Medical Care Alert vs. GetSafe

Having a personal medical alert system has become a need, rather than an option, for older adults. This is because of the risks associated with old age, especially when seniors live with a health risk or are diagnosed with any serious illness that otherwise require regular monitoring. With the rapid advancement of technology comes the rise of modern medical alert systems in the market, which poses a challenge in the entire process of choosing the best medical alert system for you or for your loved one.

The devices are usually designed as a portable help button which the user can wear as a pendant or as a wristband. It is directly connected to a monitoring center that when pressed, immediately enables you to get the help you need by assigning a trained respondent to attend to your emergency.

Choosing a medical alert system that best suits your individual needs should be anchored on a wise and sound decision mainly because it significantly affects the survival rate of the user in the event of an emergency. We examined two reputable providers, Medical Care Alert and GetSafe, comparing their cost and features side by side, to help you make an informed decision on your purchase.

	Medical Care Alert	GetSafe
Overall Grade	Overall Grade: A-plus	Overall Grade: A
Costs
Monthly Cost Price	$29.95 - $39.95	$24.95
Device Cost	$0	$79 - $279
Shipping Fee	$11.95	$12
Cancellation Fee	No fee	No fee
Fall Detection Fee	$10	$10
Cellular Fee	n/a	n/a
Spouse Monitoring	$0 - $29.95	$25
Features
Connectivity Option	Cellular, Landline or Cellular	Cellular, Landline or Cellular
Two-way Speaker & Microphone	Yes	Yes
Home-based Back Up Battery Life	80 hours	32 hours
On-the-go Battery Life	72 hours	No
Button Range	1000 ft	No
Water Resistant	Yes	Yes
GPS Tracking	Yes, some plans	No
Caregiver App	Yes, some plans	No
Response Time	12 seconds	20 seconds
More Details	See All Plans	See All Plans

Medical Care Alert

Pros:

• Monitoring Center is 100% U.S-based, UL-approved and rated A+ by Better Business Bureau
• EMT/EMD certified operators are ready to respond 24/7
• 14-day free trial period
• Built-in GPS location tracker and automatic fall detection are available to all systems
• Long battery life (lasts up to 3 days)
• No activation fees
• Prices are locked as long as subscriber stays with the system
• Free RemoteCare 24/7 smartphone app lets authorized caregivers check the location and device status of HOME & AWAY ULTRA subscribers
• Free PIN-protected lockbox provided with an annual monitoring plan

Cons:

• Lowest rate is offered on an annual prepaid plan
• No month-to-month billing option, new subscribers must prepay for at least 3 months of service

GetSafe

Pros:

• Offers an alternative to wearable help buttons
• Affordable monthly monitoring fees
• 30-day free trial
• No long-term contracts
• Systems can support small to large home sizes
• Extra buttons may be added to the plans they offer

Cons:

• Does not offer on-the-go system
• High upfront equipment fees
• Lacks touchscreen and smartwatch devices
• Does not offer features like activity tracking, medication reminders, etc.

Medical Care Alert Overview

Medical Care Alert is a family-owned company that is offered by American Response Technologies, Inc. Their systems work best for independent seniors who have health risks and also for our vulnerable loved ones, mainly because their emergency respondents are all experienced in the field of health care. Their monitoring centers are staffed with highly trained respondents who hold EMT/EMD certification. This means that they are experienced in terms of health care. Among their qualifications is their ability to speak Spanish to be able to accommodate non-native English speakers who are more comfortable using the Spanish language. They monitor 24/7 all year round, making sure that all emergency calls are attended to. They have a total of four system plans to choose from; Home Medical Alert-Landline, Home Medical Alert-Cellular, Home and Away Ultra, and Home and Away Duo.

Medical Alert Systems

Home Medical Alert System- Landline

Home Medical Alert Landline provides in-home protection which works within a 1000-ft range from the base unit. This capacity is considerably extensive, making it a great option for seniors who have big homes. The system works through landline connectivity, and it includes a hands-free speakerphone that directly connects with the emergency monitoring center who have EMT/EMD certified operators ready to assist at any time. The battery features an 80-hour backup so you don’t have to worry if the power goes out. The plan costs $29.95 per month, with optional upgrade for fall detection that costs $10 every month.

