AAPC

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because: I asked for a percentage of students who were able to pass their certification exams on the included first or second attempts This information was not provided I suspect it is a very small percentage for two reasons First, the second proctor at my certification exam said it took her three attempts to pass her certification exam, likely two included attempts and one $attempt Second, when I first contacted the AAPC about my score, Jennifer suggested a "was a good score for your first try" Jennifer may not know the extent of your questionable, if not fraudulent, business practices but she knows a small percentage of people pass their first attempt You have the ability to manipulate the exam and the results without the threat of outside intervention Under your testing regulations, I may not replicate or duplicate any portion of the exam nor may I discuss it with anyone I have no way of proving your questionable practices You then destroy the evidence Further, any reasonable person, given my overall grade for the course of combined with my final course exam grade of 92, would conclude I should have at least passed the certification exam if the course prepared me for the exam and the exam was relevant to the course Your courses are designed with a keen eye toward the psychology of failure in the interest of separating real people from real money for made up credentials I sought out the AAPC because I thought you were a reputable organization This is no longer the case Sincerely, [redacted]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.Regards, [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because: customer service should have disclosed the ICD-Requirement when I renewed one month from the required completion dateAs discussed, my current career affords me no time to go on website or read magazineThe four year time frame was a point of reference and only firmed once IDC-was approved for use within the last calendar yearI was not aware of the proficiency requirement, as I had not read or been exposed to AAPC this past year Sincerely, [redacted] ***

***, Thank you for reaching outWe strongly encourage you to contact our customer service department at 800-626-They can look into your account determine why books were unexpectedly sent to youIf you feel you were misled by your salesperson, please contact customer serviceWe show you the only contact you have made with them was to discuss CEUsThey can look into your account and determine how to best support youSincerely, AAPC

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: You are not refunding the money you owe me You did not tell me I had only four months to finish or tell me I had thirty days to get a refund You look into it You sent me books in January that I did not order I want a refund
Sincerely,
*** ***

Hello
In regards to the complaint filed by MrsCasi * *** (ID# ***), Casi received books & study materials, completed the entire CPC preparation course, & took the CPC certification exam twice for the single fee of $paid by her employerAAPC does not refund for any course
after days from purchase or after course work has been completed, and we do not refund for any exam that has been attempted or on books that have been shipped & usedThere will be no refund issued to Casi’s employer for the course & exam package purchase that Casi has used in its entirety
Casi’s CPC Training Package & code books were purchased on Friday 5/30/The course books were shipped the following Monday 6/2/and delivered & signed for by Casi’s employer on Thursday 6/5/Students are told in the Course Instructions that they may begin the course before receipt of course textbooksIf the employer delayed giving books to Casi, this was no fault of AAPCStudents are given months from purchase date to complete the CPC courseAn additional month grace period was given to Casi at no charge and she completed the course on 11/27/
When the course was purchased in May of 2014, the medical codes in the course reflected the most current code set & the calendar year at the time, 2014, and her employer purchased the correct code books for that courseShe could have used those same books if had she had taken the certification exam in
AAPC only offers a calendar year exam because in this trade of medical coding, codes and guidelines are updated annually at a national level (by WHO, AMA, among other national and/or government organizations)Medical coders need to update their code sets annually to be currentWhen Casi took the CPC certification exam in 2015, the exam was based on year codes for all examineesWhen Casi registered for her exam, she agreed to AAPC’s Examination Agreement which states she understands that the exams are updated annually on January and reflect current calendar year codesIt is stated multiple places on AAPC’s website that examinees should bring the current code set to the exam or they will be at a disadvantage on the examThis is also stated on the course sales page that is viewable prior to purchase, and within the courseShe was also told by her AAPC instructor that she must use the current year version of all code books on the certification exam
If Casi had wanted to avoid testing in she could have selected to take the exam in and use her code booksIf there were no exams in her immediate area she could have traveled to an outside city or registered earlier in the year to secure her seat in a exam close to her homeShe could have also purchased or borrowed code books for any exam in It was Casi’s choice to sit for the CPC certification exam twice with out-of-date code books and lessen her chances of passing for that reason
Some of Casi’s statements against AAPC are not fair or accurateThere are many AAPC students who finish the course in less than the time frame given & pass the exam soon after, or even much later in a different calendar yearSome students pass on their first attempt an others take several attemptsEveryone is different
In the coding industry, updated annual codes are part of the business for correct claim submission & accuracyI’m sorry Casi is upset, but we do our best to warn examinees that they will be at a disadvantage on the exam using a code set that is not the same year as the exam yearCasi still has knowledge & books and other resources that were provided to her by AAPC from the fee that was paidAgain, no refund for the course she completed will be issuedShe may contact AAPC to get a student discount code for a retake on her exam which give her two more attempts at the CPC exam for $instead of $She also will not need to repurchase the ICD-9-CM book if she tests in 2015, as there have been no code changes to ICD-due to the national code freeze until ICD-implementationThis will save Casi some money if she tests before ICD-is implemented next yearShe will only need a CPT & HCPCS book to test in 2015, and she can use her ICD-9-CM bookUpdated books will help her chances greatly of passing the CPC certification exam if she'd like to try again
Jennifer ***
AAPC
Distance Learning Manager
***@aapc.com

