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Question about a particular coding program - vlkirkpatrick

Posted: Sep 07, 2012

I am looking for a medical coding program and have been checking into various ones. I came across this one and it seems too good to be true. All others have been at least $1000 but usually more than that. This programs states it is only $349 for a 6 month indepth course. You can find it at www.medicalcodingpro.com or just google Medical Coding Pro.

My concern is, does this program really train you from scratch or is it meant as a refresher course for people who have worked in this field previously. Their website says:

"Not a small course that only brushes over topics, this course goes deep into every area you need to know to get certified. OVER 100 HOURS OF STUDY MATERIAL AND 180 DAY ACCESS!"

I realize that you have to purchase your manuals separately and pay for the CPC exam separately, which a few other courses have included those in their program price. I'll decide about that aspect later, whether I want to pay for it all in one swoop or just get the books, then after that pay for the course and then after completing worry about paying for the exam. My big concern is if this program will really teach me what I need to know or not. I have no experience in coding, so I'm a newb! I need to start at the ground level of learning you know!

I am not looking for the absolute cheapest option. I know you get what you pay for. Having said that, there are times when you stumble onto a great deal and get more than your moneys worth. I'll pay more for the course if I need to so that I get a good education but if I can find the same education at a better price, why pay more.

Does anyone know anything about this program? Experiences?

Thanks,

Victoria

Noooo - MT2Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
First reason I would stay away from them is that CCA does not stand for certified coding apprentice and I don't know if it ever did. Maybe that isn't a great thing to base a school decision on but I like attention to detail.

To transition to ICD-10 in 2014 you'll need a much more extensive knowledge of anatomy and pathophysiology than you do for ICD-9. I have already completed 9+ months of education in ICD-10 and there is a decent difference in the 2. I question if these short programs can give you that foundation for longevity in coding. Sure it is fast but if you finish it and cannot find a job as a coder then what good was that? If you read the AHIMA boards or take a look at Advance for HIM there is a challenge to finding a job as a new coder sometimes. When I made the decision about coding I took that into consideration. I'm a snob about what schools I'll attend though.

I personally recommend doing a university program just because you'll have a solid semester of anatomy then another of physiology and you'll get a good foundation. Western Governors University is an online program with a good program that includes CCA material in its content. They are accredited by CAHIIM and have regional accredidation which is what you want in any university.

There are a number of online coding programs with good reputations. Andrews School of Medical Transcription is one of them. Career Step seems to be moving up the ladder too. For those two, be aware Andrews seems to focus more on preparing for CCS and Career Step on CPC.

Ask these people what their passrates for CPC is. Now do some research on whether you want the CPC. I did not. I want the CCS and would sooner work down at the super center than do outpatient work (knoc on wood). Around here the bigger money is in UP. Plus I just love ICD-10.

You shouldn't have to pay more for internships either but that is just my opinion.

I know this is a tough decision. Been there, done that. When it comes to education I think sometimes you just get what you pay for.

Curious about - ICD-10

[ In Reply To ..]
Is that 9 months of training in ICD-10 part of a coding program you are enrolled in? Are coding programs teaching it now?

Some are... - MT2Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
Yes, it was part of a coding program I was enrolled in and have now completed. ICD-10 CM and ICD-10 PCS were both taught. I learned all 3 coding systems. It was very intense.

Can you share where? - Thanks

[ In Reply To ..]
Sounds like a very thorough course.

One answer to your question - Experienced Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
I am just weighing in here as the voice of reason. My perspective is a little different from someone who is taking a coding course or just completed one, and who has never worked or has not worked for any appreciable length of time, and who may not be certified yet.

Somehow this question about schools has gotten sidetracked by the notion that it is somehow necessary to learn ICD-10 now and that this makes a school "thorough." Prospective coders see this and immediately think they must find a school that teaches that.

Right now, this is not a good indicator of quality in a coding program. It is kind of neither here nor there. At this point it is almost a distraction. ICD-10 will not be used until Ocober of 2014. That is two years away. You need to learn ICD-9 now because that is what you will use now.

You can transfer your knowledge of ICD-9 to ICD-10-CM in about 5 hours. They are much the same. ICD-10-PCS, the procedures, must be larned from scratch and takes longer, but only inpatient coders need it, and if your coding course does not prepare you for the CCS exam, you are unlikely to get an inpatient job regardless of how "intense" or "thorough" you think a course may be.

Many courses are already including some ICD-10 material. That is great, but it is not all you need to know.

Keep in mind that taking a course does not mean you know something well enough to use it.
The majority of college trained coders are unable to pass certification exams. I would guess that most of them would describe their course as very intense and thorough, too.

Find a course that prepares students for the CCS exam and which teaches all the courses AHIMA will require for the CCS and CCS-P in January of 2013 - A&P, pathophysiology, pharmacology, med terms, reimbursement methodology, and intermediate and advanced ICD-9 and CPT coding.

And don't try to avoid them by claiming you already know enough since you are an MT, because if you do, you will become ineligible for the exam.

Did you find the CCS exam easy after all that? - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I was wondering if all of that intense college education made the CCS exam easy for you, or was it difficult? Did you pass the first time? I've heard that many people fail it.

Also, how did you find your first coding job? Did the college you attended help?

Sorry about all the questions and thanks for answering in such detail.

Didn't she say she hopes to get a coding job? - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I think she said she hopes to get a coding job which would make more than she's making now. There wasn't any mention of credentials from what I read. Maybe she will come back and give more details. I would also like to know more.

