Does Medicaid pay for a medical alert in Iowa?
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The short answer
Yes. Iowa's HCBS Elderly Waiver lists a medical alert, if your parent qualifies for nursing-home-level care.
What stands out in Iowa
- 2 Iowa Medicaid programs we read name a medical alert; 1 of them serves older adults. (HCBS Elderly Waiver, HCBS Physical Disability Waiver)
- For 2027, 2 Medicare Advantage plans in Iowa list a medical alert, down from 6 in 2026. 99 of 99 counties have at least one, the same as 2026. Black Hawk and Boone have the most, 2 each. (CMS benefit files, 2026, CMS benefit files, 2027)
- Medicare lists 352 equipment suppliers here, about 60 for every 100,000 people aged 65 and over. Cedar Rapids has the most, 21. (CMS supplier directory, Census ACS 2020-2024)
Iowa's HCBS Elderly Waiver lists a medical alert
Medicaid calls it a PERS.
| Program | Who it serves | Medical alert? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCBS Elderly Waiver | Iowans age 65 and older who meet level of care | Lists a medical alert | Read the sourceChecked October 12, 2026What it says“78.37(2) Personal emergency response or portable locator system. A personal emergency response or portable locator system are services provided pursuant to subrule 78.34(10).” |
Also listed on these disability programs
| Program | Who it serves | Medical alert? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCBS Physical Disability Waiver | Iowans age 18 to under 65 who are physically disabled | Lists a medical alert | Read the sourceChecked October 12, 2026What it says“• CDAC • Home and Vehicle Modification • Personal Emergency Response • Specialized Medical Equipment • Transportation” |
One phone call starts the application
Call Iowa Medicaid Member Services: 800-338-8366
Ask for a “personal emergency response system” under the HCBS Elderly Waiver. Start the application online. What else to ask
2 Medicare Advantage plans here list a medical alert
Adair1 plan
Adams1 plan
Allamakee1 plan
Appanoose1 plan
Audubon1 plan
Benton1 plan
Black Hawk2 plans
Boone2 plans
Bremer1 plan
Buchanan1 plan
Buena Vista1 plan
Butler1 plan
Calhoun1 plan
Carroll1 plan
Cass1 plan
Cedar1 plan
Cerro Gordo1 plan
Cherokee1 plan
Chickasaw1 plan
Clarke1 plan
Clay1 plan
Clayton1 plan
Clinton2 plans
Crawford1 plan
Dallas2 plans
Davis1 plan
Decatur1 plan
Delaware1 plan
Des Moines1 plan
Dickinson1 plan
Dubuque1 plan
Emmet1 plan
Fayette1 plan
Floyd1 plan
Franklin1 plan
Fremont1 plan
Greene1 plan
Grundy1 plan
Guthrie1 plan
Hamilton1 plan
Hancock1 plan
Hardin1 plan
Harrison1 plan
Henry1 plan
Howard1 plan
Humboldt1 plan
Ida1 plan
Iowa1 plan
Jackson1 plan
Jasper2 plans
Jefferson1 plan
Johnson2 plans
Jones1 plan
Keokuk1 plan
Kossuth1 plan
Lee1 plan
Linn2 plans
Louisa1 plan
Lucas1 plan
Lyon1 plan
Madison2 plans
Mahaska1 plan
Marion2 plans
Marshall2 plans
Mills1 plan
Mitchell1 plan
Monona2 plans
Monroe1 plan
Montgomery1 plan
Muscatine2 plans
O'Brien1 plan
Osceola1 plan
Page1 plan
Palo Alto1 plan
Plymouth2 plans
Pocahontas1 plan
Polk2 plans
Pottawattamie2 plans
Poweshiek1 plan
Ringgold1 plan
Sac1 plan
Scott2 plans
Shelby1 plan
Sioux1 plan
Tama1 plan
Taylor1 plan
Union1 plan
Van Buren1 plan
Wapello2 plans
Warren2 plans
Washington1 plan
Wayne1 plan
Webster2 plans
Winnebago1 plan
Winneshiek1 plan
Woodbury2 plans
Worth1 plan
Wright1 plan
Medicare lists 352 equipment suppliers here
Home equipment, not alerts; price labels explained
Adel1 supplier
Albia1 supplier
Algona2 suppliers
Altoona3 suppliers
Amana1 supplier
Ames7 suppliers
Ankeny6 suppliers
Atlantic3 suppliers
