4 cents?!?! That is ridiculous!
Posted By: nm on 2006-01-31
In Reply to: Chase Transcription - just wondering
nm
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What is average? 7 cents, 8 cents, 9 cents? 65-character?
x
I also work for 8 cents a line. I left a job typing OPs for 10-11 cents sm
to take a clinic job. I made an average of $17-18 an hour with OPs, now make $16-17 an hour, but the work is easier on me. I do not call that poor pay. I type 200+ lines an hour. True, it isn't the $26-27 an hour I was making 10 years ago at a hospital, but that's gone for good. I have excellent skills, make better than 99% on QA at any company I have worked for, and some of those have been very demanding.
I'm afraid the people that are expecting to make $20-30 an hour in MT are going to be disappointed. A few can still make that amount, but for the average good transcriptionist, the pay is much more likely to run $15-20. Benefits are pretty much gone. However, I feel that what I'm making is considerably above what I could make in another field, unless I decide to teach, which I will not do. Still, I make more than I would at Walmart or Burger King, or even a secretarial job. It's my choice. Good luck to you.
The mentoring program does not pay 8-1/2 cents per line. Believe it is like 6 cents.
n/m
4 CENTS , SCHMORE CENTS. THAT'S WRONG!
Whether an MT is new or an editor, 4 cents a line is deeply insulting, and 9 cents per line isn't really too much better. You know, I understand that most of these MT companies want to save money, but most of them don't seem to want to pay what an MT's time and skills are really worth. Why not pay an MT who has been in the field for 7-10 years or more 15 or 20 cents per line? At least I might consider working for one of these companies at home if I were to be paid that much straight off the bat for having 12 years' experience, but I guess that would be too much like right...
Do they still pay you 5 cents a line and 2 cents if you send anything to QA?
xx
I have a problem with 7 cents and 8 cents a line because
...when I started 15 years ago, my very first MT job started me out at 8 cents a gross line, then went to 9 cents a gross line after only a year. I was SOOO happy and proud of myself for choosing a profession that paid so well - I imagined myself making a lot of $$ once I had 10 or 15 years experience behind me...
Well that never happened; in fact, it all went backwards, pay wise. The company I worked for back then sold out to a national, and of course the pay was cut, and 9 cents a gross line was never to be had again, at least not that I could find. I am considered living in poverty now. I started out great but have ended up very badly.
I think my own personal problem is that it's hard for me to let go the fact that I made good money just starting out and how everything I had ever learned about jobs, careers and pay was that the more experience and education you have in a particular field, the more your pay goes up as each year passes. Well my pay has been consistently taking a nosedive for at least a decade now. I actually have to work MORE to make at least as much as I did years ago, and it's killing me health-wise as far as my wrists, my legs, my neck, my back....
It also kills me that I'm going to have to accept 7 or 8 cents a 65-character line when I made so much more than that 15 years ago.
I suppose to someone who's just starting out, 7 or 8 cents would seem pretty good, though. Maybe that's why I haven't been able to land any jobs with my resume. They may not want me with my years of experience, probably want a newbie who will be more grateful about such low pay. I dunno.
I could just kick myself for wasting money on MT school those years ago when I could've spent it on a career that would actually LAST and where I'd be making great money after being in the same field for 15 years. There's just no reward to this business. None at all, IMO.
I would NOT recommend this field to anyone just getting started. To me, it's a dead field.
I'd have more freedom working at McDonalds (for a number of reasons), and, believe me, I've been considering taking a local job around my home for minimum wage. At least I'd have a consistent paycheck and would know exactly what I'm getting every 2 weeks, then build from there as far as another job or two.
Well anyway that's all. I really need a job. I'm going down, going under, and it's a shame because I do very good work and have all this experience but no one seems to want me, even the low-paying companies. Oh well.
Few cents here, few cents there stolen from you by
x
I'll add my 5 cents to your 2 for 7 cents sm
I AGREE WITH YOU!
