{"id":10050,"date":"2014-04-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-04-14T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.philips.com\/resources\/blog\/2014\/04\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments.html"},"modified":"2023-10-20T11:47:08","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:47:08","slug":"selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments\/","title":{"rendered":"Selecting a Medical Alert System: Contract or Monthly Payments?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, seniors are staying healthy and active \u2014 and living longer \u2014 than ever before. It\u2019s no wonder that as many as 90 percent are hoping to remain independent and in their own homes, according to a report from the\u00a0National Conference of State Legislatures and the AARP<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The risk of illness or an accident such as a fall increases as you age, though. In fact, seniors in the United States have more than 13.2 million hospital stays each year, according to the\u00a0US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This is why investing in a medical alert system is so vital to your independence.<\/p>\n

But knowing how to select the device that is right for you isn\u2019t always easy. One question that many seniors struggle with is whether they should sign a contract for a medical alert service or pay a monthly fee. Each method has its pros and cons, so your unique situation will determine which option is right for you.<\/p>\n

Deciding Whether to Sign a Contract for a Medical Alert Service or Pay a Monthly Fee<\/h2>\n

Contract<\/h3>\n

No one likes to be tied into a long-term contract, but this is exactly what some medical alert services require. Going this route can save you money, and it isn\u2019t as much of an issue if you\u2019re fairly certain you\u2019ll remain in your home for the length of the contract.<\/p>\n

The good news is that most of the contracts are only for one year, and they can reduce your service fees. You can even pay them in monthly installments with most providers. It may seem like more of a commitment, but it may be a good choice for some seniors.<\/p>\n

Monthly Payments<\/h3>\n

Medical alert devices and services that are based on a monthly payment don\u2019t require a contract and can be canceled at any time. You\u2019re only paying for your medical alert system during the months it\u2019s needed, and you aren\u2019t required to pay if you no longer need it. This means that as your life situation changes, you can cancel the service at any time.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re injured or become ill, you won\u2019t need the medical alert system while you\u2019re in the hospital or a rehabilitation facility. You may also find that you no longer need it if you move into a situation where you\u2019re not home alone, such as if you move in with relatives or into an assisted living community.<\/p>\n

For many seniors, the monthly payment option is the best option. You\u2019ll never have to pay for a service that no longer meets your needs. It\u2019s especially fitting for seniors who have impaired mobility, are at an increased risk for falls, or have medical issues that could limit their independence in the near future.<\/p>\n

There are many factors that go into\u00a0choosing a medical alert system<\/a>\u00a0that fits your needs. Deciding how you prefer to pay for the service is just the beginning. It pays to do your research on each service provider and learn what\u2019s out there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today, seniors are staying healthy and active \u2014 and living longer \u2014 than ever before. It\u2019s no wonder that as many as 90 percent are hoping to remain independent and in their own homes, according to a report from the\u00a0National Conference of State Legislatures and the AARP. The risk of illness or an accident such Read more >><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":31831,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[44],"class_list":["post-10050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-smart-spending","tag-medical-alert-systems"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nShould You Choose Contract or Monthly Payments? | Lifeline<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One question that many seniors struggle with is whether they should sign a contract for a medical alert service or pay a monthly fee.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Selecting a Medical Alert System: Contract or Monthly Payments?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"One question that many seniors struggle with is whether they should sign a contract for a medical alert service or pay a monthly fee.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Lifeline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LifelineMedicalAlertService\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-04-14T00:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-10-20T15:47:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Couple-looking-at-computer.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1277\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"821\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andrew Bastin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Andrew Bastin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Andrew Bastin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/person\/50ab178d15853031ee06af6ad13f46e5\"},\"headline\":\"Selecting a Medical Alert System: Contract or Monthly Payments?\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-04-14T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-20T15:47:08+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments\/\"},\"wordCount\":522,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Couple-looking-at-computer.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Medical Alert Systems\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Smart Spending\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/selecting-a-medical-alert-system-contract-or-monthly-payments\/\",\"name\":\"Should You Choose Contract or Monthly Payments? 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