How To Tell If a Medical Coding Program Is Worth It or Not

When we buy something, we want to make sure we’re getting our money’s worth. This is why we’re frustrated when a burger we pay $10 for is the size of something that a child might enjoy. The same goes for medical coding education.

If you’re shelling out $1,000, $2,000 or even $20,000 for a medical coding program, you need to know that your investment is worth it. Many medical coding students turn to these programs as a last or second chance, so it’s crucial that they get a return on their investment.

Let’s go over a few ways to tell if a medical coding program is worth it or not.

Are There Surprise Fees?

If a program surprises you with textbook fees, online portal fees or other surprise fees, it may be a sign that they’re in it for the profits rather than student education. A good medical coding program will disclose all fees upfront and give you everything you need to succeed. At Medical Coding Academy, for example, our online course and our exam prep kit have everything you need to reference during your education. There are other products that can help you further, of course, but they are completely optional.

Are the Instructors Involved?

The instructors at some medical coding programs aren’t involved and let the students try and learn on their own. All they do is talk at you without ever actually teaching you how to apply the knowledge. Plus, they aren’t available if you have any questions. At MCA, our instructors are experienced, friendly and more than willing to help students with their needs.

Are Materials High-Quality?

Horrific slide presentations. Terrible Audio. Video with zero animations. These are all signs that a medical coding program isn’t worth it. You’re paying a significant amount for your medical coding education, so the materials and presentations should be high-quality and any videos should have excellent sound and animations. 

Are There Real-Life Cases?

Finally, you don’t want a program that uses made-up scenarios or tells you to go onto the internet to find some practice cases. The medical coding program should provide the cases! And they should be based on real-life scenarios. You want to learn based on what you might actually encounter on the job, so your medical coding education should include it. If it doesn’t, it’s a sign the instructor or course designers aren’t that invested in your success.

At Medical Coding Academy, we design our courses to be effective and affordable. Sign up for one of them today!