Compared to other types of monitored alarms such as a house or business alarm, they can seem quite expensive typically (about twice the expense) but there are good reasons for this:
- You usually lease the equipment, so all servicing and replacement parts are included in the payment and not charged for
- The actual monitoring of a Medical Alarm is quite intensive
- We also provide a Lock Box pay Ambulance costs and will provide a free Security Guard if it is a security issue rather than a medical issue
In fact, the cost of Medical Alarms has generally fallen over the last few years and the use of GPRS technology means we no longer need a physical phone line, in some cases saving money for the client.
Okay, so that’s the bad news, what’s the good news?
The good news is that in most cases the Government will pay all or part of the cost of the alarm. Why do this? Quite simple really as far as the Government is concerned it is far cheaper if a person lives in their own home looking after themselves than if they end up in hospital, retirement home / managed care. There has been a big push by governments around the western world to achieve this as populations grow older taking up more resources. The alarms are paid for through the Disability Allowance which is managed by WINZ and is up to about $63.00 a week per person to cover various costs. In my experience the big four are:
- Approved Medical Alarms
- Doctor’s Costs
- Prescription Costs
- Lawns & Gardens
The criteria are simple:
- Not allowed to be too rich (can earn on top of their National Super about $15,500 if married about $9,500 if single)
- Their Doctor signs the form to say it is a good idea (they are the independent third party who says yep it makes sense to me).
Must be complicated surely
The best thing to do is give me a call and make a time to have a chat. The forms you take to the doctor are quite simple and straight forward and chances are they will have seen plenty of them before. The trick is to cross your t’s and dot your I’s and it is petty stress-free.
If you don’t qualify then you will have to pay yourself but compared to paying for a rest home or managed care which you may otherwise find yourself in that can be pretty minor. As with insurance for your house, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Get in touch today with the Medical Alarm experts to find out more.