ME rates reduced
Posted By: yakaback on 2005-09-01
In Reply to: Please back you info up. Pay cuts have not been announced. Have you received a letter? nm. - MT
yep, the letter's in the mail. if you're doing ME work your rate will be decreased off of your base rate because they think the average production increases by 25%. well, you have the choice as staying as a MT at your regular rate, which I'm going to do as their ASR program can't seem to distinguish between the smaller words in a document even with the person saying them very, very clearly that you're continuously having to peck along to correct. The system even leaves out words that clear dictators are saying. Until they fix those kinds of things I'm not messing with it. You cannot get a rhythm doing the ME work -- at least that's what I've found. I've timed it and I can type a document faster from scratch than I can do it with ASR. That's just my opinion. They are paying us pennies to do a job that requires more than flipping burgers at Jack.
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careful with the reduced rates... devalues the industry sm
and forces even experienced MTs to lower rates just to keep clients.
My honest two cents, meaning no disrespect to anyone.
Clients see the bottom line before they see the years of experience an MT has. (yes, they do.)
A new person coming in with a lower rate will only cause problems.
Try checking the grocery store for reduced buggies, reduced
counters in the meat and produce departments. Quite often, you can find perfectly good foods marked down (be careful about pork). My husband is a meat cutter and we quite often have meat that has been reduced and it is just as good as what was cut that day. Buy double roll toilet tissue. For whatever reason, it seems to last longer at my house. Buy cheaper brands of shampoo and hand soap. The stuff from Wal-Mart works just as well. The same can be said for scented lotions. Make your own potpourri. Mix cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg in water and keep it simmering in a small crock pot. Smells really good and is less expensive than candles. Believe me, I can pinch a penny, but it's really not so bad. 
Has anyone kept a list of line rates, report rates, benefits, etc for sm
the different companies out there? I feel lost and confused. It seems like everything is changing daily, and I am not being organized enough to keep up. I am about to actively look for full time employment again but if there was a list, I would be able to sort through a lot more quickly.
Can anyone help? I am going to start keeping a chart myself in case anyone needs this in the future.
Line rates in the Northeast - can anyone advise as to what the going rates are in the NE part of the
country? Specifically Connecticut. I want to make sure I am on target here. Thanks.
Yes my pay has been reduced by 2/3. So.. sm
I figure I will have to do triple my amount of lines to get back to where I was. I don't think that is possible is it? I hear where you can maybe double your lines but triple?? Any opinions?
THIS is what we're reduced to as MTs - sm
what do we sell next?  We're certainly not able to sell our skill, our professionalism, our decades of experience -- these are up for grabs to the LOWEST bidder!
These are credited to you at a reduced rate ---
Indications:
Examination Protocol:
Aorta Meaturements:
Interpretation:
Recommendations:
How long do you think it will be until MQ throws everything on ASR even the junk to get the reduced
line rate. Should be interesting to see. I do think they are looking for a big exit also. There is no work in a lot of the offices especially Amherst and my understanding is the work will be delegated from a national office and not regional and they will put people on accounts that need work. Not sure what that means but maybe the days of having a main are coming to an end. Should be great for quality.
Staff will be reduced and equipment not replaced
Care provider will attempt to maintain their income and will attempt this by reducing staff/overhead (that includes transcription by the way).
The medicare/medicaid patient should have copays that are reasonable.
Reasonable is the key word here. But there is a sense of urgency that is taking place due to the state of Social Security and the aging baby boomers who are beginning to retire, who will due to good medical care for a lifetime, perhaps live for 20 plus years on Medicare benefits.
Weren't the Indians given a reduced rate to get CMT?
p
The incidence of errors could be greatly reduced - sm
if MTs were paid in such a way that they didn't have to positively RACE through everything they type, just to make a decent line count and an honest day's wage.
