For-profit schools vs. public

[Braunwyn]

Originally Posted by Buttercup215

With the VA a RHIT can start out making at the bottom level about $30,000 a year. Some medical coder's with the same AAS and certification can start out at the VA sometimes at $38,000. It varies depending on where that job is in the US. That's not too bad for just having an associates and it beats minimum wage or not having any education.

I agree, which is why I noted it. To me, 30-40k/yr is a low wage earner. It shouldn't matter where you're getting your degree from, providing it's from an accredited school, with those kinds of wages. I know that if I considered medical coding I wouldn't give a fig where the cert was coming from.

It is true that the classes are shorter than a community college, eight weeks versus 16. That is what makes it quicker to obtain a degree faster. I am sure with those shorter terms you aren't getting as much information as a community college. But with this degree and accreditation with the AHIMA accreditation that the school has to have, both schools have to go through the same "hoops" to get that from AHIMA. Their programs have to be of certain standard.

Yep, agreed.

Now, do I go the faster route, pay more money, but be able to take my RHIT exam faster; or do I take fours to do this to achieve the same results?
It's sad because Devry is regionally accredited; and it's accredited with the same commission as this community college. Schools like Devry give themselves bad reps becauce of their misleading information or not telling the whole story to people that don't know better to ask. But people also have to take responsibility for their own education and do research. Will they financially be able to commit to the program and have to money to fund their whole education to the end? Here is one of the kickers. Some people will take that extra grant money and spend it on other things other than their education because they get this money and get to keep what is left over. If they were smart they would save it for their classes and education and not use it for dinner out or that new dress. Then act surprised when they run out of money.

Agreed again. Students do this from institution A-Z regardless of profit nature. They screw themselves, the taxpayer, and the institution.

I have my own reason for not committing to them yet. Even though I am getting my funding through the GI Bill, they still want me to sign general term financial agreement. In one paragraph, it says I agree to pay the specified amount on the form. There is no amount on the form, and I haven't even signed up for classes. How can I sign that? That's like buying a car, and they tell you want you have to pay after you sign the loan papers. Another paragraph states that I am taking out credit. It doesn't say who I am taking out credit with. They told me it was the school because the VA doesn't pay until after the class starts.
Again, it is generic and doesn't have specific terms. People have to really research and open their eyes.

Is there a financial aid office you can visit? What's going on with FASFA? It's good that you are considering all of this. You're smart. I wish I had some advice on these short term programs. Maybe you could also visit with your local CC and ask them why it would be better if you went to CC rather than Devry. Maybe they'll be able to provide better information.

[Buttercup215]

Originally Posted by Braunwyn

I agree, which is why I noted it. To me, 30-40k/yr is a low wage earner. It shouldn't matter where you're getting your degree from, providing it's from an accredited school, with those kinds of wages. I know that if I considered medical coding I wouldn't give a fig where the cert was coming from.

Actually, medical coding jobs are very competitive now with paper records having to be switched over to electronic health records and the new ICD-10 codes going into effect. Coders have to actually read the patients charts and code them according to the doctor's diagnosis. You have to know what you are reading in order to give it the proper code. This mean you need to know medical terminology, anatomy, and more. More employers are recommending associate degrees over people just getting certificates. Also. HIT aren't just coders. The work and supervise medical records departments, work for cancer registries, health informatics, data analysis.

I agree, to some that is low paying job. But to others that have no education or are moms returning to the workforce after years at home, it's not too bad. And it has good potential to be able to move up into supervisory roles. And if you are really motivated, you can get s bachelor's in Health Information Management. (Not to be confused with an IT job.)

Originally Posted by Braunwyn

Is there a financial aid office you can visit? What's going on with FASFA? It's good that you are considering all of this. You're smart. I wish I had some advice on these short term programs. Maybe you could also visit with your local CC and ask them why it would be better if you went to CC rather than Devry. Maybe they'll be able to provide better information.

I am not using any loans or financial or grants. I am using the Post 9/11 GI Bill. This allows military members to give those benefits to their family members if they don't use them themselves. My husband designated a year for me, and a year each for the two boys. I received my letter of eligibility from the VA which in turn gets forward to the school. The VA pays the school directly for the class and whatever benefits I get for books gets sent to me directly through the VA. A lot of military members attend these online schools so you would think they would have a separate form for the agreement with the VA.

Unfortunately, there are no CCs in the state of Connecticut that offer the AHIMA approved HIT program. The only one in the state is Lincoln College of New England. They are another "for profit" school. Plus, they are too far away from me to travel to every day.

