Product Reviews
Since 1977, Connect America's medical alert has been providing emergency medical alert monitoring services to thousands of senior citizens nationwide. Connect America’s headquarters is located in Philadelphia, PA and they are considered one of the pioneers in the medical alert monitoring industry. Connect America is a member of the Medical Alert Monitoring Association (MAMA). All of Connect America's medical alert representatives are based in the U.S. and receive medical alert monitoring training. They have 3 monitoring solutions as well as add on services such as automatic fall detection. Connect America uses industry standard UL-Listed equipment however their monitoring centers are not TMA Five Diamond Certified. Their medical alert pendant can be worn as a necklace or wristband and is waterproof.
Who is Connect America?
Review Summary
There are four medical alert system packages that Medical Alert by Connect America offers:
1. At-Home Premium Landline System: Traditional medical alert in-home system that uses a landline. The two-way speaker built into the base station will connect you with Connect America’s emergency response operators. Comes with a medical alert pendant or bracelet.
2. At-Home Cellular System: In-home medical alert system identical to the system above except that it does not require a landline.
3. On-the-Go Mobile (Mobile LTE): On the go coverage with GPS tracking and automatic fall detection. Includes interchangeable neck or wrist options. Works as long as there is adequate AT&T cell phone coverage.
4. Mobile Alert 911: Small handheld device that allows you to connect to 911. It can go with you anywhere and connects through the included cellular service.
Pros
Cons
Rating:
Since you're looking at Connect America, consider taking a look at Bay Alarm Medical for comparison.
Compare Device Features:
Pros & Cons To Consider |
How did Connect America do?
|
| Price | Connect America Review |
Cost for Equipment | Free equipment + $9.50 shipping charge if paying monthly (shipping fee is waived if you pay semi-annually or annually). |
Cost Per Month | $29.95 per month for the At-Home landline medical alert system. |
Advance Payment Discounts | Yes, you will receive a discount if you pay semi-annually or annually. Annual payments also receive one free month. |
Monitoring Agreement Term | None |
Repairs or Replacement Charges | You can add optional insurance for $5.00/month for free replacements for one base unit device and up to 2 buttons, or $10.00/month for unlimited devices and buttons. Without an insurance plan, expect to pay upwards of $350.00 to replace lost or damaged equipment. |
| Cancellation Policy & Discounts | Connect America Review |
Cancel at Any Time | Yes, with 30-day notice. Also, you get a pro-rated refund on unused services. |
Senior Discount | None |
Other Discounts | None |
| Equipment | Connect America Review |
Approximate Button Range in Typical Home | Up to 400 ft |
Watch/Button Battery Life | Battery will last approximately 2 years. Low battery signal sent to monitoring station to send replacement. |
What Happens if I Lose Power | Approximately 32 hours of backup battery |
Is the Watch/Button Waterproof | Yes |
How Can The Button Be Worn | Neck or wristband are both included. Belt-Clip option available with the On-The-Go system. |
UL Certified Equipment | Yes |
Does The System Automatically Test Itself To The Monitoring Center | No, you must test monthly yourself. |
24 Hour Technical & Customer Support | Yes |
| Monitoring Station | Connect America Review |
TMA Five Diamond Certified Monitoring Center | No, but they own their monitoring centers. |
Typical Response Time When Button Pressed | Approximately 20 seconds |
| Other Options & Information | Connect America Review |
How Fast Does System Ship | Standard shipping time is 4-6 business days. |
Do You Need Separate Systems For Mom & Dad | No. Two buttons come with the At Home Landline system. If you want to add another or have two of the same, there is a one-time charge of $19.99 for an additional user button. |
| Optional Advanced Features | Connect America Review |
Activity or Inactivity Monitoring | No |
Senior Fall Detection | Yes, for an additional $10.00/month per person. |
Cellular or No Phone Line | Yes, with the At Home No Landline system or the On-The-Go system. |
Non-GPS Mobile Alert System For Protection On The Go | Yes |
Smoke or Carbon Monoxide Protection | No |
GPS Medical Alert Tracking System | Yes, they have a medical alert system with GPS called On-The-Go system. |
| Special Offers | Connect America Review |
Special Offers For Our Visitors | None at this time |
Monthly Costs & Fees
Connect America used to have one of the more competitive pricing structures in the medical alert market but they have recently increased prices. Desirable features such as automatic fall detection can be added to their in-home systems for only $10.00 a month. You can also add on a protection plan for an additional $5.00 per month. If you are interested in the Alert 911 device, there is a flat fee of $19.99 per month (no advanced payments available).