Take proofreading for example: Sometimes I think we come out ahead by NOT proofreading and taking our chances with missing an error, since if we really kick butt on our line counts, it can make up for being docked. But that goes against my nature. So I slow down enough to actually SEE what I'm typing, and then go back and proofread. It produces the best-possible quality of reports, but then eliminates any chance of a bonus because I can't reach that *carrot-on-a-stick* that is dangled a bit too high (in terms of a qualifying line count) for me to reach.
No way, I am having no problems with productivity, only that my pay has been reduced to compete
with the global market, that is a fact.
Now please with all respect please do not offer your opinions on my situation, I am sensing a little attitude here and I am not interested in your opinions on that. Thanks.
Reduced my desk clutter, bought a KVM sm
I got a slick new KVM. I work on 2 computers every day, so this was a necessity. All USB, a Belkin. Not only can I used ONE mouse, ONE keyboard, ONE monitor, but I can use ONE set of speakers and ONE set of headphones in said speakers. This one came with a remote button. Push it and you are on the other computer.
I have wanted one for a very long time and I have it!!!! They have come a long way.
Now...I just have to keep my backgrounds different so I know where I am...
???going rates
Help!!! just been offered an OB/GYN doctor account. What should I charge?
Rates
I am out here in Oregon. I will be completely honest but have been told on this board that I am too low and do too much for my docs but they have been very loyal to me, all have been with me from 5 to 18 years, pay on time -- 48 hours recepit of invoice, no questions asked about line count, etc., never a bounced check, etc. I have just raising my rates to 0.115 for my larger accounts and 0.125 for a small account that I have that does less than 1500 lines per month. Oh yea, my psych account is still at 0.11 cpl but he is not 24 hour turn around and going digital.But I do charge gross line, 65 charaters per line. I pick up and deliver, provide the sticky paper, cut apart the chart notes, do envelopes. I make about $3200 to $3500 per month depending on whether all docs are in all month or not, (6 docs) and since I have been doing them so long, I put in 25 to 28 hours per week with printing, pick-up delivery, etc. And yes, they appreciate me and give me Christmas bonus, birthday gifts, extra time when I have a crisis, etc. Had been working at a clinic doing about 20 hours per week in addition for the past year but just paid off my last attorney fee from a ugly divorce and so am qutting there as of next month and taking three months to do just my own accounts and have some fun this summer. I had a resume from a company out here that wanted my clinic account and charged 0.18 cpl but to me that is way too high. I feel that I average 30 to 40 per hour and to me that is more than fair. And yes I provide my own insurance, own my own home, put $500 to $800 aside for retirement. Patti
Rates
It definitely depends on where you live. I'm in Arkansas and have a hard time getting 0.10 out of docs around here. Right now I have a peds acct that is 0.08 and an internal med that is 0.9, 65 character lines. The peds acct provides their own paper for me to print on and I email transcription to the internist, so they print it. I do pick up tapes everyday and I am always available, never take vacations unless the docs do.
The best thing to do would probably be to talk to some of the doctors and negotiate terms.
rates
I work full time and also do "extra accounts" to support my love to travel - live in the northeast. I do a big GI practice (6 docs), ENT practice (2 docs) and high-risk pregnancy (2 docs). I charge a flat $3 a page no matter how many lines are on that page. (These are all letters). I've been told I'm cheap, but it averages out to about $30 an hour for the most part and anywhere from 16 to 20 hours a week. All are quite good dictators, provide their letterhead and since I have been doing it for so many years, easy accounts. They are wonderful about me taking vacation - just hold the work for me. A bit overwhelming at times when I get back from vacation, but worth it. As all offices are near my full time job, I pick up and deliver almost every day.
Rates...
I work as an IC for a neurology group and also for a child and adolescent/family and marriage psychiatrist. I charge 12 cents per line based on a 60-character line. I had worked for another group that paid me 14 cents/60-character line, but they needed tapes picked up daily and I lived nearly 45 minutes away. If you have experience, in my area you can pretty well set your own price and they will jump at it.
