Get the latest from the National AAPC CEO and President, Reed Pew.
To all registered AAPC conference participants:
We have chosen Jacksonville, Florida to relocate our conference due to the extent of the flooding in Nashville, TN. It will be on the exact same dates with the same agenda. We feel terrible that so much damage has occurred to our members and the citizens in Nashville and want everyone in Nashville and surrounding areas to know how much we regret that a move was necessary.
I would like to thank our conference team for their work to quickly pull together another location. It is difficult to plan and execute a conference for 2,000 attendees on one year’s notice, much less 30 days. We considered many factors before making our decision. First, could we keep the conference anywhere near Nashville? We tried and could not. Knoxville was not available. Chattanooga was lacking in meeting space. Downtown Nashville is still flooded; we even contacted Vanderbilt University to see if we could use their facilities and dorms, without luck. We contacted Louisville, KY but it was booked, as were Indianapolis; Charlotte, NC; Orlando; and many others, including Gaylord properties.
Second, we considered how important it is to keep the conference on the same date. We felt that too many schedules were in place and needed to keep it within the original dates. A location change was bad enough; to change time and location would be even more problematic. The next concern was travel plans. This is probably the biggest impact to everyone because of potential change fees and higher fares to Jacksonville. We have a small solution below for this but know that we will not be able to please everyone. We also know that many conference attendees planned for this to get their year’s CEUs; thus cancellation or postponement of the conference was quickly rejected.
The good news:
- Hotels are less expensive than the Gaylord—about $30–60 per night less, ranging from $120 to over $200 depending on the hotel and number of nights in Jacksonville. For those with double occupancy, this will be $60 to over $100 savings. See hotel information, costs and telephone numbers below.
- The overall cost of hosting the conference in Jacksonville is less expensive. As a result, AAPC will pass along those savings by refunding $100 to each attendee, which you will receive in Jacksonville during on-site registration/check-in.
- Jacksonville is a beautiful, large city. The spacious convention center is on the river, not far from the Atlantic Ocean and is very nice.
- Educational events are expected to remain as scheduled. There will be 18 CEUs and 15.75 CMEs.
We know that changing your air ticket may be more expensive. We hope the savings on hotel rooms and conference will help minimize any additional expense. We are doing all we can, given the circumstances.
To help us move quickly to deal with all registrants, we have some very important policies and dates to adhere to:
- For those that paid AAPC for Gaylord hotel accommodations, your reservation is being transferred to one of the new conference hotels in Jacksonville, Florida. You will receive your new hotel confirmation number next week. If you did not reserve your hotel accommodations through AAPC, please reserve your room at one of the conference hotels listed below.
- Please note that you need do nothing to maintain your conference registration.
- We hope you plan to join us in Jacksonville; however, if you are unable to attend, you may get a full refund by contacting us prior to May 11 (next Tuesday) at 7 p.m. Eastern (that’s 4 p.m. Pacific). It will be refunded by check or credit card, whichever you originally paid with. After that date and time, our normal cancellation policy will be in effect which means that since we are within 30 days of the conference, refunds will not be issued.
- Thank you for your patience as we may have many calls and emails to address over the next few days.
Jacksonville Hotel Help (You may begin making reservations with them on Friday, May 7)
- Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront – $149 per night plus tax – 904-588-1234
- Omni Jacksonville Hotel – $139 per night plus tax – 904-355-6664
- Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Riverfront – $129 per night plus tax – 904-398-8800
Note: For those that paid AAPC for Gaylord hotel accommodations, your reservation is being transferred to one of the new conference hotels in Jacksonville, Florida. You will receive your new hotel confirmation number next week.
Airline Help
All major airlines, including Southwest, fly into Jacksonville.
When changing your airline ticket, call—do not go online to make the change. Tell the representative that you are changing because of a cancelled conference in Nashville due to flooding. Request that no change fee be charged due to hardship. You may not get the fee waived, but ask.
We hope you will join us for what has always been planned to be a truly terrific conference. We will continue to work very hard to provide you with the quality of conference you have been accustomed to.
Reed E. Pew
CEO and President
American Academy of Professional Coders
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