Bay Alarm Medical Alert System Review
Bay Alarm Medical Alert offers a wide array of equipment and monitoring to help you live safely both at home and when you’re on the go. The company provides different equipment packages that work with any of its three monitoring levels.
It can seem like a lot to figure out, but we break it down for you so it’s easy to see if Bay Alarm Medical is the right fit for your medical alert needs.
Locked-in prices 30-day risk-free trial Landline or cellular monitoring Mobile, in-home, and in-car packages Free spouse coverage 1,000-foot range Automatic fall detection
No way to call for help with voice only Extra fee required for mobile app Package offerings that can get confusing
The most common medical alert systems either look out for you when you’re at home or use GPS technology to offer support when you’re on the move. Bay Alarm Medical provides both of those options plus you can mix and match to get the protection that best fits your needs.
Bay Alarm Medical Alert cost
With Bay Alarm, you have a lot of options to consider, but that can make things confusing. We’re going to break it down for you based on the type of service available and then the level of monitoring protection you can choose for that service.
Here's what you can expect from every Bay alarm medical alert package:
- Protection starting at $19.95/mo.
- No upfront cost for in-home medical alert
- No contracts
- Free mobile app account management
- Monthly plan price-lock guarantee
To start, we’re going to look at the in-home and mobile GPS service options. We’ll outline the basics of each plan and then offer a few tips to help you decide whether or not that type of system might be best for you. Finally, we’ll dive into Bay Alarm’s bundled medical alert services.
Bay Alarm Medical Pricing and Plans
In-home medical alert pricing
You can add Bay Alarm's auto fall detection button to any plan for an extra $10 per month. All of Bay Alarm's in-home monitoring plans include an in-home base unit and one help button plus 24/7 monitoring.
| Monitoring level | Basic Protection | Preferred Protection | Premium Protection |
|---|---|---|---|
Monthly cost  |
$19.95 | $24.95 | $29.95 |
| Caregiver mobile app |
 No |
No |
No |
| Wall help buttons |
None
|
2-pack
|
4-pack
|
| Learn more | View Packages | View Packages | View Packages |
Data effective 05/26/2021. Offers and availability subject to change.
In-Home medical alert systems are a good fit if you identify with the statements below.
- I live alone or am at home alone often.
- I don’t leave the house on my own.
- I have a high risk for or history of falls around the house.
- I want to use a landline monitoring connection.
On-the-Go mobile GPS medical alert pricing
All of Bay Alarm's on-the-go mobile plans include 4G LTE cellular service, 24/7 monitoring,and GPS location tracking.
| Package | GPS Help Buton | SOS Smartwatch |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $24.95 | $24.95 |
| Device cost |
$99
|
$179
|
| Caregiver mobile app |
$5/mo. add-on
|
No |
| Fall detection |
$10/mo. add-on
|
No |
| Learn more | View Packages | View Packages |
Data effective 05/26/2021. Offers and availability subject to change.
A mobile medical alert system is a good fit if you identify with the statements below.
- I regularly leave the house on my own.
- I need coverage that reaches beyond 1,000 feet of the base station.
- I have a high risk for falls.
- I don’t want to use a landline monitoring connection.
Bay Alarm Medical Alert System bundle pricing
All of Bay Alarm's bundles include in-home landline connection, 24/7 monitoring, and GPS location tracking. You can add fall detection, wall help buttons, or an in-home cellular connection for additional fees. Extra services range from $5 to $10 extra per month per add-on and extra wall help buttons are $35 each.
| Bundle | In-Home + GPS Medical Alerts | In-Home + SOS Smartwatch |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $39.95 | $39.95 |
| Equipment cost |
$79.00
|
$149
|
| Included equipment |
In-home base station, Help button pendant or wristband, Mobile GPS button
|
In-home base station, Help button pendant or wristband, SOS Smartwatch
|
| Caregiver mobile app |
$5/mo. add-on
|
No |
| Learn more | View Packages | View Packages |
Data effective 10/04/2019. Offers and availability subject to change.
Bay Alarm’s bundle packages are a good idea if you want protection both inside your home and when you’re out and about. For active lifestyles, a combination of medical alert services and equipment can make the most sense.
One of the downsides of Bay Alarm’s bundles is that you have to add fall detection for an extra $10 per month. If you don’t see a bundle that you like, you can call Bay Alarm Medical and talk to a specialist. They’ll help you put together a system that makes the most sense for you and your budget.