I know an MT who sits on her laurels and whines about no work and only getting 9 cpl after 5 whole years of experience. She can type 3 specialties, won't touch an ESL, goofs off when there is work and whines when there is not. I have tried to help, but it is quite plain to me she doesn't want that help.
I have about 3 times the experience of the above MT. The only specialty I have not done is pathology. I have literally done everything else. I know the BOS 2 like the back of my hand and I have outstanding accuracy scores (even if I can't type straight here). I work as an employee and make a base rate of 8.5 cpl, which I never get because I always have some of the different incentives offered. I regularly turn that 8.5 cpl into $25 an hour and at my PT job where I get 10 cpl and faster software, I can turn that into $32.50 an hour.
I have heard, more times than I can count from other MTs that they wish they could have my income. I can tell they why they don't. It is called hang out to complain on a message board like MTStars. It is doing everything, BUT your work on your shift. It is your lack of a willingness to learn new things, even if they slow you down some. This very year, recently in fact, I was put on straight cardiology procedure notes and I didn't worry for a second that I would suffer financially. I AM FLEXIBLE and that, in a nutshell, is why most MTs will not succeed.
A long time ago I realized that if I want more money, I was going to have to work SMART, not hard. In my 15 years, I now make 5 times what I did my first year and at the same exact line rate I had then! I spend less time working to achieve that these days. So no, I can't agree with your sky is falling routine.
Most of you...your attitudes suck. If I had to have you on site as my employees, you would not last 15 minutes. The first time I heard you at the water cooler whining about your pay, I'd fire your fanny so fast it would make your head SWIM. I have eyes in the back of my head too, so when you started making that stink face you are making right now, I'd have sacked you for that, on the spot, no warning and no day's pay. The ONLY reason you all get away with this is that you THINK no one who knows you is watching and that your respective contract holders can't figure out who you are.
By and large, I can't tolerate other MTs as friends. I find them lazy, self-absorbed whiners and complainers with some the worst negative attitudes I have EVER seen! If you hate MT so very much GO GET A JOB DOING SOMETHING ELSE. I can tell you, your bad attitude, your tendency to complain, whine, witch (with a capital B), moan and ALWAYS see the most negative side of everything...THAT crap will follow you to that new career and it won't be any better than this one. You have issues and I really think they are issues for a good therapist. They are called personality disorders and many of you have them in multiples and in spades!
I think you should be completely and utterly ashamed of yourselves. Too many people are out of work, homeless, and starving this Christmas to be so opinionated and selfish.
That is ridiculous
I never heard anything so ridiculous - none of the companies do what? want you to earn too much? LOL. Every penny you put in your pocket is probably two in theirs. Companies want you earning as much as you can.
This is ridiculous...sm
I received an email today regarding an employment application I had submitted some time ago. I currently work as an IC and am very happy with my job, so the application must have been submitted at least 6 months ago. First of all, the email does not state the name of the company that I supposedly applied to. It is three sentences long and states that they are looking for ICs to work from home. They will pay 6.5 cpl without spaces! Attached is a list of their computer requirements. The email states that if I meet the requirements to contact them and they will direct me to their testing site.
I have about 20 years of experience as an MT. What is going on with this field that a company thinks that 6.5 cpl is a respectable rate for a seasoned MT? Not to mention not putting the name of the company in the email...so I don't even know who I'm dealing with. And, not paying for spaces?!?!? I will not work for a company that does not pay for spaces. A space is a keystroke. It should be counted. Spaces don't get into a document by magic!!
I have a good mind to respond to this email and tell them exactly what I think of their offer, but then again, it probably wouldn't do a bit of good.
ridiculous
That statement is absolutely ridiculous. The QA manager is the most easy person to get along.
That's ridiculous
I have to say that I used to be MTSO and while I was not rich, I definitely made more than the people who worked for me...if you don't, even part of the time, then you are doing something wrong and why be in business? And yes, most of the MTSOs that I know (and I do know 5 of them right in my general area) do live in the very best neighorhoods, have 5000 sq foot houses, and if not vacations homes, then quite a bit of money in the bank.