QA rates
Can I ask what you get per line?
nth
rates
I have a couple clients like this -- was way easier to just charge a higher line rate than to figure time/paper/ink/postage, etc for every billing. My docs liked the all-inclusive flat rate. You can write off the paper, postage, etc as business expense. Good luck.
Rates in NJ
Just checking in to see what a fair rate would be to charge for specialities (neuro and ortho) in the Morris/Sussex/Warren County areas of NJ. If anyone out there has any info, I'd appreciate it.
CMT rates
I have never seen it make a bit of difference. I do very well without having those initials. Good question about verifying that though, I have seen some really awful QA work that boast those initials.
In looking through the ads, the rates seem to go from 7-10 cpl for IC or emp. nm
s
rates
Paid by minute. what is the going rate?
Rates
Thank you all for your input, it has been helpful. I charge 12 cents per line 10 words (no spaces) = a line. It's mainly the gas and the time driving out there. I figure it's 2.5 hours per week specifically for them. I do include errands etc during my delivery, but now that my kids are going to be out of school, I will have to make a special trip out there just for them. My other two accounts are strictly digit and we communiate via internet. I did raise my rates to .14 last week, and they threw a fit. I suggested that I come in less frequently or that they consider going digital and they are not open. I am not sure what is going to happen at this point, but I feel with all the time and money spend just on this one account, 12 per line is not reasonable. Plus, I just read today that gas prices will hit 4.00 per gallon in my areas this summer. Thanks again for all your input, it was very helpful.
pay rates
I would like information about pay rates. I get paid for a gross line. Due to recent changes in computer systems I looked at new and old reports and found that my character line is more than 80 characters.
pay rates
I used to be paid by the gross line and it all depends on the size of the font and the margin length. However, you also have to consider how many times do you truly do a *full line*. There are many lines where only a few characters are entered, and you are being paid the same for those, as you are for a full line. If you are really concerned that you are not being paid enough, take one report you just finished, do a character count, and divide by 65, multiply that by your current pay rate and see the difference. I would go back to gross line in a heart beat if it was available to me. but that is just my opinion.
Pay rates --sm
I think the pay rates you suggested are a little bit high. Everything I have seen and even applied for, have started on an average of 7 to 8 cpl for both employees and IC, even with MTers with up to 30 years experience. Most companies state that the pay rate is based on experience, but it is not really that way. They have a set starting rate and you either take it or leave it. Raises are rare in any company. Some offer production *bonuses*, but from what I have read, there are so many loop holes involved in making those, that it is not even worth it or feasible. Just my 2 cents.
pay rates
My company pays by the dictated minute with 7 levels of pay depending how much you type and how efficient you are. The more efficient work you turn in, the more pay you get. If you consistently turn in poor work you will be limited to access of jobs and/or let go.
Rad Rates
Well, you would surely wish to do as the client asks, wouldn't you? :) And yes, they say how they'd like to be billed.
Per line 14-20 cents, depends on how many characters, TAT.
Per report 2-3.
Never billed or paid by page or minute for rad.
Best wishes!
IC rates
If an IC works for himself/herself, they can set their own rates, but if they work for a company as an IC, like I do, they get paid whatever that company sets as their pay scale for ICs. It is very unlikely that if you work for a company as an IC that you will get a raise. Usually raises are only given to employee based transcriptionists.
My rates sm
I get 8.5 cents PLUS incentives at one job. I get 10 cpl at my PT job. I do OP notes exclusively.
I have only 5 years to your 6, so I feel like yeah, you should get more.
OP note only MTs are desirable. Companies, anymore, are hiring OP note MTs and the rest of acute care MTs. I am pretty sure you can do better. If you even have incentives for what you can do, it would be better.
QA rates
Just my opinion.
