Personal medical alarms
You can apply for government help to pay for a monitored medical alarm service if you’re ill or have a disability.
Who can get help
The government pays for the weekly cost of the medical alarm service if you have:
- ongoing or age-related health problems
- a disability caused by your health or an injury.
You must also be eligible for publicly funded healthcare.
Getting publicly funded health services
If you want to buy an alarm you need to pay for that yourself.
You cannot get government help to rent an alarm that is monitored by a family member, for example, a GPS-based pendant that links to a smart phone.
How to ask for government help
The help you get from government depends on your personal circumstances, for example, your income and assets.
Who provides medical alarms
Most people get their alarm from a supplier accredited by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). This means the supplier:
- offers agreed standards of service
- has an approved complaints process, and
- provides the alarm at a reasonable cost — usually $13 to $15 per week.
When you sign up, the supplier must give you a contract that gives details of their services and their complaints process. You can also get a copy of the Code of Practice for MSD’s accredited suppliers of monitored medical alarms.
Code of Practice for MSD’s accredited suppliers of monitored medical alarms
Accredited suppliers of medical alarms
If your alarm is not from an accredited supplier
If you want to use an alarm service that is not accredited by MSD, you need to pay for that yourself.
Further information
Contact Work and Income for more information about approved suppliers.
If you’re over 65, contact Senior Services at the Ministry of Social Development.
Freephone: 0800 552 002 (office hours)
Email: seniors@msd.govt.nz
If you cannot get government help
If you’re 65 or older
Your SuperGold Card offers discounts from medical alarm suppliers in some areas of NZ.
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