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4.6
16,425 Reviews
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Johnny Winston Jr.
· October 9, 2017
I am very disappointed in the recent rate increase from $4 to $17. This is a travesty! It is a 425% increase! This is coming at a time when we as a society should be making it easier and affordable to... learn CPR. This also comes at a time when we just experienced the worst gun violence incident in our nation's history in Las Vegas. At that tragic event, it was well documented that many people performed CPR to save people's lives. To increase CPR cards with no warning is disheartening. Now CPR will not be affordable to many people that need it, especially elderly and low-income populations.

This is NOT right! See More
Katrina Purdy Sprague
· October 9, 2017
I have been an AHA TS for over 7 years and have loved working with the AHA. We have trained nearly 2000 people last year alone. I am outraged and disappointed by the 750% markup of the certification c...ards! Then add the fact that there was ZERO notification. How can you possibly justify such a significant increase without even a warning? The AHA is supposed to be a non-for-profit organization, yet you take donations and make back door deals with corporations who bring down the good name of the AHA.

It would seem that the AHA is trying to put us all out of business. We are going to have to use other training organizations in order to stay in business if immediate adjustments are not made! The cost in cards alone, will make us increase our class prices for students and they will go elsewhere to seek training. We offer your books everyday to every class, no one wants them. People are trying to downsize. More so, people globally are increasing efforts to be environmentally conscientious. My customers often don't use paper, nor do they want to spend money on something they will never use again. Our quality of instruction is such that they don't need a reference guide after the class. If you wanted to offer an e-book to students who earned their certification, by all means, please do! They will likely reference it just as often as they do the printed course material...never.

There is steep competition in my town. I had been able to stay within a price range to remain very busy teaching. With this increase I will no longer be able to stay in a range that will keep my students coming back to me. I believe that the AHA is putting their own Training Centers and Sites in an awful position. Most of us had contracts in place that now put us in a position where we don't even break even. I am so incredibly disappointed in this organization. See More
James G Andrews
· October 18, 2017
As a 20 year plus instructor and big supporter of the AHA and their cause and mission. I have to say this Greed with out warning or a lead in time is a shame. Look out for you corporate world. Us smal...l training sites got a unexpected tab on our card price increase.
Example- I had a large International student class from a University in the Denver area. I gave them a price and it was approved. Like a sleazy used car sales man, I called them back after the "deal was agreed on" and changed the price.
Prior to this- gas prices were the only thing that increases over night.
I do not treat my customers like you treat your training sites.
Shame on you AHA- real bad business.
Your business is like your videos- poor quality. See More
Kayleen MacDonald
· November 30, 2017
I have been teaching CPR and First Aid classes through the American Heart Association for over 6 years with a company that has been serving Georgia for over 20 years. I am disappointed and scared abou...t what this price increase of over 400% for the certification card. This will cause fewer people to be able to be able to learn these life-saving techniques simply due to cost. Companies require this card for people just to be able to go to work and the AHA knows this and is price-gauging because of it. Only 17% of Americans already know CPR and this will cause a severe drop in that number. It's your bottom line over lives I suppose now. See More
Susan Burlack Rahuba
· October 10, 2017
Who is responsible for this ridiculous rate increase for cards. I have books at all of my classes and I also tell people to order their books prior to the class . I am having a really difficult ti...me with how all of this has been done. How can we go to our clients and say oops there was a 400%increase in your card that the AHA issued over night? I think the BBB should be involved ASAP. And I will be filing a claim in the Morning. I suggest we all do the same! I love teaching these courses but I have lost all respect for the greedy people that made this decision. And you can start with the folks in Dallas!!! Charge appropriately for the card and not for the product that no one wants. See More
Mary Houska
· October 14, 2017
I know that there is a lot of work to do but I applaud AHA for the move they made in increasing the cost of cards and decreasing the cost of books. Books are so important, they are an invaluable resou...rce for the student and an invaluable resource for funding for research into resuscitation evidence. Many instructors chose not to use the books just supply the cards regardless of PAM. As an instructor I always made sure my students had their own books to take home, and the change in price is only a slight increase since they reduced the cost of the books down to less than $3.00. This is true except for the online programs. Perhaps AHA will lower the cost of the online programs as they did with the books. I can only hope as I have increased the price of my blended learning courses likewise, but look at the bigger picture. I bought the books, promoted the class and charged what needed to be charged. My neighboring instructor gave no books and charged a much lower price and took away my business doing an injustice to the students they taught and to my business, I am making a living from teaching people to help someone live. My motto is always to Teach the student as if they are going to save the life of one of my family members or myself.
Please support AHA in this stand. We can iron out the details as we work together.
We need to let the students know that the certification is the most expensive portion of the course, not the books.
Thank you AHA. See More
Jamey Frazier
· October 20, 2017
@American_Heart you should be ashamed! Raising the price on heartsaver cards by >800%?!?! That's NOT "life is why" that IS "$$$ is why" �

I'm a 20 year paramedic recently I became a foster parent an...d found that so many foster parents, while they were spending substantial amounts of money getting their homes up to standards, they also had to buy their own CPR cards at unreasonable costs for basically a volunteer position. I began teaching mostly to help these heros out.