Where I work, MTs generally make 10 cpl and QAs make 5 cpl. I chose to do QA, simply because I have done this more years than I care to admit and I find the work more interesting and less tiring than MT work.
I think if you do a good job as an Editor (QA), you will make about the same hourly rate as a transcriptionist. While I do not make more money doing QA (about the same as MT), I like it better because there is much less keyboarding and I enjoy figuring out the difficult transcripts. Also, I think in the next 5 or 10 years, editors will be the only language specialists with decent jobs.
I think if you take less than about 5 cpl, you'll end up making less than if you were working as an MT.
Cindy
rates
can anyone tell me average rate per line for the north east area? I was thinking 14-18 cpl?
rates
PLEASE let me know of anyplace that pays 9 cpl or more!!! Thanks and good luck!
IC rates
Depending on where your accounts come from... if you're with an MTSO I'd say 8-9 cpl is the "going rate". If you have your own clients, though, your rate would likely depend on the area of the country/state you're in... anywhere from 11-18 cpl maybe?
Higher rates
When my hospital looking into a MTSO for quicer TAT, they were quoted .33 cpl. This company only paid their MTs. .07 cpl. Needless to say, my hospital stuck to what they were paying me.
I wonder how many MTs will be so thrilled to do MQ ASR when the new rates come out. Should be
interesting to see how that pans out.
VR Rates Nationally
What are people making across the board on VR? On the company board someone said Transcend is only paying 55%, MQ 80%, what about the others?
Canadian rates, please help
Could any of you help me in making this very important decision please? I have contacts that can help me get contracts from a small Physical therapy/chiropractic care clinic in Alberta, Canada. But, I have no clue as to how much is charged per 65 cpl with spaces in Canada. Considering that one US dollar is equivalent to Canadian $1.15, I guess I would perhaps be able to get a better rate. But how much would you say is a rate that would do justice to both parties? Anyone doing a similar work from Canada, working MTs with MT companies in Canada, please help. Any input will be welcome…Thank you….Maple
How are their insurance rates?
nm
Line Rates
I have only been working from home for 8 months now and my previous MT work was done while i was office manger and of course i was paid hourly but did more then just MT work.
I was wondering what is the going line rate other companies are offering??
Confused about Rad Rates
Is the trend for radiology now going to per line rates? Love doing radiology and trying to find PT but afraid to give up the basic 4 that I do now. Most posts for radiology nowadays advertise 7-8 cents per line. Isn't that a lot low as compared to per report at 1.10-1.50 as I see some rad trans getting? There are are a couple of ads on the job board I would fit my equipment and time schedule but not at the rates they are willing to pay.
Don't lower your rates
Don't lower your rate! Don't feel guilty! Feel blessed. I'm envious--am on an account where it is impossible to understand them let alone make a macro but if I could I would and not feel bad at all. I have years invested in this just like the Dr's. You should be paid for your time and expertise macro or not.
Line Rates
I made much more 10 years ago than I do now. Pretty sad -- we get less and less, but tested more and more -- ever hear of doctors or lawyers getting tested for each new job they apply for?
Error rates
Could anyone tell me how other service providers are dealing with error rates? Need to implement something but am unsure how to go about it. Thank you!
Seems only fair to me. If we use it for biz, should pay biz rates.
????
Per page rates
Hi guys, I just received a call from a doctor looking for transcription services but he uses templates and also wants a per page rate. I have never charged a page rate before. Does anybody do this currently? Is there a way to calculate or a going per page rate?
I don't know what rates are like in your area.
Only the hospital knows if it's a better deal for them. Some companies provide equipment, dictation systems, tech support, supervisors, transcriptionists, etc., so if the only thing you are doing is transcribing and you are relying on the hospital for all the rest, then the hospital has to absorb all those costs.
Sorry. I don't set the rates (darn it).
x
As an IC you should be setting your OWN rates
And then you inform the clients of the increase--period. You don't "ask" for an increase. That would make you an employee.
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