Hi Mr***, We apologize for your frustrationsThe difficulty of our medical billing exam is a reflection of the demands of the professionThis is why employers seek AAPC Certified Professional BillersThey know these individuals are properly prepared for the workplaceWe plead that you do
not give upAs you know, you have an additional exam remainingAs you know, your previous result was just short passingClarification in a few areas could help you succeedYou should have received an email highlighting the areas of the exam where you faced the most challengesReview the areas and look for consistenciesWe would be happy to give you more in-depth insight into your score, which would uncover your challenges more clearlyEmail [email protected] to submit a request for this informationWe also encourage you to attend your local AAPC chapter meetings and glean insight from other professionalsMany have been where you are and could give you a different perspective on the examAlso consider reaching out to professionals in our forums at aapc.com or our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/21496405430/I would also like to note that our exams are not custom to the examineeThis is why we cannot share your exact resultsSharing the complete exam after grading often results in exam questions being leakedThis tarnishes the value of the credentialWe hope you understandAgain, we plead with you not to give upYou are close to passing the exam and beginning a career as a medical billerSincerely, Alex M*** AAPC

Hi ***, We're sorry that you fell just short of passing the examWe hold all of our examinees to the same standardIt's frustrating, especially knowing that you were one right answer away from successfully passing your certification examHowever, our certifications are revered
within the medical community because of the standards they represent. You should have one more exam attempt with your exam purchaseWe encourage you to register for your retake as soon as possibleUse members of our Facebook group to help you with any questions you may haveFind the group at this link: ***Don't give upYou can do this!Alex M***AAPC

The customer first inquired about a refund on December 16, She stated she had a health issue not permitting her to complete the program she purchased from AAPCThe representative stated that the course she purchased had been completed half way and we would be unable to facilitate her request
We also let her know that we would give her additional time to complete the courseOur representative noted that the customer was relieved to have the extension. The customer then called AAPC on January 18, 2016, asking to speak with the president of the company, Jason V***He was unavailableMs*** was transferred to the president's secretary, MsM***, who was away from her deskThe customer was asked to leave a voice message since MsM*** was away from her deskMsM*** offered a 50% refund since the course was half way completeThe total amount refunded was $***According to MsM***, the customer appeared grateful for the compromise

Hi ***,
We're sorry that you were not satisfied with the
resolution our customer service team offered. ICD-proficiency has been
a requirement for certification
holders for the last four years and was
frequently promoted via email, social media, our member magazine Healthcare
Business Monthly, and prominently on our website
We recommend applying for emeritus status so you
can keep your certification through your final year of membershipThis status
will fulfill the expectation you had when renewing in NovemberApplying is
simple to do and free of chargeEmail ***@aapc.com if you
are interested in receiving the emeritus application form
Thank you.
Alex M

We informed *** that we will no longer allow her to be a member based on and negative posts about AAPC and the grading accuracy of examsWe are refunding her for the Exam vouchers, study guide and code books she purchased out of pocketThe scholarship fund will be refunded the membership they paid forThe total refund amount is $She was told that it would take a few days to process the check to refund her

