No, I am not trying to brag. I just wanted to know if others who live in my region are charging app
Posted By: Just me... again... on 2007-04-10
In Reply to: If you are okay with it, why questioning it - just me2
I did speak to another local MT this evening and she is charging .15 per line. That is all I wanted to know, what was the norm for this area and if I was overcharging.
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Patti....just wanted to tell you, I live on the.....sm
water also but a lake instead of river. My house if firmly on the ground, but the lake is 50 feet out my back door. I spent the day floating in a raft yesterday in my quiet cove visiting with my neighbors, then a nighttime cruise in the boat with my husband. I don't know, with all that boating, skiing, sailing, swimming, fishing, gardening, etc., I just don't know how we stand it! Feel free to email me. We could swap stories about the heavenly way we are fortunate enough to spend our time...
They can brag all they want.......
I just don't want to have to pay to rebuild and rebuild for them out of my taxes. If they can't afford to rebuild on the beach, then don't build there in the first place. Heck, my mother's insurance company that she's paid into for 50 years doesn't even want to replace her roof in total torn up from the hurricane.
what region of NY are you in?
Just curious - I'm in upstate NY and hardly ever see anyone else on here from NY
New MQ QA? New MQ pay? I just got offered IC in SW region? Please tell me more. nm
..
Curious, are there any IC MT's from the So. Cal region?
I was wondering if there are any IC MT's in the Ventura Country region. I may be looking for some help soon, and I was hoping there might be someone in need of work. The hours would be flexible. It would also require driving locally one day a week.
TIA
She just wants an opportunity to brag about all the
If the hubs were to walk out on her and leave her with no alimony, no nuthin', I wonder how rah-rah she'd be about having to sell most of what she's got just to keep a roof over her head.
Can anyone tell me how they like working for the NE Region of MQ as all offices in the NE are
going there one by one as the local offices close down. What are the people like to work for there and the QA people as far as feedback on things. Thanks
I was not pointing fingers at a particular region, sm
just pointing out that we in the Northeast have our share of bad weather. In fact, we get just about everything here. Blizzards, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, even earthquakes for that matter, albeit, minor earthquakes in the last century. Highest recorded winds were on top of Mt. Washington in New Hamphshire. Been there several times. Cold. It's expensive to live here, too. Due to proximity to the Big Apple, we get a lot of celebrities and rich types living here, driving up the per capita, while the rest of us pay the price at the pump, for real estate, you name it. Nobody tries to give us a hand. Just take from us. Funny, I work for a national, but don't get paid anymore than those in lower expense areas. When I worked for corporations before MT, pay was gauged to the region of the country we lived in. Those on west coast and Northeast made a little more because of the expenses in our areas. 
Money brag or is this normal now?
Why might someone might feel the need to tell you how much money they make when you did not even ask?! Insecurity, perhaps? This happened to me recently via e-mail and I have no idea how to respond, if at all. 
Many of us are "lucky" however, we don't brag at the expense of others. nm
x
New. Wanted to put in a better card to support a game my 17yo DD wanted to play.
x
Again as has been said many many times I think it depends on the office and the region.
I work in Pennsylvania and it has definitely gotten worse. Seems like this region is bad.
I think this post was put here to brag and incite flames.
You know from history that every time the big money makers in this field boast about how much money they make in how little time that the thread goes downhill fast. First, somebody doesn't believe. Then someone is offended at the insinuation of lying. Then someone says other people could do it, too, if they were any good at MT. Then everyone is defending themselves and name calling. Why start it? Especially during the week before Christmas? Do you really need to rub people's noses in their lousy paychecks when some of us don't have enough money to even get gifts for the people in our lives or pay our bills because there was no work this pay period? People who need to tell others how much they make suffer from low self-esteem and misplaced priorities. There are more important things in life than money.
Gotta brag: Just found out my son earned... (see message)
the Presidential Fitness Award for the third year in a row, and my daughter earned the National Award!
I asked you to SHARE HOW - not brag. That's why folks like YOU aren't credible.