[Braunwyn]

Originally Posted by Buttercup215

Actually, medical coding jobs are very competitive now with paper records having to be switched over to electronic health records and the new ICD-10 codes going into effect. Coders have to actually read the patients charts and code them according to the doctor's diagnosis. You have to know what you are reading in order to give it the proper code. This mean you need to know medical terminology, anatomy, and more. More employers are recommending associate degrees over people just getting certificates. Also. HIT aren't just coders. The work and supervise medical records departments, work for cancer registries, health informatics, data analysis.

That sounds rigorous, which really changes the situation. If you need to be that educated, then more education might be warranted and employers might be keen on that.

I agree, to some that is low paying job. But to others that have no education or are moms returning to the workforce after years at home, it's not too bad. And it has good potential to be able to move up into supervisory roles. And if you are really motivated, you can get s bachelor's in Health Information Management. (Not to be confused with an IT job.)

I mean no offense in saying it, to be clear. I'm just thinking that expectations should be reasonable on the part of employers. It's in the same line as not expecting a CNA to be an RN/LPN or a lab tech to have a graduate degree. Either way, if you're expected to know anatomy, really know it, then a lab component would typically go along with a course (ideally). That's not going to happen at Devry to the best of my knowledge, but perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe something like medical billing would be a safer bet at a for-profit?

I am not using any loans or financial or grants. I am using the Post 9/11 GI Bill. This allows military members to give those benefits to their family members if they don't use them themselves. My husband designated a year for me, and a year each for the two boys. I received my letter of eligibility from the VA which in turn gets forward to the school. The VA pays the school directly for the class and whatever benefits I get for books gets sent to me directly through the VA. A lot of military members attend these online schools so you would think they would have a separate form for the agreement with the VA.

Unfortunately, there are no CCs in the state of Connecticut that offer the AHIMA approved HIT program. The only one in the state is Lincoln College of New England. They are another "for profit" school. Plus, they are too far away from me to travel to every day.

Sounds like a pickle. If you only have one year you're obviously going to want to take full advantage of it. And it sounds like it must be online. If that's the case, then I suggest you look into traditional schools that have online programs. Many do these days. The issue is that you would need to complete the program quick for that one year to get your monies worth, and it might take much longer at a traditional school. Are there any medical coding message boards? The only thing I can think of is to try and contact medical coding folk that are working in industry. I did a quick google and these are the results.

This is the first hit. Medical Coding Zone Forums It doesn't look very current, but maybe there's a discussion there that would help.

[Buttercup215]

[quote=Braunwyn;20092164]
I mean no offense in saying it, to be clear. I'm just thinking that expectations should be reasonable on the part of employers. It's in the same line as not expecting a CNA to be an RN/LPN or a lab tech to have a graduate degree. Either way, if you're expected to know anatomy, really know it, then a lab component would typically go along with a course (ideally). That's not going to happen at Devry to the best of my knowledge, but perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe something like medical billing would be a safer bet at a for-profit?[/unquote]

I agree. And I am sure that is how employers look at it. As far as the lab component, if you are taking an online class through any college, whether is be a for-profit, state, or CC, you won't have that hands-on lab experience. I think medical billing would be a good bet for a for-profit. However, the same stigmata goes along with the school name. Like people say, when they see the names Devry, U of P, Strayer, etc. they don't take those degrees seriously.

Originally Posted by Braunwyn

Sounds like a pickle. If you only have one year you're obviously going to want to take full advantage of it. And it sounds like it must be online. If that's the case, then I suggest you look into traditional schools that have online programs. Many do these days. The issue is that you would need to complete the program quick for that one year to get your monies worth, and it might take much longer at a traditional school. Are there any medical coding message boards? The only thing I can think of is to try and contact medical coding folk that are working in industry. I did a quick google and these are the results.

This is the first hit. Medical Coding Zone Forums It doesn't look very current, but maybe there's a discussion there that would help.

There are medical coding forums out there and indeed.com is a pretty decent one. A lot of people talk about this subject but many want to go the certificate route (the fastest) and get the same results as someone with an AAS. In the past, I think this has worked out. But now employers are wanting either the degree or at least two years experience. It's a catch 22. So it's either take the risk of getting an AAS in a shorter period of time from schools that have gotten bad reps, (mostly from bad financial aid reps, misinformation given, or people not doing their research) or go to an online community college and take four years to get an AAS to sit for the same RHIT exam as everyone else eligible.

I understand why older adults go the quicker route. I really don't want to take fours years to get my AAS. I am 41 years old, a military wife that will be moving on again in another few years. We are also one of those military families that are stuck with a house that we don't live in and can't sell due to the economy. We pay rent and a mortgage. I need a good paying job. Some families are loosing their homes over this because they can't afford to it. The spouses also have to leave their jobs every four years when we PCS. It sure would be nice to have a job with some portability in it. The medical field, I think, is the way to go with that.

Nice chatting with you.