Does Medicaid Cover Medical Alert Systems?
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The short answer
Sometimes. Medicaid can pay for a personal emergency response system through a 1915(c) home and community-based services waiver. Whether it does depends on your state, on which waiver you qualify for, and on your level-of-care eligibility. There is no single national answer. Your state Medicaid agency is the only place to confirm it.
Look up a parent's state: our Coverage Finder takes a ZIP code. It shows the programs, plans and suppliers on file there.
That answer is unsatisfying, so here is what sits behind it. A medical alert system is called a personal emergency response system, or PERS, in Medicaid paperwork. PERS is not a benefit that Medicaid guarantees everywhere. It is a service that individual states may choose to add to individual waiver programs. Below are two worked examples of how that plays out. Then we show how to get a straight answer about your own state.
The mechanism
What Is a 1915(c) Waiver, and Why Does It Decide This?
Section 1915(c) lets a state waive certain normal Medicaid rules. That lets it pay for services that keep people in their own homes rather than in an institution. The state writes each waiver for a specific group of people. Each one has its own list of covered services. Medicaid.gov is direct about how much room states have.
- States “can operate as many HCBS Waivers as they want,” and about 257 waiver programs are active nationwide.
- A waiver “enables states to tailor services to meet the needs of a particular target group.”
- “States choose the maximum number of people that will be served under a HCBS Waiver program.”
- “States are also permitted to establish additional criteria to further target the population to be served.”
Read those four lines together and the shape of the answer becomes clear. The state picks the waivers. The state picks the services in each waiver. The state picks who qualifies and how many people it will take. A medical alert is covered only when your state put it on the service list of a waiver your parent is eligible for.
Worked examples
Two Worked Examples Show How the Answer Varies
South Carolina and Connecticut.
We read their waiver fact sheets on Medicaid.gov on 17 September 2026. They show how the answer changes from one waiver to the next. They are not a ranking. For your own state, use our Coverage Finder.
Worked example one
What Does South Carolina Cover?
South Carolina runs several waivers, and PERS shows up on most of them. The Community Choices waiver serves people aged 65 and over, and people with physical disabilities aged 18 to 64. It lists personal emergency response system installation and personal emergency response system monitoring as two separate covered services. The Mechanical Ventilator Dependent waiver, for technology-dependent people aged 21 and over, lists the same pair. Community Supports, HASCI and the ID/RD waiver list PERS as well.
Then there is the HIV/AIDS waiver, run by the same state agency, which does not list PERS at all. That single line is the most useful thing on this page. Coverage is decided waiver by waiver. Asking whether your state covers PERS will only get you halfway. Ask whether the waiver you qualify for covers it.
Worked example two
What About Connecticut?
Connecticut's 1915(c) waiver for people aged 18 and over with an acquired brain injury also covers a personal emergency response system. Different state, different target population, different paperwork, same service on the list. Carry that pattern into your own call. PERS is a common waiver service, and it is never a guaranteed one.
Worked examples
Coverage Changes From Waiver to Waiver
| State | Waiver | Who it serves | Lists PERS? |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | Community ChoicesThe service list includes personal emergency response system installation and personal emergency response system monitoring as separate line items. | Aged 65+, and people with physical disabilities aged 18 to 64 | Yes |
| South Carolina | Mechanical Ventilator DependentLists PERS installation and PERS monitoring for people who depend on a ventilator and live at home. | Technology-dependent people aged 21 and over | Yes |
| South Carolina | Community SupportsPERS appears on the covered service list for this waiver. | People with intellectual disabilities and related conditions | Yes |
| South Carolina | Head and Spinal Cord Injury (HASCI)PERS appears on the covered service list for this waiver. | People with a head or spinal cord injury | Yes |
| South Carolina | Intellectual Disability / Related Disabilities (ID/RD)PERS appears on the covered service list for this waiver. | People with intellectual or related disabilities | Yes |
| South Carolina | HIV/AIDSThis waiver does not list a personal emergency response system. Same state, same agency, different answer. | People living with HIV or AIDS | No |
| Connecticut | Acquired Brain InjuryConnecticut's 1915(c) waiver for brain injury also covers a personal emergency response system. | People aged 18 and over with an acquired brain injury | Yes |
Source: the South Carolina and Connecticut waiver fact sheets published by Medicaid.gov, read on 17 September 2026. They illustrate how coverage varies. Each state's own answer is in the Coverage Finder.