So sad that you should be so pompous. That's why I have to question HOW these #s are honestly achieved.
why no, i don't live in snobville. did you think you knew me? i live in heritage hills a suburb
it takes a little longer to get to work and shopping but thank god i have some privacy and am away from the congestion. lovely trees and lakes all around. maybe about 20 minutes to a large shopping mall. but no, i don't even know where snobville is.
wanted to try it but wanted to make sure
nm
Charging
The equipment you have will last for a long time so there is not that much to get into business. 13 cents sounds okay, 1 to 1 1/2 cent higher than I charge but I am out in the NW area. I do pick up of tapes, printing, delivering, use of "sticky paper" etc. But I average $30 to $45 per hour depending on the clinic. I haven't raised my prices in a while as I feel it is good money for me. I buy transcribers off E-Bay, some last for a long time, some not so long. I am planning on going digital in the next few months but I don't feel it is fair to pass that along to my clinents. It is my decision. Will still have to deliver back printed material. But you have to get those accounts and keep those accounts so charge a fair price -- the docs have more overhead than we do -- make a decent living and provide an extra decent service and you will do okay. I have said many times -- my accounts have been with me the oldest now 16 years -- psych account and my shortest is 5 years. They pay on time, have never had to ASK for my check, never a bounced check, and always Christmas bonus and a Birthday present. So that is why I keep my prices a little lower and spoil them a little but in the long run -- for five years now -- have not had to look for a new account/client and I know that they will not go overseas. I have had my share of those accounts that stayed with me for a little while until they got something cheaper and those that were just not for me and so that is why I will do most anything to stay where I am right now until I retire in 7 more years. I put in about 25 hours per week on these accounts as an IC and make $38 K per year. So for me it fits just right.
If you are only charging 11 cpl
They'll never know the difference, and it will make it worth your while. These doctors do not care about 65 characters and all that jazz. Just highlight the document, and charge them under line count. This will enable you to be compensated for any searches or extras that come along with the territory. They won't know the difference. Take it from me. You'll be fine, and you won't need to do all of this math. These people are cheating themselves using 65 character lines and the like. If it is an account you got on your own, then charge it like that. I'm living proof it works, and provide great TAT, and they won't mind paying you at all.
Charging
I was offered the opportunity to type for a doctor that is moving in wiht another group of doctors and need a transcriptionist. I have typed for other clinics in the area, but these physicians only paid by the hour.
I am wondering if it would be in my best interest to see if they wont pay by the line or character. I have never done this before. I work full time at a hospital and will be doing this at home in the evenings.
Any information on this would be much appreciated.
Thanks
When i was charging
17 cpl as an IC I did. Now I make less.
Could make that if I put in the hours but my priorities are the same. Would rather make less and have more time to do the things I enjoy but guess I'm fortunate to be able to make that choice.
Charging
I have my first interview with a Dr. tomorrow and I won't know what to say when he asked me how much! Should I charge by the line, and if so , how much or should I charge by the page? He will be my first Dr ever so I have no idea! I have been reading about lines but I just wanted to know what active transcriptionists are charging! Thanks.
why yes the quality of air where i live is quite different than where the city people live.
Lots of pollution. That's why everyone is moving away from the city and areas zoned for multiple housing units and low income housing and trailer parks. Population is dense and near manufacturing. So yes, the air is different but millions of people pay a little extra for the quality, the space and privacy afforded to those who move out of polluted crowded areas such as you defend. There is always a reason why some areas and housing is cheaper than others. Maybe it is the air and maybe it's something you can't quite put your finger on but you know you would prefer not to live in certain areas. You know what I mean or are you living in one of those areas? They tell after awhile you block out the sounds, the smells and get used to the pollution. I don't know. I didn't stay long enough to test the theory. My mental and physical health is way too important to me.
I know they live a long time, so if there is a chance they will out live you - sm
make sure you make provisions for them in your will. I have only had cockatiels and some finches, so don't really know anything about the bigger birds. I love African Grey's but they are very expensive.
charging per character
What is the average charge per char?? A dr called me and told me he is currently paying .002 per char. If I calculated right, that would be .13 cpl. Is it standard to charge char w/spaces or not? Thanks for any info, I always have charged by the line 
Charging for copies.
My charges for copies depend on who it is and how many copies. I had one guy who wanted to use me and my little inkjet printer as a personal photocopy shop. I was charging $.10 per copy to cover paper and ink, but he'd want 20 copies of each page I typed. Finally, I told him to go to Staples to make copies because I wasn't going to do it any more. I was driving there every few days for more ink and paper anyway, and he was just someone I didn't want to do business with.
I don't charge my other client for carbon copies because he usually only wants one or two copies. Besides, he pays me really well and I've been typing for him for 8 years. When he wants full color copies of digital pictures printed out, however, it's at least $1 per page because it chews up the color ink cartridges so much.
