AAPC

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: I still have not received a telephone call from from one of your representativesYou indicated that I would receive a call early this weekToday is Thursday 01/04/at 8:00pm and still no telephone call from you
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.I would like to "suggest" you simplify the CPC exam to to questions and increase the test-taking time to hours with at least two scheduled breaks where the clock is stopped while test-takers stretch their legs, get a drink of water, etcAnd increase the Apprenticeship CPC-A for a period of 5-yearsYou can achieve the same results from few questionsFINALLY: The results of a failed exam (i.eyou send sample practice test questions) should be FREE to the test-taker
Sincerely,
*** ***

[redacted],  We have changed your free subscription to the annual webinar plan. We appreciate your patience. Thanks you.  AAPC Alex M[redacted]Sr. Marketing Communications Manager | AAPCDirect: 801.236.2200 x148Mobile: 801-726-5362alex.m[redacted]@aapc.comwww.aapc.com

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 $350 attempt.  Second, when I first contacted the AAPC about my score, Jennifer suggested a 68 "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 92 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]

We refunded Ms. [redacted]'s account for the full amount charged ($395) on January 25, 2016. We apologize for the inconvenience.

An AAPC representative followed-up with Mr. [redacted] regarding the Revdex.com complaint. We offered a refund on the course and exam less the cost of the code books included in the training package. The refund was completed on December 14, 2016. Mr. [redacted] appeared satisfied with the resolution. Alex M[redacted]Sr. Marketing Communications Manager | AAPCDirect: 801.236.2200 x148Mobile: 801-726-5362alex.m[redacted]@aapc.comwww.aapc.com

On 2/3/2016, this customer purchased a one year new student membership, along with online self-study courses in Medical Terminology, Anatomy, and training for CPC Preparation & physician medical coding, for a total of  $2770. Included in the offer were free coding books & course books...

shipped to the customer, along with an exam voucher and 3 practice exams given immediately upon purchase. The exam voucher & 3 practice exams had a 1 year expiration date, and these expired 2/3/17. The 3 courses were meant to be completed in 8 months from date of purchase. This student was given 4 additional months for 1 year to finish all 3 courses & the exam. Customer has not completed any work in the courses and has only sent in 2 email requests for assistance from an instructor in the Medical Terminology course. Both emails were replied to by an instructor with tips & suggestions for study. The student contacted AAPC by phone on 12/1/2016 and requested additional accommodations due to personal circumstances. AAPC accommodated the student with an additional 3 months extension for each of the 3 courses at no charge, waiving $269.55 in extension fees, extending the course through the end of May, an additional 7 months of study time (*extension fee is $29.95 per month, per course.) Email alerts were sent to the student pending 6/1/2017 course cancellations, and customer declined to purchase additional extensions for the courses, and is now requesting additional accommodations at no charge or a full refund. The student still has not completed any course work in any of the 3 online courses in a total of 15 months of access. AAPC will allow another waive of extension fees for an additional time of 4 months total for the 3 courses, until 9/30/2017. This is an additional fee of $359.40 that AAPC will be waived for this customer, and a final offer. The customer will have to repurchase the CPC exam when she is ready to test, as this expired in February 2017 and cannot be extended. The customer has already repurchased the online practice exams and code books. She will have to purchase any extensions on course access beyond September 2017 at the regular fee of $29.95 per course, per calendar month. If the customer would like to update their CPC course to the 2017 year course this year or 2018 course next year, we can accommodate an additional discount on the updated course if she wants. Since codes are updated each calendar year, the student should be aware that this will be a "norm" in the industry and prepare for upcoming changes in the code sets or guidelines. There will be no refund for any courses purchased in February of 2016. AAPC's refund policy is a 30 day window for refunds on courses with no refund for membership or exams: https://www.aapc.com/policies/refund-policy.aspxThank you.

