Families usually ask this after a scare: a fall, a night on the floor, a call from a neighbor. The answer is mostly “no, but there are routes.” Original Medicare generally does not pay for a medical alert system. Some Medicare Advantage plans do, a few state Medicaid programs do, and several other sources can lower the cost.
This guide sorts those routes and tells you what to ask each one. We are an independent research site, not Medicare counselors, and nothing here is personal advice. Plans differ by area and change every year.
The short answer
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and Medigap: generally no. Medicare Advantage: sometimes, as an extra benefit that depends on the plan. Medicaid: sometimes, depending on the state and program. Check your parent’s own plan documents before you buy anything expecting to be reimbursed.
In this guide
Original Medicare and Medigap
Healthline states plainly that Original Medicare does not cover medical alert systems. The reason families get confused is that Part B does cover some equipment for the home. Medicare.gov says Part B covers durable medical equipment when a provider orders it for use at home and it comes from a supplier enrolled in Medicare, and that after the Part B deductible you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. Items such as walkers fit that description. Medicare.gov’s page does not list medical alert devices among them.
Medigap does not change this. Healthline notes that a Medigap plan only helps with costs for services Original Medicare covers, so it has nothing to add here.
If your parent needs other equipment that is covered, our Medicare coverage guide sorts rollators, stairlifts, bathroom equipment and more into what is typically covered and what usually comes out of pocket.
Medicare Advantage: how to find out if your parent’s plan covers it
Medicare Advantage plans can offer benefits beyond Original Medicare, and medical alert coverage is one that some include. Humana’s guidance says its plans may include coverage for medical alert systems and that coverage can help you afford one. It does not say every plan has it, and neither does any other source we found.
For a sense of how such a benefit can work, a 2020 announcement from a benefits administrator described Medicare Advantage plans offering in-home base units and wearable help buttons with 24/7 monitoring through a partner company, with some models including fall detection. That is one vendor’s program, written for plan year 2021, and not a promise about any plan today. The point to take from it is that a plan benefit is usually delivered through a specific vendor and specific devices, which is why the questions below matter.
Where to look:
- The Annual Notice of Change and Evidence of Coverage your parent’s plan mails each fall. Look for a benefit called something like “personal emergency response,” “medical alert” or “home safety.” Our guide to reading the 2027 Annual Notice of Change shows how to read that mail, and open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7.
- The plan’s member services number, printed on the back of the plan card.
- A free SHIP counselor at shiphelp.org, who is independent and does not sell plans.
If your parent has no medical alert benefit and you are comparing plans anyway, treat it as a tiebreaker, not the reason to choose. Drugs, doctors and total yearly cost matter far more.
Questions to ask the plan
Say “I am helping my parent, who is a member,” and have your parent’s permission ready, because the plan will generally need it. Then ask:
- Does the plan have a medical alert or personal emergency response benefit for 2027?
- What exactly does it pay for: the device, the monthly monitoring, installation, or only part of these?
- Is it limited to one vendor or one device list, or can my parent choose?
- Is fall detection included, and does it cost extra?
- Is there a yearly limit, a waiting period or an eligibility rule such as a diagnosis or a recent fall?
- How does my parent sign up, and how long until the device arrives?
- Can you send this in writing?
Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke to and what they said. Plan benefits are easy to misremember and hard to dispute without a note.
Medicaid and waiver programs
Medicaid is run by each state, so the answer depends on where your parent lives. Some state Medicaid programs and home and community-based services waivers cover personal emergency response systems for people who qualify. Humana’s guide gives the same picture, with coverage varying by state. If your parent is already on Medicaid or has a caseworker, ask that person first. If your parent might qualify, your local Area Agency on Aging can point you toward the right office; the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116), run by the Administration for Community Living, connects families to those local agencies.
Other ways to lower the cost
- Long-term care insurance. Healthline says these policies may fully or partly cover alert systems. Ask whether yours covers the monthly fee or only the device.
- Veterans benefits. Humana’s guide says veterans may get discounted or sometimes free systems through the VA. Ask your parent’s VA care team, and see VA Telehealth Services.
- AARP membership. Humana notes that AARP members get discounts on certain systems.