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:
TThis business is in both the healthcare and Educational industry and is showing complete disability in proper lyrics assessing what the real issues areI sincerely hope that everyone sees this and re-assesses the position they have been allowed because they are abusing it.Please note: I am NOT asking for some sort of garbage pale hand outI am a worker and this company, by their very calloused way of address show that they still consider the people that have paid hard earned money to be worth nothing more than a simple "well, have a nice life...now go away".I truly hope someone out there with some power will get involved hereI am not asking for something unreasonableThis initial response would have been acceptable HOWEVER they forced me to go this far in getting their attentionTherefore, that is no longer acceptable..and the fact is, with my situation is not possible for me to complete courses: terminology, anatomy, and the CPC NOT TO MENTION the PracticodeSo, sorry, that "generous" offer is not really generous after all. Thank you, Revdex.com team, for being there for us...thank you for be a resource we can go to when these companies won't hear us or take the time for us
Sincerely,
*** ***

Hi ***,We have received your complaint and will review the issue with the Practicode team, as well as with your sales representative, TJ B***We will contact you via email next week any resolution we are able to provideWe apologize for any inconvenience you have
experienced. Sincerely, Alex M***AAPC

Hi ***, Thank you for your commentsWe sincerely apologize for any frustrations you’ve felt as a memberPlease know that your feedback is important to us and is taken seriouslyAAPC is not the only certification body for medical codersIn addition to AAPC, which serves nearly 160,
members, AHIMA certifies over 100,members and HIMSS certifies over 50,membersAs with most professions, medical coding is not a government certified or regulated professionHowever, healthcare employers choose which standards they would like their employees to followFor a variety of reasons, many choose AAPCSome healthcare facilities hire medical coders despite having no certification from one of the organizations listed aboveThere is no federal mandate that medical coders be certifiedContinuing education is not an uncommon requirement for professional organizationsThis is most apparent with industries facing an evolving landscape, such as healthcare, law, aviation, etc… We require our certified members to have current knowledge of regulations so their facilities compliant and within regulatory guidelinesHealthcare facilities could otherwise face financial penalties and possible closureThis goes hand-in-hand with our examsWe acknowledge their difficultyHowever, they validate a student’s competence to help maintain a healthcare facility’s cash flowThe role of a coder is a critical piece to a healthcare facility’s cash flow cycleWe understand that there are those who do not pass our exams upon first attemptThis is why we include a free retake with every exam purchaseWe hope our comments help bring insight into the medical coding profession and AAPC’s role in supporting professionals in the fieldWe wish you the best in which ever path you choseSincerely, Alex M*** AAPC

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me Thank you very much for taking my complaint seriously and resolving it I do appreciate it
Sincerely,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me
Sincerely,
*** ***

Hi ***, We're sorry for your frustrationsWe have far more to gain by having you as a member of AAPC than to purposely fail youRegardless, we know that our exams our very difficultThey are not impossible thoughYou are member of our Facebook groupIf you've scrolled through the posts
you have seen many members sharing their relief in passing the examThere are also others like yourself, struggling to get their scores up, but intent on passing.In response to your request, we cannot share exam questions and answersIn this digital age, when exam questions are shared they tend to find their way onto the internet, compromising the exam and requiring our exams department to create new exams for the certificationThis occasionally happens despite the parameters we set to secure our exams.We recommend that you connect with members in your local AAPC chapter who can offer guidance, or we can direct you to members who have passed the exam to give you directionAt the least we encourage you to do this in our Facebook groupFind the group at this link: *** Sincerely, Alex M***AAPC

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
*** ***

We'd be happy to send you a second edition of the book that includes guidelinesWould you email your member ID number and current mailing information to [email protected]? We'll get one out right away

I spoke with Mr*** on 9-11-I informed him this was the first I had heard of his complaint|explained that we are down to only one Doctor on the evening shift and sometimes appointments will get backed upDrJ*** had a couple of heavy medicine cases, the night he was here, that
took up a lot of her timeOne of which ended up being a euthanasia and those cases always take more time than the allotted minutesI apologized for his wait and inconvenience but mostly apologized that DrJ*** did not call him back personally that night nor answer her voice mail message that he had leftThis part of the situation was unacceptable and for his inconvenience I would credit his charges for that appointmentThis was a pleasant conversation with Mr***
Sorry this had to come to the Revdex.com's attention and I hope to not have it happen again
Regards,
** *** ***