There is an ongoing debate concerning a fairly new entrant to the medical alert system industry: no-monthly-fee medical alert devices. These devices generate calls directly to a predefined number: a caregiver, 911, neighbor, or other party without contacting a call center. Why is it so controversial? Supporters of the no-monthly-fee device claim that their competitors are only concerned with making money and charging their customers a monthly fee. They emphasize that traditional medical alert companies make their living by providing these monthly services and collecting monthly fees, which can range from $15 – $50.
Other people, like me, argue that these devices pose a safety risk to those they are intended to help. No matter which side of the argument you are on, you cannot argue with the fact that, in many states, these devices are illegal.
Let’s consider the following scenarios. In Scenario 1, Client A is using a VRI Medical Alert device that calls their monitoring center when activated. In Scenario 2, Client A is using a no-monthly-fee Medical Alert device that has been preprogrammed to call her neighbor, then her daughter, and finally 911. Continue reading