Bay Alarm Medical Alert add-on options
Bay Alarm Medical has a lot of extras you can add to your medical alert package, but note that the caregiver mobile app isn't available with all plans. Here's an overview of standard add-on features and how much they'll cost you.
- Lock box to give emergency responders easy access to your home, $30 each
- Vial of Life emergency medical information, $8 each
- Wall help buttons, $35 each
- Automatic fall detection button, $10/month for the first and $15 per month each for any extras
- Extra neck pendant or wristband, $35 each
- Bella Charms for neck pendants, $25 each
- Caregiver mobile app tracking, $5 per month
- 4G LTE cellular connection for in-home medical alert, $10 per month
Price-lock guarantee No long-term contracts 30-day trial period Monthly fees start at $19.95 Free spouse coverage
Extra fees for fall detection and caregiver appHow Bay Alarm Medical stacks up
| Best overall | Best value | Best for fall detection | Best for customization | Best for active lifestyles | |
| Brand |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Lowest monthly price | $19.95/mo. | $24.95/mo. | $29.95/mo. | $29.95/mo. | $19.95/mo. |
| In-home range | 1000 ft. | 1300 ft. | 400 ft. | 1300 ft. | 1400 ft. |
| Backup battery | 32 hours | 32 hours | Not available | 32 hours | Not available |
| Landline option available |
 Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Multiple wearable options |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Learn more | View Packages | View Packages | View Packages | View Packages | View Packages |
| Read review | Read review | Read review | Read review | Read review | Read review |
Data effective 05/26/2021. Offers. and availability subject to change.
Bay Alarm Medical Alert tech and equipment
When it comes to medical alert equipment, Bay Alarm’s offerings are fairly standard. Where the company exceeds some other medical alert services is the broad selection that gives you multiple options for medical alert coverage at home or out and about.
How it works
The Bay Alarm Medical Alert in-home system includes a base unit and an alert pendant. To set up your system, all you have to do is plug in the base unit and push the test button.
The base unit plugs into a wall outlet and a phone jack. Once it’s plugged in, press the blue “help” button to test that your system is active and working properly. After that, the only decision left is whether to wear your help button as a necklace or on your wrist like a watch.
When you press the button on the pendant, it sends a signal to your base station, and the base station calls the monitoring center. The base station acts like a very loud speakerphone, allowing for two-way communication with someone in the monitoring center. They will ask you if you need help and what kind of help you need. If it’s not a medical emergency, the response center can call a neighbor or family member for you, or they can dispatch emergency responders if needed.
One thing we don’t like is that you can’t call for help without hitting a button. If you’re not near the base unit or can’t get to a wall button or pendant, you can’t call for help. More medical alert systems are adding voice activation so that you can get help even if you’re unable to press a button. We’d like to see Bay Alarm Medical add this feature to its base station and basic wearable mobile alert device.
Bay Alarm Medical offers additional alert options as well, like a mobile GPS alert device that acts as a base station and help button in one. This option lets you communicate with the monitoring center through the pendant itself. Bay Alarm Medical also offers an add-on automatic fall detection pendant and a smartwatch option for on-the-go coverage.
Bay Alarm Medical equipment
In-Home Base Unit
- Landline or cellular connection
- Two-way communication
- 32-hour battery backup
Help Button
- Waterproof design
- 1,000-foot range
- Necklace or wristband options
Fall Detection Button
- $10 fee per month
- Automatic fall detection sensors
- 800-foot range
Wall Button
- Waterproof design
- Wireless installation
- 5-year battery life
Key Lockbox
- Uses numeric combination
- Stores house key
Mobile GPS Help Button
- Two-way communication
- AT&T cellular connection
- Water-resistant design
SOS Smartwatch
- GPS locator
- IP67 Water resistant
- 4G LTE cellular service
Tech and equipment highlights
Caregiver Mobile App
With Bay Alarm Medical’s caregiver tracking app, your friends or family can check in on your location in real time and see where you’ve been. They also get alerts if your mobile GPS help button is running low on power. Bay Alarm Medical includes the app in its mobile packages at the preferred and premium levels, but you can add it to some mobile and bundled packages for an extra $5 per month.
A Note about Fall Detection: Falls are a significant cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries for older people. That’s why we think fall detection is essential when you’re looking at a medical alert system.
But it’s important to note that no fall detection system is foolproof. Bay Alarm Medical uses multiple sensors for automatic fall detection—that means the pendant will detect your fall and send an alert whether or not you can press your help button. There have been a good number of reports about false alarms and delayed help signals, though.