This is ridiculous
3.5 cpl is ridiculous! The only way it could be any good at all is if you JUST had to fill in the blanks (nothing else). No 100% proofing. No new MTs. Maybe one or two accounts at most. And IF IT IS NOT being transcribed by offshore MTs. That's the only way 3.5 cpl would be worth it. Also, if companies would STOP paying QA on a production rate, it would help the industry! Being paid on production to ensure quality is an oxymoron. It makes no sense. It says hey, do your job perfect but the more the merrier. Its a sore subject with me, and I'm hoping that we stand up and stop accepting QA positions on a production pay. Maybe eventually the companies will have no choice but to go back to hourly pay and pay as what we are worth! If you have to proofread any more than filling in blanks, you're getting ripped off big time at 3.5 cpl. (mtsunite.com)
that is ridiculous IMO. SM
They are definitely short-changing you by giving you $3.00 for the first page and then $1.50 for subsequent pages in a report. That would be equivalent to being paid, for example, .08/per line for the first page( working for a company) and then .04/line for each subsequent page of a report. That is extremely unfair. Charge for what you produce. I had my own clients for years, and depending on the going rate in your area, I certainly would not go lower than .10/line (or figure out the equivalent if you have to charge per page). I am being conservative here as this is low rate. Also, if printing each page, add a percentage to that line rate. Whole different ballgame when you have to print and deliver reports. Time consuming and more cost to you. Their offer per page is ridiculous. Think how much money that patient is billed for the visit, and then see the pennies that you would make by producing one of the most important components (the medical report). The medical report is as important as the actual care the patient receives. If they do not agree with your charges, let them go with a company who will charge them much more, and they will likely call you back. I once had a client who wanted digital dictation so I footed a hefty TASP service bill every month so my docs could call in their dictation. They then requested that I print and deliver the finished reports. Not! They were upset because I denied their request, and ended up going with a large national and pay a much higher line rate. They still did not accomplish having their reports printed for them. They called me back, but I was already involved with a new client who appreciates me and does not try to get everything for nothing. Good luck in whatever you decide, but don't settle for less than you are worth!
7 cpl is ridiculous! sm
I was thinking about applying here, but I definitely will not be wasting my time taking the test and interviewing with them now! I don't have the experience you have (I have about 11 years now), but there is no way I would work for that!
Thanks for posting that and saving me some time.
ridiculous is right
You're not the only person I've heard say this and it's a shame this is happening. I realize we MTs cannot expect to be paid higher wages when the services are suffering as well.
But I see too many ways for this whole mess the transcription profession finds itself in now to just fail and do a turnaround. The government insists on privacy protection of medical records, then allows us to send them overseas with little if any regulation. What about taxes and Social Security loss due to this? The Department of Labor gives us our own classification (a bit of recognition for us) but our pay is not on par with other professions in the same classification. AAMT wants certification to be mandatory but what's the incentive to study and work so hard for it if it doesn't make a much more substantial increase in our salaries than a penny a line? Yes, that can add up, but it should be more, way more. Physicians want cheap rates with excellent quality but how many qualified MTs are willing to work for pennies before feeling used, frustrated, burned out? How many young people are willing to enter a profession with such low wages and have to work hard and wait years to achieve even that?
In the end, I don't see how all this VR and offshoring and underbidding it is going to benefit anyone except lawyers who will profit from suits brought about by privacy violations, malpractice suits due to the result of physicians depending on missing and/or wrong information in the medical record, misplaced records, dictation getting lost in the process of transfer between here and there, etc. How many service owners will want to continue making as little profit as they do now (small ones)? I also see coming an overall shortage of qualified MTs who can understand the American physicians who are impossible dictators and the ESLs. What incentive do the new MTs have to hang in there and strive for this other than a sense of accomplishment but that doesn't pay the bills. Yes, if you work long hours and/or multiple jobs you can do well, but is this what it has come down to? And how many will be willing to do this for any length of time when they have other options?