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]

In response to this complaint, Beth purchased this COC Online Training Package from AAPC on 8/4/14. Included in the $1495 fee paid was the COC online course & 3 course textbooks, COC certification exam voucher with free retake, 3 online practice exams, 4 code books (that are normally sold...

separately for around $230,) and a separate ICD-10 online training course. AAPC shipped & she received 7 books total, and she was also given an additional $100 discount from a service representative & free shipping, in addition to the sale price that was being offered at the time. Email confirmations & access instructions were sent to the email on file (same email listed in this complaint) on the date of purchase.
Beth completed the entire ICD-10 online training on 2/28/15 (sold separately starting at $395). The COC online course is meant to be completed within 4 months from the date of purchase. The exam voucher & practice exams are available for 1 year from date of purchase, and Beth is currently registered for the COC certification exam on 9/12/15, which she scheduled herself for on 6/2/15.
Beth contacted AAPC on 3/2/15 & said she was unaware that she was to be completing course work online on our Blackboard, so she was given an additional 4 months access at no additional charge for a total of 10 months access to complete a 4 month course at no additional charge (normally a monthly course extension fee of $29.95 per calendar month is charged, but this was also waived). After that occurrence, Beth did not submit work in the online course until 3/30/15. She has completed 3 chapters in the course so far and from our records she has not contacted AAPC for a refund prior to this filing this Revdex.com complaint.
Beth sent several emails to the course email, and every email was replied to by an instructor with feedback on her progress & direction to go forward, including the latest response sent to Beth on 6/15/15 from an email she sent on 6/12/15. I do not see any emails from Beth sent on 6/15 as stated in this complaint. There were several emails exchanged regarding problems with her accessing one of the web links given for an assignment, so she was emailed the documents from the website instead, with instructions on how to proceed.
AAPC’s refund policy is that a written request for a refund will be honored if the refund is requested within 30 days from date of purchase and no course work has been completed, and all books are returned to AAPC unused. Beth purchased the course 10 months ago at a deep discount, has been given multiple extensions at no cost. She was shipped several hundred dollars in textbooks & code books, she’s completed the ICD-10 training in its entirety and a few chapters in the online COC course, and has registered herself for an upcoming exam. This online course is independent study, but help is available to any student who needs it. Students are asked to be proactive if they need help and to ask for it. All of the emails that Beth sent to the instructor email were replied to with feedback to try to help her understand better.
I’m sorry that Beth is upset, but AAPC will not issue a refund for this transaction. Beth’s course is set to expire tomorrow, 6/30/15. We can give Beth another extension on the COC online course until the end of the 2015 year, waiving an additional 6 months in fees ($179.70 value). We can also offer Beth more instructional help in the way of phone appointments with one of the instructors if she doesn’t understand what is being emailed to her. Beth will need to make these requests to the instructor email if this is something she would like to schedule. Beth may keep her 9/12/15 exam date even though she registered outside of the 8/31/15 voucher expiration date, but if she misses this September exam date she will lose her exam voucher.
I have gone ahead & given the course time extension to Beth until 12/31/15 in good faith and pending I don’t hear back regarding this response. I hope this will be an acceptable solution to her and that she will let us help her move forward with her education & certification goals.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
[redacted] I will accept this, but however my posts were not false as to my opinion. The post may have seemed that way to the business but I do not feel my posts were false.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: I sent emails to AAPC and never got a call or an answer.  I don't believe they have  good intension to review the exam in good faith,  I believe the review should be perform by an third party not related to AAPC.  They have been conducting business without any policing or anyone to answer to.  It is time for these kind of organization to have some entity (outsider) to over see the way they are conducting their business and treating their paying members.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

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

I am sorry [redacted], that you don't find AAPC's offer to be a satisfactory resolution for you. We have tried to work with you by waiving fees and allowing much more time in the courses at no charge than other students get due to your personal situation. I'm sorry if that it is not enough for you, there are no further accommodations that we can offer. Since you've rejected the offer to extend your courses, I will return your courses back to a cancelled state. I wish you the best in your future. Jennifer

On 6/23/15 this customer made a purchase that contained a 1-year AAPC student membership for $70, a distance learning CPC course training package for $1695 (includes online course, 3 practice exams & certification exam voucher), and code books for $229.95 plus $8.20 shipping charges. Code books...

