It looks ok for a CPC-only course - Better than most, in fact Posted: Sep 5th, 2016 - 7:24 pm In Reply to: Texas Career Center's coding course questions - Considering This
It looks okay for a CPC-only course, but that is only because it includes what are actually separate courses in med terms, anatomy and physiology, and insurance. The coding part of it is the same as the AAPC course, because they license it from them and cannot change it. If you took this from the AAPC, it would be entirely online screen teaching without any instructor support to speak of, would not include the insurance course, and would cost 3833 for the coding, plus 1120 for the med terms and A&P, unless they have a discount going on.
TCC says they have a 100% pass rate on the CPC exam. That isn't bad if it is a lot of students over several years.
The problem is that it only qualifies you to take the CPC, which is a fine credential but it only covers the lower paying jobs in physician offices. You cannot take the AHIMA CCS for inpatient and facility coding, because you will not have the coursework they require for it. If you meant pathophysiology, pharmacology, reimbursement methods, and specific courses in ICD-10 and CPT when you referred to "unnecessary courses" at Andrews, well, those are the courses AHIMA requires before they will let you take the CCS.
I think TCC is a good choice for you if you want the CPC. Tarrant County seems to do pretty well with this kind of program. However, I would check with them to find out where their students are employed and how long it takes them to find a job because it can be difficult to find a job with only a CPC-A. A lot of new graduates with only that credential cannot find jobs. Part of the problem is that many of the remote coding companies to work for hospitals which require that they hire only coders who have the CCS or another AHIMA credential. If you have the CCS and the CPC, it can really help you in the job market.
Since someone mentioned Career Step, the aware that it only teaches the CPC and the CCA. It uses online teaching screens. A few of their students have passed the CCS after additional study, but the school does not recommend attempting it without two years of working experience. They do include the course titles required for the CCS. They also give free laptops, have deals, and pay students for referrals. The company their website says they partner with for internships no longer has the program, so don't pin your hopes on that.
Andrews was also mentioned. Andrews is $4500. That includes about $1000+ worth of college-level textbooks, instructor support, and everything required by AHIMA to qualify to take the CCS exam. They do not use online teaching screens. They have a 97% pass rate on the CPC and CCS exams, and their students do well on employment assessments and get well-paying jobs. They also have a long-standing reputation for honesty and integrity, as well as their 3-year no-interest payment plan.
TCC's $6200 is a lot to pay for just a CPC, when you consider Andrews includes the CCS for so much less. That doesn't mean it isn't worth it, though. It might be for you, especially if you feel that you would be unable to learn without someone teaching it to you in person. You are the only one who knows how you are best able to learn.
Hope this helps. The info about CS and Andrews comes from facebook forums. That should be your next step in your research.
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