It's all going too fast to prevent errors, serious errors. I think we will be needed again, hopefully paid a higher salary again like so many years ago, but not until a tragedy happens and America wakes up to how these allegedly cost-saving methods of doing medical transcription is hurting the economy and the physicians start getting only what they are willing to pay for. There are the lives of the human beings (patients) involved here. This isn't about producing just a product (like a garment) in another country. Medical transcription involves too many people in too many areas of medicine to let it totally falter. Something has to give at some point.
One thing I'd like to see is for the insurance companies to raise the fees for physicians and services who offshore since their transcription is more prone to error than if it was done by a knowledgeable native American MT who knows our language, and also because it leaves the country thereby jeopardizing the patient's protection and privacy since these other countries do not have the security measures that America does.
This is ridiculous.
Two MTs fighting like children.
that is ridiculous!
I do not work for TT, but for DRC. We get morning reports and in one it said to enjoy this downtime. We are employees, not ICs. I think if you told employees who physically come to work everyday to go home and just enjoy time off they would probably start looking for another job. People become employees so as to have steady work, not to get stupid enjoy comments.
Ridiculous
I sure think it would be a mistake to take a job for this amount with your experience!
Ridiculous
There is no way any MT in their right mind should take this position. MTs transcribing heavy ESL at most companies are paid at least 9 cpl.
That is ridiculous.......sm
Diskriter is always placing ads, I just started and I have 3 accounts I work on, NOT ENOUGH WORK ON ANY!! grrrrr. I guess i will be saying bye bye soon.
This is getting ridiculous....
Totally wrong management.
The right hand does not know what the left is doing!
That's ridiculous!
x
Yes, it seriously is ridiculous but
I have to reiterate that I really do like working with MDI and other than the disappointingly poor cpl they are paying for these VR accounts I think they are one of the best companies out there to work for. Just don't work on a VR account  . I was told, though, (of course  ) that we should be able to do triple the line counts on eScription;however, I STRONGLY question this and do not believe it possible but I guess I'm gonna find out.
Ridiculous
I'd consider that an absolute insult. I don't care how good the company has been, I'd be out of there as fast as I could. Companies that offer pay like that are driving the MT field into the ground, and good MTs shouldn't stand for it.
Ridiculous
I just keep the insurance for doc visits and meds, God forbid IF i would ever need to be hospitalized for surgery or a procedure, I would have to go to the University medical center as an indigent patient because no way I can even come up 2500 deductible....We really need health care like Canada has...it may not be great but it would help so many people who are dying because they cannot afford any type of healthcare
she said 8 cpl typ and 4 for VR, ridiculous... sm
you sure proved your point... she ain't making better than typing. Everyone knows that VR is a loser for the fast typing MT.
that's ridiculous
No one plays favorites. If you don't show up for work, you get written up. If you fail your QA, it is addressed. Get a job on site somewhere and try not showing up or come in late or leave early and see what happens. Do sloppy work, make extremely careless and dangerous errors. You'll be in the unemployment line. Transcription companies should be no different.
That's ridiculous (sm)
It's called work flow. If you've been in this industry for even a while, you should realize that this is the nature of the business. Recruiters are told by management to hire or stop hiring based on the flow of work, and, yes, it changes from day to day. What is suspicious? They have the right to not hire you based on any whim, so there is nothing suspicious. Silly post. It's not all a plot, you know.
Ridiculous
I'm that person. This is a frivilous lawsuit and will be proven as such.
RIDICULOUS!!
OMG $10 per hour for QA with 5 years experience. IC, acute care. Are you kidding me???