- Company discounts. Healthline says some companies discount by income, group membership or a local hospital connection. Ask before you pay list price.
- A tax deduction. Healthline says the cost may sometimes be deductible. This is a question for a tax professional.
- Prepaying. In our medical alert comparison, several providers charge less per month on quarterly or annual billing.
If the monthly fee is the sticking point, our guide to medical alert options with no monthly fee is honest about what that does and does not get you.
What it costs if you pay yourself
In our comparison, typical monthly fees run from roughly $25 to $90 or more depending on the provider, whether the device is mobile or in-home and whether fall detection is added. Some charge a one-time equipment fee on top, and at least one reports a multi-year contract. Prices change, so check the provider before you buy, and read our comparison for how the major providers differ.
An illustrative calculation, not a quote: at $30 a month, three years costs $1,080. At $50 a month, it costs $1,800. Seeing the multi-year figure is useful when you are deciding how much help a plan benefit or a discount is really worth.
What to do, in order
- Find out if your parent has Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan (the card shows it).
- If it is a Medicare Advantage plan, check the Annual Notice of Change and call member services with the questions above.
- If your parent is on Medicaid, or might qualify, ask the caseworker or the Area Agency on Aging.
- Check long-term care insurance, VA benefits and AARP discounts.
- If nothing covers it, compare providers on total yearly cost, not only the monthly number.
- Do not wait on a reimbursement answer if there is an urgent risk. A fall is an emergency whether or not a plan pays for the device.
Not sure which kind of system fits? Our device finder asks a few questions about your parent’s day and points you to the right type.
The Aging Parent Emergency Info Sheet
Medications, contacts and legal info on one page, ready for a paramedic or hospital.
Common questions
Does Medicare Part B cover a medical alert system?
Generally no. Healthline states that Original Medicare does not cover medical alert systems. Part B pays for durable medical equipment ordered by a provider for use at home, and Medicare.gov's page on that equipment does not list medical alert devices. Confirm with Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE if your parent's situation is unusual.
Does a Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan cover medical alert systems?
Healthline says it does not. Medigap helps pay costs for services Original Medicare covers, so it does not add a benefit Original Medicare lacks.
Do Medicare Advantage plans cover medical alert systems?
Some do, as an extra benefit. Humana's own guidance says its plans may include coverage for medical alert systems, and that this depends on the plan. Whether your parent's plan has the benefit is written in the plan's Evidence of Coverage and Annual Notice of Change, or you can ask member services.
Will a Medicare Advantage plan pay the monthly monitoring fee too?
It depends on the plan. Some benefits cover a device, some cover monitoring at a reduced rate, and some limit which vendor you can use. Ask the plan exactly what is covered, for how long, and whether your parent can choose the device.
Can Medicaid pay for a medical alert system?
Sometimes. Some state Medicaid programs and home and community-based services waivers cover personal emergency response systems for people who qualify. Coverage varies by state, so ask your parent's state Medicaid office or caseworker.
Is a medical alert system tax deductible?
Healthline says all or part of the cost may sometimes be deductible. Whether it applies to your parent depends on their situation, so ask a tax professional before counting on it.
One important caveat
This guide is general information for caregivers and is not medical, legal, or financial advice. Medicare rules, plan benefits and prices change and differ by plan and area. For decisions about your parent’s coverage, talk with the plan, a SHIP counselor or Medicare directly. We are not affiliated with any plan or provider, and we earn nothing from plan enrollments.
Sources
Medicare.gov, Durable medical equipment (DME) coverage (what counts as DME, the order and enrolled-supplier requirements, the 20% share; the page does not mention medical alert devices). Healthline, Medicare coverage of medical alert systems (Original Medicare, Medigap, long-term care insurance, discounts, tax deduction; last updated April 2025). Humana, Does Medicare cover medical alert systems? (Medicare Advantage, AARP, VA and Medicaid notes). Hearing Review, NationsBenefits partners with ADT on PERS (May 2020; an example of how a plan benefit can be delivered). Medicaid.gov, home and community-based services. Administration for Community Living, Eldercare Locator. We opened each of these in October 2026. The question list and the steps are our own suggestions. We welcome corrections through our contact page.