Does Medicaid pay for a medical alert in Ohio?

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

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The short answer

Yes. Ohio's PASSPORT lists a medical alert, if your parent qualifies for nursing-home-level care.

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What stands out in Ohio

2 Ohio Medicaid programs we read name a medical alert; 1 of them serves older adults. (PASSPORT, Ohio Home Care Waiver)
For 2027, 17 Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio list a medical alert, down from 27 in 2026. 88 of 88 counties have at least one, the same as 2026. Lucas has the most, 16. (CMS benefit files, 2026, CMS benefit files, 2027)
Medicare lists 944 equipment suppliers here, about 44 for every 100,000 people aged 65 and over. Columbus has the most, 57. (CMS supplier directory, Census ACS 2020-2024)

Ohio's PASSPORT lists a medical alert

Medicaid calls it a PERS.

Programs for older adults
Program	Who it serves	Medical alert?	Source
PASSPORT	Age 60+ meeting nursing facility level of care	Lists a medical alert	Read the sourceChecked October 12, 2026 What it says “(17) Personal emergency response system as set forth in rule 173 -39-02.6 of the Administrative Code;”

Also listed on these disability programs

Disability programs
Program	Who it serves	Medical alert?	Source
Ohio Home Care Waiver	Ages 0-59 with a physical disability and nursing facility level of care	Lists a medical alert	Read the sourceChecked October 12, 2026 What it says “• Personal emergency response system • Supplemental transportation • Waiver nursing”

One phone call starts the application

Call Ohio Department of Aging: connects to local area agency on aging: 866-243-5678

Ask for a “personal emergency response system” under the PASSPORT program. What else to ask

17 Medicare Advantage plans here list a medical alert

How CMS marks these

Find a county

Adams8 plans

Allen8 plans

Ashland8 plans

Ashtabula9 plans

Athens8 plans

Auglaize8 plans

Belmont8 plans

Brown8 plans

Butler8 plans

Carroll9 plans

Champaign8 plans

Clark8 plans

Medicare lists 944 equipment suppliers here

Home equipment, not alerts; price labels explained

Find a city

Equipment

Akron11 suppliers

Amelia2 suppliers

Amherst2 suppliers

Andover3 suppliers

Arlington1 supplier

Ashland3 suppliers

Ashtabula5 suppliers

Ashville1 supplier

Athens5 suppliers

Aurora2 suppliers

Austintown1 supplier

Avon5 suppliers

Lift chairs · Medicare and lift chairs · Adjustable beds.

30.4% of older Ohio residents live alone

People 65 and over who live alone: 30.4%; 654,898 people. Census ACS 2020-2024. Census source
Deaths from falls, age 65+, per 100,000: 97.2; 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 Ohio?

Yes: Ohio's PASSPORT lists one.

Do Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio cover a medical alert?

17 Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio list a medical alert for 2027.

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

Sources

Coverage checklist for Ohio

Yes. Ohio's PASSPORT lists a medical alert, if your parent qualifies for nursing-home-level care.

Program: PASSPORT. Call Ohio Department of Aging: connects to local area agency on aging at 866-243-5678.

Plans (2027)

Anthem Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP), Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (plan ID H2628-005-0)
Anthem Dual Advantage Plus (HMO D-SNP), Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (plan ID H2628-006-0)
Anthem Extra Help (HMO-POS), Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (plan ID H3655-041-0)
+14 more at the link below

Ask: does the PASSPORT program cover a personal emergency response system for my parent, and how do we apply?

Data checked October 12, 2026.

https://medicalalertreview.com/coverage/ohio