Your state
Every state now has its own sourced page
We now read each state's own Medicaid program documents. Our Coverage Finder takes your parent's ZIP code. It shows which programs list a medical alert, with the source and the date we read it. It also lists local Medicare Advantage plans and equipment suppliers. Where we could not confirm an answer, the page says so. You can also open any state's page directly.
The reliable route
How Do You Find Out About Your Own State?
Call two numbers and ask one phrase
- Call your state Medicaid agency. Ask: “Which of your waivers cover a personal emergency response system?”
- Call your local Area Agency on Aging. They handle waiver applications every day and can tell you which one fits your parent.
- Use the phrase “personal emergency response system”, not a brand name. That is the wording on the service lists, and a brand name can get you a no when the answer is yes.
- Ask whether installation and monitoring are covered separately, because several waivers list them as two different services.
- Ask about the level-of-care assessment, the waiting list, and which providers participate in your state.
The free Eldercare Locator connects you to the right local agency by ZIP code. It is usually the fastest way to reach a person who knows your state's waivers by name.
If the answer is no
What If Your Waiver Doesn't Cover It?
Then the cost falls to the family. Original Medicare will not pick it up either, so plan for a monthly subscription rather than a one-time purchase. Start with our comparison of the best medical alert systems and our breakdown of what these systems really cost. If a recurring bill is the problem, the no-monthly-fee options are worth reading, with the trade-offs laid out.
Medicaid is also not the only program worth asking about. Some Medicare Advantage plans include a medical alert as a supplemental benefit. Our guide to whether Medicare covers a medical alert system walks through each of those.
Questions we hear most
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicaid pay for a medical alert system?
It can. A medical alert is not a standard Medicaid benefit everywhere. Many states pay for one, called a personal emergency response system (PERS), through a 1915(c) home and community-based services waiver. Whether your state does, and whether your parent's waiver includes PERS, has to be confirmed with your state Medicaid agency.
What is a 1915(c) waiver?
Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act lets a state waive some normal Medicaid rules so it can pay for services that help people stay in their own homes instead of a nursing facility. Medicaid.gov says the waiver 'enables states to tailor services to meet the needs of a particular target group.' Each waiver has its own target group, its own service list, and its own enrollment cap.
Is a medical alert system covered in every state?
No. States design their own waivers. Medicaid.gov says states 'can operate as many HCBS Waivers as they want,' and about 257 waiver programs are active nationwide. Coverage depends on the state, on the individual waiver, and on your level-of-care eligibility.
Who do I call to find out?
Call your state Medicaid agency or your local Area Agency on Aging. Use the exact phrase 'personal emergency response system' rather than a brand name. That is the wording on the waiver service lists. The Eldercare Locator will connect you to the right local agency by ZIP code.
Does Medicare cover a medical alert system instead?
Original Medicare does not. Some Medicare Advantage plans include a PERS as a supplemental benefit. Our separate Medicare page walks through how to check each program.
Related reviews
Sources & references
The South Carolina and Connecticut examples were read from the Medicaid.gov fact sheets on 17 September 2026. Every state's own answer, with its sources, is in our Coverage Finder. Waiver services, eligibility and enrollment caps change. Confirm with your state Medicaid agency before you rely on any of this.
- Medicaid.gov: 1915(c) Home & Community-Based Services authority
- Medicaid.gov: South Carolina waiver fact sheets
- Medicaid.gov: Connecticut waiver fact sheets
- Medicaid.gov: Home & Community-Based Services (1915(c) waivers)
- Eldercare Locator (ACL): find your Area Agency on Aging
- Medicare.gov: Coverage
- Medicare.gov: Durable medical equipment Part B covers (medical alerts are not on the list)
Pricing and plan details are drawn from each provider's official website and verified periodically; confirm current rates at the point of purchase. Statistics are cited from the sources above.