Home Medical Alert System- Cellular

If there is no standard landline connection in your home, the Home Cellular Medical Care Alert will offer you the in-home protection that you need. It connects to AT&T 4G LTE wireless network. The coverage reaches a 1,000 foot range as measured from the location of the base console. This range exceeds the average size of an American home, which gives you the extra protection that you need. This provides extra assurance for you and your family members as it can cover all areas inside your home and in your yard. The wearable help button is also water-proof, and has a battery life of up to 80 hours.

Home and Away Ultra

The Home and Away Ultra provides a lightweight and compact device that comes with a wearable waterproof help button pendant, with a GPS location tracker, that is directly connected with a trained, EMT/EMD certified operator ready to respond in cases of emergencies. You just have to press the help button to communicate directly with a responder through a built-in microphone. The system connects to the AT&T 4G LTE network, and it is serviceable at home or anywhere with a strong cellular network.

It also offers a free RemoteCare 24/7 mobile app, which allows the caregivers and your loved ones to monitor your location. This is a great option for seniors who maintain an outgoing lifestyle and tend to be out and about at certain times. The battery can be used for up to three days . This system can also be upgraded to have fall detection monitoring for only $10 a month.

Home and Away Duo

The Home and Away Duo comes with a water-proof wrist or pendant button, a GPS device to track your location. Its battery life can last up to three days max, and it provides coverage in all 50 states whenever cellular signal is accessible.

This plan costs $39.95 per month, and it takes just one push on the help button in the event of a medical emergency. The GPS tracking device accurately locates your device so they know where to dispatch help when you need it. The specifications include an AT&T cellular connection which functions anywhere as long as cellular signal is accessible.

GetSafe Overview

GetSafe was founded in 2015 and it is privately owned by the Bay Alarm Family of Companies, the same company that owns Bay Alarm Medical.

GetSafe offers a fixed pricing rate of $24.95 for its monthly monitoring fee, and only requires users to pay for a one-time fee for equipment. GetSafe is unique as compared to other providers because apart from not offering a landline-based medical alert system, they grant the users freedom to customize their system plans based on their home size. It's different from the usual pricing plans of other medical alert companies because they practically price their systems based on the range coverage required by your home size.

GetSafe's systems include the base unit, voice-activated wall button, and standard wall button. Their device options offer three ways to get you help: call, press, and pull. GetSafe is highly recommended for people who prioritize a customizable system that allows them to access help fast without having to wear a pendant around the house.

Medical Alert Systems

Starter

Starter is the most basic plan offered by GetSafe. This system is mainly intended for small apartments or homes with only one bedroom. It comes with one 4G-LTE base unit, one voice-activated wall button, and one personal help button. Starter charges an upfront fee of $79 for its equipment, and a fixed monthly monitoring fee that costs $24.95.

The 4G-LTE base unit is an easy-to-use, cellular-connected, in-home console that acts as the control center for the medical alert system. It has a two-way speakerphone, so you can communicate with the monitoring center directly from the unit. An emergency button is attached to the unit that, when pressed, will immediately send a signal to the monitoring center and start the help process. The base unit has a 32-hour backup battery so it can operate even in severe weather conditions that may cause power outages.

Standard

The Standard plan is next to the Starter, and it can cover a standard single-family home with 2-3 bedrooms. The system includes one 4G-LTE base unit, two voice-activated wall buttons, one standard wall button, and one personal help button. Users have to pay $179 upfront for this plan's one-time equipment fee.

Select

GetSafe’s Select plan includes one 4G-LTE base unit, three voice-activated wall buttons, two standard wall buttons, and one personal help button. The one-time device fee for this plan costs $279. This is a great option for users who intend to get protection for larger, multi-level homes with many bedrooms and bathrooms.

Medical Care Alert and GetSafe both provide in-home and out-of-home monitoring services, but they offer different pricing options. Let’s take a closer look at their rates to help you determine which system fits your budget.

