A medical alert system is a line of products that help give senior citizens and others with health issues the peace of mind to continue living independently. Whether it’s an in-home alert system or a wearable device complete with GPS tracking, Bay Alarm Medical provides multiple options to keep you or your loved ones safe.
Bay Alarm Medical has a long track record, with 70 years in the business providing reliable equipment and top-notch call centers. With a wide range of product choices that can fit into most budgets, Bay Alarm Medical is one of the best medical alert systems out there.
Bay Medical Alert equipment
The type of equipment you receive is tailored to your personal needs. Depending on how independent and mobile the customer is, equipment can range from in-home landline options to car-based medical devices. Options include:
- Personal help button (necklace or wristband): This is a button used at home if the user has any type of incident or medical emergency. It transmits to a call center and sends authorities to them.
- Home base unit: This unit has a built-in help button and is capable of two-way communication and even answering phone calls. This acts as a home hub, but also a way to communicate with the call center to let them know about an emergency.
- Wall buttons: Depending on how large a home is, customers can use help buttons that stick on to the wall. They can be helpful in a bathroom, kitchen or other areas that may have a slipping hazard. The help button can send authorities right away.
- Mobile GPS help button: This button is for customers to take on grocery trips, to the doctor or any other place outside the home they anticipate they may need help. Press the button with GPS capabilities, and authorities have the location and a two-way conversation to figure out how to help.
- In-Car Alert System: If you want to keep track of a loved one who may need help on the road, the Bay Medical Alert in-car system is an ideal choice. It plugs into the power supply in a car and provides GPS location, trip history and crash response.
Bay Alarm Medical Packages and Pricing
There are a few different options you can choose from with Bay Alarm Medical packages. They are separated by in-home, in-car and on-the-go. Prices and packages are as follows:
In-home options:
- Standard: Comes with one help button and one home base unit for $19.95 per month
- Preferred: Comes with everything in the standard package plus two wall help buttons for $24.95 per month
- Premium: Comes with four wall help buttons, one home base unit and a wearable help button for $29.95 per month
In-car options:
- Standard: Comes with in-car tracker that plugs into your power source for $29.95 per month. It tracks your trips and locations and has crash detection
- Preferred: In-car plus in-home help button for $39.95 per month
- Premium: Get the in-car, in-home and on-the go options for $59.95 per month
On-the-go options:
- Standard: One 4G LTE help button for $24.95 per month
- Preferred: Add caregiver tracking to the help button for $5 more per month.
- Premium: Get everything from the preferred package plus fall detection for $39.95 per month
Bundles
If you’re looking to get more than one Bay Medical Alert product, you can bundle and save. The company calls it 360 protection. The following bundles are available:
- In-home plus GPS: One wearable help button, an in-home base unit and GPS button for $39.95 per month
- In-home plus car: One in-home base, one wearable help button and an in-car unit with caregiver tracking for $39.95 per month.
- Full coverage: All components for $59.95 per month.
There are no security plans required with any of the packages with this Bay Medical Alert equipment.
Bay Alarm Medical add-ons
You can purchase additional equipment and features outside of the main packages offered by Bay Alarm Medical. These include:
- Fall detection: If you are worried about a loved one who is in danger of falling, you can add fall protection to select packages for $10 per month. It will automatically alert authorities to the emergency, and there is no need to press a help button.
- In-home cellular unit: If a user doesn’t have a landline for the in-home option, you will have to purchase a box with a cellular unit for $10 extra per month.
- Lock box: You can store as many as five locks in a lockbox at the front door, which can help in an emergency situation. Users can make sure family members or emergency personnel can get immediate access. This costs $1.95 per month.
- Additional help buttons: If you need an additional wearable help button for a spouse or roommate, you can purchase another help button for $1.95 per month.
- Additional wall help buttons: If your home is larger, and you need more wall buttons to make sure you’re covered in case of an emergency, you can purchase additional ones for $2.95 per month.
- Protection plan: Although Bay Alarm Medical covers damage from regular wear and tear, if something else happens, you will have to pay for the equipment. You can get free replacement equipment protection for an additional $5 per month.