Forgot to say... - MT2Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
...that I think "6-month course" and "indepth" just don't go together. Maybe I just went to the harvard of the coding world and just don't know it yet but I could not have learned the level of information I did in just 6 months. If you're not working and don't have a lot of family responsibilities then you might be able to attain the same level of knowledge in that timeframe. I couldn't do it. Maybe this would be a great fit for you though.

As they say on the MT board... - Inquiring minds

[ In Reply To ..]
Run away.

May I insert a question here? - kr

[ In Reply To ..]
Would you recommend the indepth training through Western Gov. Univ. to pursue a career in coding for someone who is 59? I'm not looking to retire for another 10 years and wonder how the cost/salary factor into that. Thanks.

Where do these schools come from? - Deja vu

[ In Reply To ..]

You will have to forgive my skepticism about this, but your post just screams "craftily constructed shilling effort." It is just a little too, too "Hey, guys! LOOK at this fab school I found!" All the while crowing about the extreme niftiness of it all. Not to mention the bargain!

Does anyone have experience with this program? No one I know.

um... ok - vlkirkpatrick

[ In Reply To ..]
Um...ok. I see why you would think that but I was just trying to be clear in asking my question. I don't know who those people are that you mentioned. I am trying to find the right program to meet my needs and found what looked like the perfect program . The perfectness of it made me very skeptical so I decided to ask about it in a place where I knew there would be others who would know and could help me look at the big picture and think of it from all sides. I didn't just come in here and spout some incoherent gibberish saying "look lookie here gosh its cheap is it good". I thought out my inquiry and made sure to include the website. Then I thought that if it was me I wouldn't just click the link because who knows where that really goes, so I said to google it too and made sure to give the proper name of the program so it could be googled.

To all the others who actually answered with helpful information, thank you very much. I really think this is a program to avoid now and I also have a better idea of what to keep in mind as I continue to research for the right school for me.

Having said all that and I realize I am asking for it again....does anyone have anything to say about the program offered by www.codingcertification.org or it might be .com I can't remember right now. I'm typing on my phone and don't want to leave this page to look it up and risk losing all this that I have already typed.

Uh, not that one, either! LOL! - Straight answer

[ In Reply To ..]
There are 2 professional organizations that are respected - www AHIMA org and www AAPC com. I had to leave out the dots to keep from creating links. Everything else, and I mean EVERYTHING, is a waste of time.

Those organizations offer the CCS and CCS-P, the CPC and a couple others. At a minimum, you need a CPC (from the AAPC). That qualifies you to do physician services, or what is known as outpatient, coding. It can be a challenge to get a job with only that, especially in a hospital. It can be easier if you are a CCS, as well. That is because AHIMA prevails in the inpatient world.

CPC courses are offered by the AAPC and their affiliated instructors, which teach local classes, but they are limited in scope to the CPC. They do not cover enough for the CCS. College courses will usually get you this far, as will courses that teach the same or higher level of material, like Andrews.

College courses usually teach to the CCA exam, which is like a learner's permit compared to the CCS "driver's license." A few may have students who pass the CCS. I believe Andrews expects students to take the CCS, not the CCA, so they must be teaching to the CCS. AHIMA has an online course that mirrors college programs, but it teaches to the CCA and has no instructors.

Lots of discussion on this board about schools, so you should read back a few months. You will see info that helps.

Cheap is not better. Cheap can also be deceptive. Cheap usually means less material, hidden costs, or an online, instructorless program.

You took the words right out of my mouth! - Well Said

[ In Reply To ..]
I was about to post until I read what you wrote. You said it well, and you are correct on each and every point.

Whois database information on the website registrant - dmj

[ In Reply To ..]
I am always interested in knowing who is behind a website. It is easy to search the Network Solutions database for registrant information. If the registrant does not choose to have their information unpublished, then it is public information. http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jsp

In this case, medicalcodingpro.com has the information below. I, personally, would question this program on the basis that it is registered by a "Zach's Sport Shack LLL." The registrant's name is given. Google it and see what you come up with. It doesn't scream "coding expert" to me. I suspect it is simply a canned program that is being marketed. I did not see anywhere on the site a mention of having an actual instructor. It's simply a video library. It's your choice, but this is not a quality program if you want to really learn coding.

Whois information:

Registrant:
Zach's Sport Shack LLC
7550 Brookstone Place
Youngstown, Ohio 44514
United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, LLC (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: MEDICALCODINGPRO.COM
Created on: 22-Sep-08
Expires on: 22-Sep-13
Last Updated on: 03-Sep-12

Administrative Contact:
Zban, Gregg gzsjungle3@hotmail.com
Zach's Sport Shack LLC
7550 Brookstone Place
Youngstown, Ohio 44514
United States
(330) 318-7650

Technical Contact:
Zban, Gregg gzsjungle3@hotmail.com
Zach's Sport Shack LLC
7550 Brookstone Place
Youngstown, Ohio 44514
United States
(330) 318-7650

Oh SNAP - laughing reader

[ In Reply To ..]
Sports shack. LOL! You cannot make this stuff up. DMJ...nice detective work.

OMG. Here is Gregg Zban. sm - Coding student

[ In Reply To ..]
This is hysterical. His facebook page. He seems to be into bikes not coding. LOL

https://www.facebook.com/greggzban

LOL! He has to fund that somehow! - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
What could be better than a coding course? We're seeing that no experience or credentials are required!

Gregg Zban - Owner of Medical Coding Pro - Gregg

[ In Reply To ..]

I own Medical Coding Pro, Medical Coding Exam System, Medical Coding Elite Members and a Harley like many other people.

I don't see the conflict.

Medical Coding Pro has been helping hundreds of people pass the certification exam since 2008.

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