My grandmother has the at-home system with a fall detection pendant, and it’s worked flawlessly for her. Plus, there’s no penalty for false alarms, so I recommend adding this level of protection, even though it’s not quite perfect.
Additional Help Buttons
If you think you might get up in the middle of the night and forget to grab your alert pendant, Bay Alarm Medical offers additional wireless help buttons. You can place these extra buttons strategically throughout your home as an added safety precaution.
We recommend putting at least one in the bathroom (this is where most falls occur) and putting them low to the ground where you can reach them if you fall.
In-home and on-the-go options Landline or cellular monitoring Plug-and-play installation Up to 1,000-foot range Long battery life or battery backup Water-resistant design
No voice activation Extra fee for mobile app Shorter range for fall detectionBay Alarm Medical customer service
Bay Alarm Medical gets consistently high reviews for its equipment and monitoring. But we found negative reviews regarding fine print in the billing details and trouble with system returns. We wanted to read the fine print for ourselves, so we combed over a copy of the company’s Terms and Conditions. We don’t think it’s deceptive, but it can be confusing. We recommend reading everything carefully to avoid any surprises.
Customer Support in Many Languages
One of Bay Alarm Medical’s standout features is multilingual customer support. Its monitoring personnel can communicate with users in 170 different languages, thanks to a partnership with Language Line Services. This is especially reassuring for caregivers assisting family members who don’t speak English.
Medical Record Inventory
Bay Alarm Medical provides a free Vial of Life registry with every package. This is a record of your medical information, including all the medications you’re on and any allergies or specific medical conditions. The Vial of Life helps emergency personnel provide the right care during a medical event. Even though it’s a paper record, it’s still a handy thing to have ready before something happens. You can keep it in your home or in a purse or wallet.
Customer Support Summary
Overall, Bay Alarm Medical does a good job of supporting its customers. It has several customer-first policies, like its 30-day trial period and price-lock guarantee. What muddies the waters is the large number of package and bundling options that can lead to confusion.
We found Bay Alarm’s customer service representatives to be helpful and patient when wading through all the company’s offerings. If you’re willing to spend some time on the phone, it’s worth it to make sure you get all of your questions answered.
Customer-first policies Multilingual services Good reputation Helpful customer service reps
Confusing package options Billing complaintsOther medical alert systems to consider
If you’re not sure that Bay Alarm Medical is the right match for you, we’ve looked at a number of top medical alert systems. Our reviews can help you decide which one is the best fit for your lifestyle and wallet.
Medical Guardian Alarm System Review
Life Alert Medical Alert System Review
Philips Lifeline Medical Alert System Review
LifeFone Medical Alert System Review
How we evaluated Bay Alarm Medical
Our review of Bay Alarm Medical is the result of real-life experience from my grandmother, hands-on product testing, customer reviews, and research. We considered package and equipment options, pricing, and customer service. We also looked at how easy it is to understand what the company offers and how easy it is to use the medical alert systems. See our full rankings methodology for more information about how we rank and review products and services.
FAQ
No, Bay Alarm Medical retains ownership of all equipment and loans it to you during your subscription period. But you’re on the hook if there’s any damage to the equipment, which could run you between $200 and $300. Fortunately, you can avoid that risk if you purchase a warranty protection plan. The plan is $5 per month and covers equipment up to $300.
The base unit must be plugged into a standard landline phone jack to connect with the monitoring center. For power, it needs a 110-volt electrical outlet that’s not connected to a light switch—you don’t want to turn off your medical alert system accidentally.
If you don’t have a landline, you can upgrade to a cellular-only plan for $10 per month. Bay Alarm provides the cellular connection, and you don’t have to have a cell phone or individual plan to use it.
Bay Alarm Medical recommends testing the button on your pendant or your base unit at least once a month or as often as you need for peace of mind. Press the button and wait for the system to dial out. When the responder asks if you need help, let them know you’re just testing it. There are no charges or penalties for testing your system or false alarms.
Final Word
Bay Alarm Medical’s month-to-month subscription makes it an excellent medical alert service for those who may need it only on a short-term basis. Customers are also happy with the monitoring service’s compassionate professionalism.
The medical alert systems are priced affordably, and it’s easy to add or subtract features and products as your needs change. It has a few minor hiccups when it comes to billing and returns, but most of them can be resolved by studying the fine print and communicating with customer service. Overall, we think it’s an excellent choice for older adults who want both independence and security.
Affordable monthly fees Price-lock guarantee Easy installation In-home and mobile options Customer-first policies
Fine print for system returns Confusing package options No voice activation
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