What we like about the Bay Alarm Medical Alert System
- Fall detection: Not every company offers this feature. The wearable button can detect if the user has fallen. In some cases, people may be unresponsive if they’ve fallen, and an average help button might not be possible to utilize in this situation.
- Complimentary spouse coverage: Bay Medical Alert offers complimentary spouse coverage, which means you can cover two people for the price of one. This is a great deal that not every company offers.
- Multi-language support: Bay Medical Alert offers support in more than 170 different languages, which can really make a huge difference in an emergency situation. If your loved one needs help, they will be talking to someone in their native language during an emergency to ensure they get the best help possible.
- 30-day free trial: If you’re not quite sure if you’d like to invest in a Bay Medical alert item, the company provides a free month to try it. That means if you use it and you don’t think it’s for you, return everything for a full refund and you’re out nothing.
- Price: Although at first glance it looks like Bay Medical alert items are pricey, it is actually a decent value when compared with similar companies. It’s ranked as one of SecurityNerd’s top medical alert devices as Best Value choice because you get a lot of bang for your buck.
What we don’t like about the Bay Alarm Medical Alert System
- Fee for automatic fall detection: There are some medical alert companies that offer free fall detection with their equipment. You have to pay an extra $10 per month to get that with Bay Alarm Medical. Our Security Nerd believes fall detection is a must-have for elderly users, so finding a company with that feature for free is even better.
- Extra fee for cell phone option: Not everyone has a landline. And if you don’t, you’ll be paying an extra $10 per month to be able to use this product. There are other companies that don’t have this kind of extra fee for the same functionality.
- No security plan option: There are many security companies that offer help buttons and medical alert systems in addition to a whole-home security plan. Bay Alarm Medical does not offer any type of home security aside from this equipment.
What to look for when shopping for a medical alert system
- Types of detection: Not every medical alert device offers fall detection. If you are looking to protect a loved one who has a history of falling, it may be a good idea to purchase a product that offers fall detection. You can even find devices that can detect environmental hazards like fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Price: In general, medical alert systems are affordable, especially when they are added onto an entire home security system. But there are certain companies that offer a better deal, and if you’re a budget conscious consumer, it will be worth doing research for the best price..
- Monthly monitoring: Some medical alert systems provide GPS monitoring, but it’s up to a caregiver to call authorities in case of an emergency. Monthly monitoring, while more expensive, means authorities will automatically be called when the help button is pressed.
- Range: If you have a larger home, it’s important to find a medical alert system with a range large enough for your home. Make sure to measure your home and the area where you plan to place your base and panic buttons to ensure it will work for your needs.
- Cell vs landline: Cellular service generally reigns supreme because users are able to utilize the product no matter the location. But in areas where cellular service is not optimal, a landline service might be a better option.
- Customer service and brand reputation: Customer service and brand reputation are incredibly important when it comes to medical alert products. It’s important to choose a brand that you know will have your back when your loved one presses the help button. Sometimes that might mean the price is a little steeper, but reputation might be worth it to you.
The Bottom Line
If you or a loved one is in the market for a medical alert system, Bay Medical Alert is a solid option. With choices anywhere from in-home landline products all the way to on-the go products with GPS location capabilities, there is something for everyone. Users won’t have to worry about signing a lengthy contract or spending money on equipment they don’t need with tailor-made packages for everyone.
While you’ll have to pay extra for things like fall detection, Bay Alert Medical covers all your bases if you are looking to protect a loved one who may need extra supervision. While it may seem expensive, Bay Alert Medical is actually less than many competitors and offers complimentary spousal coverage. With more than 70 years in business and a 30-day money back guarantee, there’s no risk in giving it a try.
This article has been reviewed and approved by Officer Banta.
Officer Banta is the official SecurityNerd home security and safety expert. A member of the Biloxi Police Department for over 24 years, Officer Banta reviews all articles before lending his stamp of approval. Click here for more information on Officer Banta and the rest of our team.