Now you have let your greed shine through again! I guess you have to pay for the lobbyist and lawyers who work on your behalf in state and federal government and departments to require more and more people to have to get the training. Thus guaranteeing you a perpetual client base. You find ways to gurantee buyers for your product and then raise the price on that product. Shameful. See More
Paula Rice Patterson
· October 31, 2017
I used to think the AHA was all about helping people help themselves, however, your ridiculous increase in the cost of Heartsaver CPR cards changed my opinion. If I could give a -1 star, I would. Your... lack of transparency in your card increase is unacceptable. The American Heart Association is giving the appearance of it is all about the money. Welcome to the corporate for profit world. What you have not taken into consideration is the 1000s and 1000s of people who only need to renew their cards. They already have books. Shame on you AHA! See More
Barbara Cassmassine Augello
· October 10, 2017
Thanks AHA for treating your instructors so unfairly. Without any notice, the AHA raised their certificate prices from $2.20 to $17 per person! My business is currently in chaos. I had to change my... class schedule and my website. I also am out about $600 for classes i've taught that i now have to order cards for. I called the AHA to complain, and there is nothing i can do about it. See More
Karla Gabel
· November 14, 2017
Please DO NOT take health/diet advice from this group (or the government). Whatever they tell you to do - do the complete opposite and you'll be healthy! They're bought and paid for by big pharma and ...the companies that pay to put their little "heart healthy" logo on their processed "food." Eat real food and ignore these nitwits. See More
Jessamine Cox
· October 14, 2017
Tripling the rate of CPR cards because it's the only thing instructors have to buy exclusively from you. And without any notice!! Just goes to show that for a nonprofit organization the AHA sure does ...care about the bottom dollar! If you really cared about saving lives by people learning CPR you would keep it affordable for everyone! Enjoy your bonuses! See More
Adrienne MacDonald
· November 30, 2017
As an instructor your decision of rising the prices on Heartsaver cards may stop people especially teachers and parents from taking these life saving classes altogether if they are not coming to clas...s they are not buying books anyway so to lower the price of books and make cards $20.00 per person does not make sense to me. I hope you rethink this decision . This will also stop small businesses from teaching classes. I have been teaching for 20+ years now and I don't understand this price increase at all. See More
Ray Sayah
· October 20, 2017
AHA has screwed the pooch. I am a firefighter and educator. I will immediately be looking for an affordable alternative. You are destroying your business model by trying to maximize return vs. maximiz...ing the # of ppl trained. What an incredible and tone-deaf mistake. This will be an historic moment for the AHA and will serve as a lesson for non-profits everywhere. Don't behave like a corporation. See More
Addio Fiordigigli
· October 10, 2017
I have managed two training centers over the past 25 years. My most recent training center was a sole proprietor TC which was me and a handful of instructors. This past Spring I was notified to renew ...my agreement. I filed all of my paperwork and went through my skills review as usual. My regional faculty signed off on everything. Two days after my review, April 2, 2017 I get a certified letter from the AHA. I just assume it’s my new contract. I open the envelope and to my dismay it’s an intent to close my TC within 90 days. I called and pleaded with the AHA because this is how I make a living and take care of my family. I was in good standing with no issues. The answer I was given was your training center no longer fits into our business model anymore.

I provided books at classes, trained about 3,000 people a year, did multiple presentations within school districts, volunteered, etc... How does this not fit into a sustainable business model. I was then forced to join another TC.

I have several very large contracts that I maintain that I’m signed through 2018 to deliver first aid, cpr/aed training. My card cost is going to be $51,000.00 from $9,000.00. Along with this increase I still need to pay instructors, pay my lease on my building, utilities, healthcare, disposable supplies, maintain equipment not to mention the aha wants to require feedback manikins in 2018, ect...

This country was built on the backs of small businesses but unfortunately the aha is taking the small business away.

I created a private Facebook group called “aha educators looking for a solution”. Maybe if we as instructors brainstorm together we can create a solution that we can all live with.

The aha needs to go back and revisit their grass roots. I was proud to be a part of the aha back when the cards were free and a tc had to train 500 people in 2 years in order to stay open. Wow that’s when money took a back seat to the mission. I really miss this AHA! See More
Curt Halmrast
· November 17, 2017
As a 20 year AHA instructor this recent price hike is appalling. As AHA Instructors we need to band together and do a few things:

1. Call, comment, post, share......continue to spark outrage. ...

2. Don't purchase the $2.50 books with no known outdate (at least previously we knew 5 years). Regardless of the price, students will NOT read them or reference them. If the AHA wants their books read, cut out some video content that will allow instructors to actually teach, and encourage students to open a book. Why read and study when the video has all 112 minutes of content to pass the simple 15 question test, which isn't even a requirement!