Audubon1 supplier
Belmond1 supplier
Bettendorf2 suppliers
Bloomfield2 suppliers
Boone3 suppliers
Burlington4 suppliers
Carlisle1 supplier
Carroll3 suppliers
Cedar Falls4 suppliers
Cedar Rapids21 suppliers
Centerville1 supplier
Chariton2 suppliers
Charles City3 suppliers
Cherokee2 suppliers
Clarinda1 supplier
Clarion1 supplier
Clear Lake1 supplier
Clinton3 suppliers
Clive2 suppliers
Columbus Junction1 supplier
Coralville5 suppliers
Corning1 supplier
Corydon2 suppliers
Council Bluffs8 suppliers
Cresco1 supplier
Creston3 suppliers
Davenport11 suppliers
De Witt1 supplier
Decorah2 suppliers
Denison4 suppliers
Denver1 supplier
Des Moines16 suppliers
Dubuque8 suppliers
Durant1 supplier
Eagle Grove1 supplier
Eldora1 supplier
Emmetsburg1 supplier
Estherville2 suppliers
Evansdale1 supplier
Fairfield1 supplier
Forest City2 suppliers
Fort Dodge7 suppliers
Fort Madison1 supplier
Garner1 supplier
Glenwood1 supplier
Grimes2 suppliers
Grinnell1 supplier
Guthrie Center1 supplier
Hampton1 supplier
Harlan3 suppliers
Hiawatha3 suppliers
Humboldt1 supplier
Huxley1 supplier
Indianola3 suppliers
Iowa City11 suppliers
Iowa Falls3 suppliers
Jefferson2 suppliers
Johnston2 suppliers
Kalona1 supplier
Keokuk1 supplier
Keosauqua1 supplier
Knoxville2 suppliers
Lake City2 suppliers
Lamoni1 supplier
Laurens1 supplier
Le Mars2 suppliers
Malvern1 supplier
Manchester2 suppliers
Manson1 supplier
Mapleton1 supplier
Maquoketa1 supplier
Marcus1 supplier
Marion3 suppliers
Marshalltown3 suppliers
Mason City7 suppliers
Milford1 supplier
Monticello1 supplier
Mount Ayr1 supplier
Mount Pleasant1 supplier
Muscatine3 suppliers
Newton3 suppliers
North Liberty2 suppliers
Norwalk1 supplier
Oakland1 supplier
Oelwein3 suppliers
Ogden1 supplier
Orange City1 supplier
Osage2 suppliers
Osceola1 supplier
Oskaloosa3 suppliers
Ottumwa5 suppliers
Panora1 supplier
Parkersburg1 supplier
Paullina1 supplier
Pella1 supplier
Perry2 suppliers
Pleasant Hill1 supplier
Pocahontas1 supplier
Red Oak3 suppliers
Reinbeck1 supplier
Sheldon2 suppliers
Shenandoah1 supplier
Sioux Center2 suppliers
Sioux City10 suppliers
Spencer4 suppliers
Spirit Lake3 suppliers
Storm Lake3 suppliers
Stuart1 supplier
Tipton1 supplier
Toledo2 suppliers
Urbandale12 suppliers
Victor1 supplier
Vinton1 supplier
Wapello1 supplier
Washington2 suppliers
Waterloo10 suppliers
Waukee3 suppliers
Waukon1 supplier
Waverly2 suppliers
Webster City2 suppliers
West Des Moines7 suppliers
West Liberty1 supplier
West Union1 supplier
Windsor Heights1 supplier
Winfield1 supplier
Winterset4 suppliers
Lift chairs · Medicare and lift chairs · Adjustable beds.
29.1% of older Iowa residents live alone
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 plansAffiliate link. No one else on this page paid to appear.
Questions families ask
Does Medicaid pay for a medical alert in Iowa?
Yes: Iowa's HCBS Elderly Waiver lists one.
Do Medicare Advantage plans in Iowa cover a medical alert?
2 Medicare Advantage plans in Iowa list a medical alert for 2027.
Data checked October 12, 2026. How we built this · Report a correction
Sources
- HCBS Elderly Waiver: program document (checked October 12, 2026)
- HCBS Physical Disability Waiver: program document (checked October 12, 2026)
- Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa Medicaid)
- CMS Medicare Advantage plan files, 2026
- CMS Medicare Advantage plan files, 2027
- CMS supplier directory, Iowa
- Census ACS living alone, Iowa
- CDC fall deaths, Iowa
- Census ZIP-to-county file
- Medicare.gov: equipment Part B covers
- Medicare.gov: Open Enrollment dates
- Medical Care Alert prices