go without protection.
  • In addition to working on traditional landlines, Alert USA’s system works with an Internet-based telephone, such as Vonage or a phone you get from your cable company. Most medical alert systems require a traditional landline from a phone company. This is a big money saver because if you do not have a traditional landline (as many people are ditching their landlines these days), you do not have to go out and set one up and pay the monthly fee to the phone company.
  • There is no long-term contract to sign and you can cancel at any time without penalty after giving 30 days written notice.
  • Your spouse can also be monitored at no additional cost, and the second alert button is free of charge.
  • In case of an emergency and you can’t get to your door, Alert USA will also contact your neighbors or family – anyone who has access to your house. A lock box is available if you have no trusted people nearby.
  • You can take the system with you on vacation. Just set up the base unit at your new address and notify the company where help should be sent if you need it.

The Cons ( - )

  • Unless there is a special sale going on, Alert USA charges a one-time fee of $49 to set up your system. Several companies charge no initial fees.
  • While the Internet phone option is extremely beneficial to those with Internet-based phones, there is no option to hook it up to your cell phone. So many people only have cell phones; this is something Alert USA, as well as most of the other medical alert companies must work on.
  • Alert USA does not have a fall monitor. Many services automatically place a call if it detects a fall. With this system, you still have to press your alert button. Alert USA is not alone in not offering this; many companies feel the technology still has not yet been perfected.
  • It does not offer an option to have the system remind you when you need to take a pill.
  • According to its website, Alert USA does not seem to offer an option that would integrate your medical alert system into a larger system that would include smoke, fire, carbon monoxide or burglar protection. Of course, you could still press your button if one of those emergencies happens to arise and the monitor would call for the appropriate help.

Reviewed by Mark Berman at Medical Alert Comparison