3. Demand that textbooks not be a requirement. It's ok to library BLS Provider textbooks but not Heartsaver? How is it fair that a HS student potentially purchase the same book more than once? Having a card-carrying CPR certified student in possession of an outdated textbook is shameful and unnecessary.

4. Certify LESS Heartsaver students. A huge drop in numbers and not making 2020 goals will get them to re-evaluate. Family & Friends, BLS Provider, or just a hands-only skills demonstration. Inform your students of these drastic price increases and fight back. Don't just pass this hike onto your students or absorb the card costs into already depleted training budgets.

5. Demand no price change to BLS. A price hike is obviously inevitable at some point but very likely the reason why no price hike was made to BLS...because of the allowance of book libraries. Because books are not mandated for BLS Provider the AHA likely couldn't get away with a 600%+ increase in fees. As books are mandated with Heartsaver they are essentially stating there is only a "modest" increase of a couple bucks. Very clever marketing, and very clever method to avoid a lawsuit or federal involvement!

6. Don't purchase anything from the 3 AHA distributors. No books, wallet cards, pins, manikins and the bare minimum for completion cards! (after all, we have to take out a small business loan to purchase 50 cards!) When you speak with your account reps tell them you're holding off on all purchases. Pretty hard to buy ancillary supplies when you're now spending 600% more on cards.

7. Finally, during this holiday giving time remember there are other charitable groups deserving of your hard earned dollars. Send a $1 check (unsigned?) to let them know how charitable you feel after October 3rd! Inform and encourage our family and friends to remember OTHER deserving organizations this year

Here is to a better 2018 for the AHA and all Instructors!! (those who will remain) See More
Steve Werts
· October 16, 2017
The new pricing structure for certification cards boarders on high-way robbery. And no notice to instructors who have already taught and/or commit to teaching classes is unbelievable. How in good co...nscious do you float a +400% increase in pricing with no warning. And please stop with the package deal speech. Many student purchase or have a book from previous classes they don't want to buy one every class. It's also optimist at best to think those people go home and reference their books. People take class to learn the skill that's why they take a class. Please do the right thing and reverse course. See More
Allen Conway
· October 11, 2017
I have been a instructor for American Heart Association for a long time and they have always been great to work with.

I received an email from the AHA training center that I work under on 10-9-17. T...hey forwarding me a email they received from AHA corporate on 10-3-17 regarding an increase in pricing that went into effect on that same day. (No notice or warning) This was not just a little price increase....... basically the cost for me to order certification cards for my students went from $2.20 each to an astronomical $17each!!!!!! This is terrible enough by itself but I had just sent in an order for over 200 cards from classes I have taught in the past couple of months. They expect me to pay an additional $3000 (yes three thousand) more to get these cards for clients that have already paid.......

I have been on the phone several times today with different AHA representatives and feel I have gotten nowhere. It kills me because I’m being hit with this cost with no warning or any options. I can’t go back to these clients and ask them for more money for a class that has been completed and paid for.

I have always taken great pride in keeping my cost low to make this training affordable for everybody who needed it or wanted to learn the life saving skills. The majority of my students pay out of their own pockets. Now they are taking that ability away from me. This not just me as a business owner but each of my clients as well.

This is HURTING the community!

What happened to “LIFE IS WHY”???????? See More
Peggy Lapusan
· October 16, 2017
What a shame the American Heart Association increased the Heartsaver cards from $2.50 to $17.00!!!!!! Life is why we do this, we do this to allow average american citizens afford to learn how to save... lives, not to rip them off for a card!!!! I'm saddened by AHA and that they would have such a ridiculous increase in pricing. Shame on the AHA !! See More
Shannon Parker Edwards
· October 30, 2017
I am very disappointed about the increase in cards. I was notified by my local training center that cards had increased to $19 each!! I am a school nurse and I certify many of the schools in my area..., even those where I don’t work. Schools are struggling with a budget crisis anyway and now this. I will be looking elsewhere to certify my staff. See More
Paula Strings
· October 12, 2017
Unbelievable that they would float a 400+ percent increase in the cost of certification cards overnight with no advanced warning. Did you guys get taken over by big pharma? That's the only kind of b...usiness I've ever seen try and stick it to it's customers like this. Talk about a money grab from an association whose mission is supposed to be education and training. I guess now we've all seen behind the curtain that it's nothing more than big business and the only thing they care about is the bottom line. Sad... See More
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