Does Medicaid pay for a medical alert in Illinois?

By Carol Bennett, Senior EditorUpdated October 12, 2026How we evaluate

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The short answer

Yes. Illinois' Persons Who are Elderly Waiver (Community Care Program) lists a medical alert, if your parent qualifies for nursing-home-level care.

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What stands out in Illinois

1 Illinois Medicaid program we read names a medical alert; it serves older adults. (Persons Who are Elderly Waiver (Community Care Program))
For 2027, 10 Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois list a medical alert, down from 17 in 2026. 102 of 102 counties have at least one, the same as 2026. Cook and Kane have the most, 10 each. (CMS benefit files, 2026, CMS benefit files, 2027)
Medicare lists 725 equipment suppliers here, about 34 for every 100,000 people aged 65 and over. Chicago has the most, 89. (CMS supplier directory, Census ACS 2020-2024)

Illinois' Persons Who are Elderly Waiver (Community Care Program) lists a medical alert

Medicaid calls it a PERS.

Programs for older adults
Program	Who it serves	Medical alert?	Source
Persons Who are Elderly Waiver (Community Care Program)	Illinois residents age 60+ at risk of nursing facility placement (Determination of Need assessment)	Lists a medical alert	Read the sourceChecked October 12, 2026 What it says “Emergency Home Response Service: A 24-hour emergency communication link to assistance outside the home for customers with documented health and safety needs and mobility limitations.”

One phone call starts the application

Call Illinois Department on Aging Senior HelpLine: 800-252-8966

Ask for a “personal emergency response system” under the Persons Who are Elderly Waiver (Community Care Program). Start the application online. What else to ask

10 Medicare Advantage plans here list a medical alert

How CMS marks these

Find a county

Adams3 plans

Alexander3 plans

Bond3 plans

Boone8 plans

Brown3 plans

Bureau3 plans

Calhoun3 plans

Carroll3 plans

Cass3 plans

Champaign3 plans

Christian3 plans

Clark3 plans

Medicare lists 725 equipment suppliers here

Home equipment, not alerts; price labels explained

Find a city

Equipment

Addison2 suppliers

Aledo1 supplier

Algonquin2 suppliers

Alpha1 supplier

Alsip1 supplier

Altamont1 supplier

Alton2 suppliers

Anna3 suppliers

Antioch2 suppliers

Arlington Heights6 suppliers

Auburn1 supplier

Aurora10 suppliers

Lift chairs · Medicare and lift chairs · Adjustable beds.

29.1% of older Illinois residents live alone

People 65 and over who live alone: 29.1%; 627,921 people. Census ACS 2020-2024. Census source
Deaths from falls, age 65+, per 100,000: 67.5; Age-adjusted, 2024. CDC source

All states

If nothing pays, the monthly bill is yours

Original Medicare does not pay; compare prices.

Paying yourself? Medical Care Alert

From $29.95/mo for the Home plan; without a landline, LTE cellular adds $5/mo (price page, October 1, 2026).

See Medical Care Alert plans

Affiliate link. No one else on this page paid to appear.

Questions families ask

Does Medicaid pay for a medical alert in Illinois?

Yes: Illinois' Persons Who are Elderly Waiver (Community Care Program) lists one.

Do Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois cover a medical alert?

10 Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois list a medical alert for 2027.

Data checked October 12, 2026. How we built this · Report a correction

Sources

Coverage checklist for Illinois

Yes. Illinois' Persons Who are Elderly Waiver (Community Care Program) lists a medical alert, if your parent qualifies for nursing-home-level care.

Program: Persons Who are Elderly Waiver (Community Care Program). Call Illinois Department on Aging Senior HelpLine at 800-252-8966.

Plans (2027)

Aetna Medicare FIDE (HMO D-SNP), Aetna Medicare FIDE (plan ID H9771-001-0)
Molina Medicare Complete Care Plus (HMO D-SNP), Molina Healthcare of Illinois (plan ID H3093-002-0)
Wellcare Meridian Dual Align (HMO D-SNP), Wellcare (plan ID H6971-001-0)
+7 more at the link below

Ask: does the Persons Who are Elderly Waiver (Community Care Program) cover a personal emergency response system for my parent, and how do we apply?

Data checked October 12, 2026.

https://medicalalertreview.com/coverage/illinois