It's getting ridiculous
The company I work for just went to a bigger quota and they won't count by lines, which is not fair. There are a few accounts which are short clinic notes, fill in the blank only, and radiology, those are simple to get out. All the rest, ALL of them are 100% listen, give feedback, and are multiple pages long and it's absolutely not fair. They are forcing people not to look over the entire report thoroughly AND asking for 99.5% quality at the same time. Puleese....just another excuse. A 7 page discharge counts the same as a one paragraph clinic note.
Ridiculous!
Geesh! Is this what is has come down to? This industry was frustrating when I left 2 years ago; but my goodness, this is just unreal. So I'm going to type important medical documents for .055 a line. Unreal. I need a job desperately, but if I had to choose, I'd rather wait tables than work in a sweat shop. Unreal. If the line requirement is 1000 at .08, that would actually be 1300 lines at .055 a line. No thanks. I knew it was too good to be true.
That is ridiculous
So they paid you what every piddly amount they are paying for actual transcription! That is why I don't want to do editing/VR - we are just being taken advantage of. As it seems most doctors are ESL and sometimes we can barely understand them - how the heck is a machine supposed too. I would definitely keep track of those job #s and say something.
Ditto -- that's ridiculous to go through
for an at home position. I found out that the companies that are doing all these testing and background checks, take the info you give them and sell your name to ------- MARKETING COMPANIES! ----Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Like we don't get enough crappy phone calls during the day and evening !!! LMAO
Unprofessional and ridiculous! sm
Unless it is done in conjunction with a real test.
Please, name that company. Ridiculous.
x
That's absolutely ridiculous. NM
.
You are a bit on the ridiculous side.
s
It was not a ridiculous question....
I think some people just sit on here all day to post rude comments because they have nothing better to do in life. Sometimes questions come about and sometimes people ask them here to get answers. That is the point of this board. Then, if you cannot get an answer to your question here, you can always call your sup and get an answer. I love the fact that I don't need to both my supervisor if I can get an answer here. :)
Wow $260 per month!! ridiculous nm
x
Not only is there ridiculous discussion
there is also a lot of thinly-veiled shilling for people to work cheaply for Proveros......
I don't know either, but I will never get my CMT. It is ridiculous to want that certification.
x
This is absolutely ridiculous and also ...
If this is the DIT out of Fort Mill, SC, they have a reputation of not paying their MTs, which makes it even more ridiculous. 
Your post is ridiculous
I did NOT say I made that kind of salary now. I only work part time because of my choice, not like I had to work in the past to support a family. You got that right about my company. Why would I tell others about it and wind up maybe losing my account? Now that would be so stoopid, right? Over the years I have experienced my share and thank God I am no longer at an age when I have to take anything just to make a living, past that now but I have been in worse shape than lots on this board. I have never nor would I ever work at a job where I am so scared I will be docked that I would compromise someone's medical record just to make sure I make my dollar. That to me does not constitute an MT. To each his own, you probably fit into the category of just letting work flow through without wanting to correct. Last work for me, out the door for the day.
Ridiculous in this day and age to travel for training.
Beyond unnecessary. I live in NJ and wouldn't do it - very horrible area - city - no way, Jose! Most MTs I know in NJ wouldn't give it a second thought!! Much ado about nothing to us! And yes, we are pros - just don't need our hand held for training on any platform!
Well I didn't get my score yet but it was ridiculous.
I don't understand it, I've been doing this 20 years and don't necessarily know anatomy like the back of my hand. We are not diagnosticians for pete's sake, we're MTs! If we knew all of that, we wouldn't be typing for peanuts we'd be MDs! LOL. Just a little ridiculous I thought.
Wow! Ridiculous! I've heard it all now.
.
That is ridiculous! Always, always on time. Besides, the don't even hire ICs.
x
Those things are sometimes so wordy, it's ridiculous. (sm)
I have found that it's really quite easy to condense them into a cheat sheet for each account. Keep it right in front of you for referral. I do 7 or 8 accounts, at least 3 or 4 on a daily basis, so I keep them stacked in front of my monitor and just shuffle the papers as necessary.
No way Jose!! They are awful and that's ridiculous.
nm
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