Their GPS On-The-Go system comes with automatic fall detection built-in so there is no additional cost. Advanced payment discounts help make Connect America even more affordable and they come with added perks like free shipping if you choose to pay semi-annually or annually and one free month if you pay for a year upfront. They no longer require a 3-month commitment and you can cancel at any time if you are unhappy with their service.
| Connect America System | Cost For Monthly Payments | Cost Per Month For Semi-Annual Payments | Cost Per Month For Annual Payments |
| At-Home Landline | $29.95 | $26.95 | $25.29 |
| At-Home Cellular | $34.95 | $31.95 | $29.45 |
| On-The-Go Mobile | $39.95 | $39.11 | $36.62 |
What We Like About Connect America
24-Hour Support & They Claim Fast Response Times - Call center support is available 24 hours per day with US-based, multi-lingual call center representatives available. They also boost fast response times with an average of 20 seconds.
Flexible Monitoring Agreement - You can cancel at any time with a 30-day notice. You get a refund of unused services and there are no cancellation fees. You must return the equipment back to Connect America and pay for the return shipping.No Phone Line/Cellular Option - Since every household no longer has a traditional telephone line, having a reliable no phone line option is a must.
Mobile GPS Option - For seniors or even young children on the go, this may be an important and easier option for you than using your cell phone in an emergency. Bring medical alert protection and automatic fall detection with you wherever you go.
Fall Detector Option - Since diabetics can have the tendency to faint and falls are common among seniors, fall detectors can be helpful because the user may be unable to press their medical emergency button. You can add fall detection to either of their two in-home medical alert systems.
Discount for Advanced Payments - If you pay semi-annually or annually you will pay less and receive perks like free shipping.
MedReady Medication Monitoring - Connect America now provides medication monitoring for those seniors who need helpful medication reminders. This is a nice feature to add to your monitoring service.
What We Dislike About Connect America
No Automatic System Tests - Some system consoles will automatically test weekly or monthly to the monitoring station, but we were told that Connect America does not offer automatic testing. You will have to periodically test your system (at least monthly) to ensure it is working properly.
No Activity Monitoring - Activity monitoring typically requires the user to check in with the system by pressing a button once every 24 hours. This is very beneficial for seniors who are not in assisted living as it allows you to know that your loved one is active and about each day. Connect America used to offer this service, but we were told that they do not now.
Monitoring Center is Not TMA Five Diamond Certified - While we like that Connect America owns its own monitoring center, we prefer that it be TMA Five Diamond Certified, ensuring that operators are consistently trained to a set of standards.
What Others Are Saying About Connect America
Connect America has verified user reviews on their website. We appreciate that they share all their feedback, both negative and positive, with their potential customers. Most of the feedback online states that Connect America’s ordering process was smooth, shipping was fast, and the set-up was easy. Any negative feedback that was given was responded to right away by Connect America. It appears that they would like to make things right for any unhappy customers.
The negative feedback entailed the equipment not working in their service area and some users having trouble getting their refund in a timely manner. It’s important to note that you must return your equipment within 15 days of cancelling service to receive a refund.
Connect America is BBB accredited and they have a A+ rating. At the time of this review they have an average of 260 customer complaints on file.
Bottom Line
Connect America's medical alert system has been around since 1977 and has been providing medical alert monitoring emergency response services to thousands of seniors. They use industry standard UL-Listed equipment however their monitoring center is not TMA Five Diamond Certified which is a distinction that we prefer. Centers that are TMA Five Diamond Certified go through an annual renewal process to ensure a high level of quality medical alert monitoring service. We were told they were given an excellence in medical alert monitoring award in 2018 but we are unable to verify this information.
You can find additional information at Connect America's website which is not as in-depth as we'd like to see it but has improved immensely over the last couple of years. You will not be able to find any pricing information for Connect America's medical alert options on their website. When you call Connect America's sales representative, be prepared for a lengthy sales pitch, but they were not overly pushy and did share quite a bit of detail on the product. They did answer all our questions in a friendly manner however, they will ask you for personal information.
Connect America does a good job of providing the basics when it comes to medical alert monitoring. They offer no phone line options for their in-home service, automatic fall detection and mobile GPS coverage. We would like to see them catch-up to competitors who are coming out with newer technology such as activity monitoring using motion sensors, bed sensors, and door contacts and two-way voice built right inside the medical alert pendant.
Connect America is an affordable choice for medical alert monitoring service when you utilize their pre-payment discounts. We do prefer companies that automatically test that their equipment is communicating with the monitoring center automatically, although you would still need to test the medical alert button yourself at least monthly, regardless. Overall, Connect America is a solid choice for medical monitoring service when considering budget and basic options.
Although our customer care experience with this company had these results, your experience may be different. If you're interested in this company's personal emergency response system, contact them to judge for yourself.