& course textbooks were shipped & delivered to the customer on 6/26/15. New AAPC member packet followed in the mail. AAPC's refund policy (https://www.aapc.com/policies/refund-policy.aspx) is that all courses may be cancelled within 3 days for a full refund or within 30 days for a refund less a $50 course cancellation fee as long as the student has not completed work in the course. AAPC does not refund for membership, exams, or shipping charges. Books may be refunded within 30 days if returned unopened in new condition less a restocking fee. The customer has worked through 8 chapters in the course and only failed 2 of the 23 assignments she's completed, with an option to take the failed tests over again as many times as needed to pass. This is a challenging independent study online course and our instructors have reached out to this student via email offering additional tips & assistance. We do not have record in her account of a request for a refund.
AAPC cannot refund for a course that is nearly half complete & books that were delivered & used by the customer. We have given this student 2 additional months in the course until 12/31/15 & we can give additional time & coaching assistance without a fee if that will help her, but we cannot offer a full refund. All products & services have been used. If the customer would like to contact AAPC we can work out additional time in the course & coaching/instructional options to assist her with the course work.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: customer service should have disclosed the ICD-10 Requirement when I renewed one month from the required completion date. As discussed, my current career affords me no time to go on website or read magazine. The four year time frame was a point of reference and only firmed once IDC-10 was approved for use within the last calendar year. I was not aware of the proficiency requirement, as I had not read or been exposed to AAPC this past year.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Hi [redacted], We're happy to help you out and we apologize for your frustrations. Would you forward your member ID number and mailing address to [email protected] so we can send a second edition of the ICD-10-CM book to you? It will have the guidelines printed in the book. Just so you...

are aware, what you experienced is common for all code book publishers. Updated guidelines are not available from CMS until close to the new year, however, many customer need the updated codes right away and print the updated guidelines on our website when they are available. Our second edition does have the updated guidelines printed. Again, this is standard operation for all publishers. Regardless, we want to meet your expectations. Forward the requested information and we'll send a new book ASAP. Sincerely, Alex M. AAPC

We recognize Mr. [redacted]’s concerns and will work to accommodate his needs the best we can. In an effort to help him complete the Practicode curriculum, we will further extend his subscription by over 12 months, now expiring on December 31, 2017. A customer service representative will be calling...

him to review the details of the extension. Confusion over the Practicode agreement has prompted us to more clearly explain the program details in the product description. Our team will be updating the Practicode website in the coming days to help prevent confusion in the future.

[redacted], Thank you for reaching out. We strongly encourage you to contact our customer service department at 800-626-2633. They can look into your account determine why books were unexpectedly sent to you. If you feel you were misled by your salesperson, please contact customer service. We show...

you the only contact you have made with them was to discuss CEUs. They can look into your account and determine how to best support you. Sincerely, AAPC

Thank you for the opportunity to respond and provide resolution. It appears AAPC has been able to provide resolution today with a one time courtesy extension for the CPC exam voucher; free of charge.I show a reschedule date of July 28, 2018 has already been secured. Attached are screenshots to...

provide details of the exam resolution. Please feel free to reach out to AAPC for any additional needs and we would like to wish you well during this difficult time.Sincerely, AAPC

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: I feel that the AAPC is not being fair about the way they handle their grading, I feel you pay all this money for membership, exam fees textbooks and study guide you should t least have the right to see what you have paid for. I would like to be retested at no charge to me because I feel their exam did not match my preparation of study that I purchased from aapc. have already spent almost $900 now will have to pay another $350 for exam and another almost $ 300 for books and study guide.
Sincerely,
[redacted]