Assessing their monitoring fees, Medical Care Alert prices for $29.95 - $39.95 per month, while GetSafe charges a flat monthly rate of $24.95 regardless of the system users opt to purchase. However, Medical Care Alert does not charge for its equipment, while GetSafe charges quite expensively for this, which ranges from $79 - $279 depending on the plan.

Additionally, both charge around $12 for shipping fee for all their devices and $10 additional monthly cost for the optional automatic fall detection feature. When it comes to spouse monitoring, Medical Care Alert offers it with no additional fee except their Home & Away Duo where you will need to own a separate system, while GetSafe charges $25 per month.

Feature-wise, the main difference between these two providers is that GetSafe concentrates on customizable in-home systems, giving emphasis on its unique voice-activated wall buttons. They offer packages that are based on your home’s size and include a base station, wall button, and a personal help button. This is a good option for seniors who want premium protection while enjoying the comfort of their own homes. GetSafe does not offer an on-the-go system; instead, they have a mobile GPS help button as an add-on to their plans. This is a big deal for seniors who maintain a mild to active lifestyle.

On the other hand, Medical Care Alert focuses both in providing in-home and on-the-go medical alert systems, particularly highlighting their capability to provide top-tier medical response and assistance when it comes to emergencies, as they have trained operators who hold EMT/EMD certification. This is a great option for seniors who have health risks and other people who suffer from serious illnesses.

Comparing their base units, Medical Care Alert’s systems use either a landline or LTE cellular connection while GetSafe's systems are all wireless and only use an LTE cellular network. Although GetSafe capitalizes on modern technology for its connection, it is not ideal for those who live in areas that may not be able to access a strong cellular network.

In terms of the buttons or devices users can wear, Medical Care Alert comes with a wearable help button that can be worn as a pendant or wristband while GetSafe offers non-wearable devices perfect for those who are not comfortable wearing anything around their necks or wrists.

As GetSafe only offers standard devices for home use, we conclude that Medical Care Alert is more ideal for seniors who want comprehensive plans that offer protection both inside and outside their homes.

Monitoring Center

The subscribers can easily have confidence in the services offered by Medical Care Alert, as they have a state-of-the-art US-based monitoring system that is UL-certified, which proves that their monitoring center delivers the highest standard of service to its clientele. All LifeSafety Operators are highly trained to respond to emergencies and they are all EMT/EMD certified professionals who are on stand-by 24/7, all year round. Being fluent in both English and Spanish, they can readily communicate even with the Spanish-speaking US population, and they also have available support for the deaf and hearing-impaired.

On the other hand, GetSafe also provides nationwide coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. Their monitoring centers are also UL-listed, and are CSAA Five Diamond Certified, which ensures that their operators are well-trained to handle any type of emergency and their services are keeping up with the highest industry standards.

When it comes to how fast they attend to an emergency call or alert, Medical Care Alert does it fairly faster, having an average 12 seconds response time, while GetSafe’s response time is 20 seconds. However, GetSafe can support up to 170 languages because they utilize LanguageLine services to provide assistance for non-English speakers, while Medical Care Alert can only accommodate English and Spanish speakers.

OUR PICK

For this comparison, Medical Care Alert beats GetSafe as it offers a wider variety of options for connectivity, and in-home and on-the-go systems. Although GetSafe could be more attractive because of its modern and unique features, Medical Care Alert is the better option especially for someone who prioritizes practicality and functionality. Plus, the in-home systems offered by Medical Care Alert can be a fair match to the premium offers of GetSafe as its range can cover up to 1000 ft range, and that’s more than enough for the average-size home—especially if you commit to wearing the pendant.

Medical Care Alert’s monitoring center is also faster to respond to emergencies with its shorter response time of only 12 seconds. After all, the main purpose of a medical alert system is to be able to get help as soon as possible in case of an emergency.

GetSafe is ideal if you need to prioritize long-term affordability, have a large home, or don’t want to wear a help button. But if you want a medical care alert system that offers premium functions, has an option for landline or cellular connection, has wider options for its features, and has a reliable on-the-go system, might as well subscribe to Medical Care Alert.