Under what circumstances would Medicare / Medicaid pay for an
individual's PERS (personal emergency response system - "help I've
fallen ..."). The individual would be over 65 and living in Georgia.

Would they need a Doctor's prescription? Assume the equipment cost
would be $500 to $1500 and the monthly monitoring would be, say, $15
to $30/mo. How much would M/M pay?

Howdy wilmont,

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website has a page titled
"Personal Emergency Response Systems" which has a section about
"Purchasing, Renting, or Leasing a PERS" which addresses your
question.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/services/pers.htm

"A PERS can be purchased, rented, or leased. Neither Medicare nor
Medicaid, in most states, will pay for the purchase of equipment,
nor will most insurance companies. The few insurance companies
that do pay require a doctor's recommendation. Some hospitals and
social service agencies may subsidize fees for low-income users.
Purchase prices for a PERS normally range from $200 to more than
$1,500. However, some consumers have reported paying $4,000 to
$5,000 for a PERS. You also will have to pay an installation fee
and a monthly monitoring charge which may cost from $10 to $30."

So, Medicaid/Medicare might not be of much help.  

However, Georgia's Community Care Services Program (CCSP) might
be of some assistance.
http://www.georgiacommunitycare.org/

"The program provides a range of community-based services ...
including: ... Emergency Response System."

Who is eligible for Community Care Services [CCSP]?
http://www2.state.ga.us/ga.comcare/elgble.html

Georgia Department of Human Resources' Division of Aging Services
has page listing some more potential resources.
http://www2.state.ga.us/Departments/DHR/aging.html

They have a listing of the various Area Agencies on Aging (AAA).
http://www2.state.ga.us/departments/dhr/area_agencies_on_aging.htm

For instance, here is the Chatham & Effingham County Health
Department's description of their CCSPs.
http://www.easthealthdistrict.com/abstracts.shtml

"Home health services, adult day health, alternative living
services, home delivered meals, the Emergency Response System
and personal support services.

Eligibility: People who are appropriate for Nursing Home level
of care as determined by CCSP Assessment Nurse. Able to live
safely in the community with CCSP services. Eligible or potentially
eligible for Medicaid.
...
Method of Payment: Medicaid

There is no fee for individuals who receive Supplemental Security
Income."

If the person in question lives in either Colquitt or Worth
County, you might check out Colquitt Regional Medical Center's
(CRMC) home care services.  Keeping in mind what the FTC states,
here is what the CRMC website offers.
http://www.colquittregional.com/home_care.html

"Services include:
...
Emergency Response System
Our in-home monitoring device, designed for those who live alone,
provides the security of knowing that someone is available in case
of an emergency.
...
Payment methods under doctor's orders include Medicare, Medicaid,
private insurance, long-term care insurance, workers' compensation
and private pay, depending on the service provided. Our insurance
specialists are available to provide assistance at no charge."

The second search below might provide you with even more possible
resources.

If you need any clarification, feel free to ask.


Search strategy:

Google search on: "emergency response system" medicare
://www.google.com/search?q=%22emergency+response+system%22+medicare

Google search on: "emergency response system" medicare Georgia
://www.google.com/search?q=%22emergency+response+system%22+medicare+Georgia

Looking Forward, denco-ga

Just a comment from an EMT perspective - I have never yet responded to
an emergency medical alarm that was "real," nor has anyone else in my
service.

We have on several occasions been dispatched for an activated medical
alarm, only to find on arrival that the person triggered it by mistake
or that there was no patient (in one case, the patient had died
several years previously, but the alarm system had never been
deactivated).

By the same token, we have responded several times to assist patients
who had medical alarms, but did not have them on their person at the
time they fell.  In both cases, the patients lay where they fell (in
one case, for almost 24 hours) until someone found them.

Therefore, I would comment:

1.  If you do buy a medical alarm, make sure the person is trained in
its use and carries it with them at all times, including trips to the
bathroom.

2.  It may be good to have such an alarm, but you should also try to
have a real person connection at least once each day - for instance, a
phone call to ensure the patient is well.

My 2 cents.

That for the five star rating, wilmont.

Looking Forward, denco-ga