Just look out for people CHARGING for same.
If someone offers you FREE mentorship, jump on it. But don't fall for some folks on boards that will offer to mentor you if you send them a private message/e-mail, etc.
A lot of local hospitals and a handful of services have mentoring (legit) programs. Do a search for MT services and their mentor programs. I know that TRX Inc. in Portland had one several years ago. I'm not sure if they still do. There are several that are trying to promote growth of the MT workforce.
Just ignore the crabby, tainted, bitter older MTs that don't want anyone else coming into "their" industry.
I know Kaiser MTs that make $100,000/year. If you're good, have a GOOD ATTITUDE, and apply yourself and work hard, and don't fall into the trap of becoming persnickety and bitter :) you'll do great! It sounds like you have a really good attitude. Just avoid all the negativity! It's just jealousy, angst, fear, self-pity.
You are so right. Our pay goes down from same folks who are charging us more when we
Right now McDonald's in our town starts employees at $8/hour and pays benefits and some school benefits.
I have worked 30 years in transcription and make less now than I did in 1985. That's 20 years ago. I know more and earn less. In fact I am a fraction above poverty level.
If you don't think MQ is getting ready to take us all below poverty level right down there with Mexico City, just hide and watch. Or rather, sit here and think you are with a "good" company. I didn't, because they are making millions in profit off your hard work and not sharing a penny of it with you.
In the old days an employer spread the wealth of the company with the employees who made it happen. This group has never heard of the concept.
But I think MTSO's are charging less
I know for a fact that it is very difficult here in the Chicagoland area to land an account for more than 11 cpl, and we used to routinely get 'em for 14 to 17...so I think you are seeing the trickle down effect. I used to pay up to 10 on gross lines, but I can't do that if I only can get an account for 11.
charging more works
I can agree with you. I used to run a small "word processing service" as it was called back in the 80s. I was competing with others and I figured one high-paying job was worth more to me than a bunch of inexpensive jobs. My fees were higher than anyone else's. I charged $25 an hour for anything other than regular text, be it medical, legal, foreign language, technical, editing, compiling bibliographies, checking footnotes for correct site within the text as changes were made.... I had more work than I could handle and it was all by word of mouth. I had to hire 2 others to help with the overflow and still turned down work. Would have continued except for needing to care for terminally ill father. I had graduate students trying to book me years in advance to do their dissertations.
Cheap doesn't work. Not in the long run. You do indeed get what you pay for.
If If U have your own accounts, U should be charging MDs more. nm
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The offshores should be charging more, too....
... even though lots of their work is cr@p.
charging for tapes
Hi. Could anybody give me the going rates for tapes (per line of course) that are not printed out and just e-mailed back to the clinic when completed. I have been charging .11 per line including spaces. I have charged this for approximately 1-1/2 years. Could I charge more? Thanks in advance.
Anyone with experience in charging by the word?
xx
charging for OFFICE NOTE mt
Hey gang ! Today I went my family's podiatrist for the first time for an ingrown toenail. As soon as the doc sat down with me, and saw my chart, he commented on my occupation of "transcriptionist". Within 30 minutes I left his office minus an ingrown toenail, and plus a new account doing his transcription !
And this is going to be a lucrative account - 20-25 office notes per day, x 6 days a week. Yippee !
Question - how do you guys bill your private docs for office notes? He said some notes are only 1 paragraph, while some can be 2 pages. Doc said he'd prefer to pay by the page. So should I charge a 1/4 page price, 1/2 page, full page? How would you guys handle office note charges ? I will be emailing the files, btw.
Thanks !
Which font if charging by page?
I am doing something very different from my usual transcription. They want it single space and a different format. I am using Courier New 10 and it looks like they are getting a heck of a lot on the page for what I am charging - I am working for ZIP with this setup. Can anyone tell me what font to use, this is so small when I print it, that I can barely read it, my eyes are killing me as well. Help! You can E-mail me if you wish, I am very, very tired, 12 hour days on this with little to show for it.
How to handle this re: charging account sm
How do you handle an account with a doctor who is constantly changing things? I'm talking about a guy who will give an entire 4-5 sentences then have you go back and delete and change it. I'm getting really, really tired of typing it all out only to have to go back and delete and retype.
Do you keep track of how much you deleted and charge for that also? It is really cutting into production. This isn't occasional either. He does this at least once, if not several times, in EVERY single report. It is like the man can't string together thought. Not to mention it is frightening how much things change sometimes. I wonder often if he is talking about two different patient.
Are you serious? I make 16.5 per CPL and doc hollered I'm not charging enough!
I love my doc. Been with him 12 years. He would love it if I charged more because "it would be fair to me." This is at an IC rate. I would never drop him.
BTW, I live in a low-paying rural area and if it weren't for the self-employment taxes, etc., I would still be an IC. Had 4 accounts on my own and did make great money, but then hubby also went the self-employment route and the taxes ate up all our "profits."
So, I'm back to making peanuts, but love my job now.
Tell them will have to start charging for time
x
You have a point in charging for these items
Be careful when doing your taxes. You can't have it both ways. If the doctor pays for the ink, then you cannot write it off as a supply. Just be careful because you may want to write off those expenses as opposed to letting the doctor write them off. This is also true for mileage I believe. If I were you, I'd get a good tax guy and also draft a contract including the what "ifs". You may also want to include the fact that you do take time off and also you may at any time within reason raise your rate.
MTSO's charging ICs for use of platform?
Has anyone experienced any MTSOs charging their IC's out of each paycheck for use of the platform software the MTSO chose to use???
Companies charging for use of software (sm)
Now I have been in the business for a good while and besides Trans"scam" I came across another company that charges for software. Fast Chart. They use both DocQScribe and EditScript and will charge the ICMT $7.50 per pay period if you do not meet a particular line count every pay period. Now, although $7.50 is not that much, I have worked on both of the programs (in fact, still working on Editscript) and have NEVER been charged to used it. What are these companies trying to do to all of us. ..geez louise.
Charging doctors for redos......
I was wondering what the general rule here is. Lets say that you type an office note and then months later the doc wants you to add to it. Do you charge them again for the text you already typed, or do you just pull it up out of your computer's memory and only charge the doctor for the new text added to the document? This happens to me a lot, and I would like to know what the general rule is.
Thanks,
Abby
If you're an IC, you should be charging PA sales tax as well. sm
I know there are A LOT of PA MT's who are not doing this, making it more difficult for those on the up-and-up. However, if you are providing MT services to anyone other than a non-profit (with valid PA Sales Tax exemption), then you should be charging the 6% State Sales Tax and filing a Sales Tax Return.
The Use Tax issue that started this post has been in place for a long time, it's just that the Commonwealth has decided to become more aggressive in their pursuit of this lost revenue stream.
How would you KNOW what the owner is charging? You think she is going to share that info?
x
Charging for printing/mailing reports
I just spoke to a doc interested in my services and one of the questions he asked was how much I would charge for printing and mailing the reports to him. The cost of paper and shipping is pretty easy to calculate, but the cost of ink as well as my time is a little more difficult. Is there some easy way to calculate this for an estimate or would some of you mind sharing your rates? I appreciate any help or advice on the matter. Thanks!
editing/cutting/pasting charging
Would like to know what to charge a potential client that is using voice recog for their discharge summeries, but they want me to cut and paste it into the form on their system.
Any suggests on how to charge for this since I will not be listening to the actual dictation and doing it.
thanx for any help
I've never heard of charging by the word, but I just
did a check on my current document. I had 1759 words and when I ran my line count I only had 245 lines. You're making twice what I'm making and my lines are gross lines. I'd say you're coming out pretty good as is.
Charging for a full 60 minute microtape...
For you IC's out there, what is the average charge for transcribing a 60-minute microcassette? I am estimating about $45.00-$60 at most with 60 minutes of transcripiton. It takes me anywhere from 5-6 hours to transcribe. Is this about the norm? I am thinking of raising my rates. I also print the reports out and deliver too.
TIA
No one is charging 15-20cpl anymore. Offshore has taken that away. sm
The reason we pay 7-9cpl is that we are charging 11-13cpl. Don't let anyone tell you differently. I have been bidding on VA hosptals for the past few months. They want U.S. only, small businesses (under $6 million in sales a year) and I am STILL losing to others for price and I am bidding 11-1/2 and 12 cpl.
It makes offshore more attractive to those of us that cannot charge enough to pay enough but want to stay in business.
I cannot compete with bigger companies like MQ, Spheris, Webmedx, Keystrokes, etc. but I know after bidding with them that they are not getting more than 14 or 15 cpl either.
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