The doc charged $500 I don't see that as a rip off - the hospital bill though - sm
Posted By: XXX on 2006-03-13
In Reply to: Gastroenterologists ripping us off. My mother just got her bill - A rip-off
for $5K is a bit outragous and has nothing to do with the doctor actually. I hope she has insurance.
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I had a similar experience, had a cow when I got the bill from the hospital - sm
I did not know I needed PERMISSION to go the ER (any ER).....I had taken a bad fall while skiing (back in 1995) and had my friends drop me off at the ER when we got home as my leg was killing me and I had hit my head too. Got a bill for $1500 or so saying it had been denied. I promptly called up the insurance company found out my "error", explaining that I did not know I needed to get "authorized" before a trip to the ER, etc. I had to go through a little red tape but was able to get them to resubmit it and have insurance pay for it. --So it may take a couple phone calls and maybe a letter, but it is worth the effort!
If he has surgery, wait until you get the hospital bill for that sm
I had knee surgery a couple of years back. Three days in the hospital and the bill was almost $20,000. The surgeon's bill was $10,000. I can just imagine what the cost will be with today's inflated prices.
I think it's unprofessional not to pay..I simply state, if you don't bill, I bill directly...
This has only happened once, and I had my check cut same day. This is business and I will not beg someone to give me my money. I simply stated it as a fact.
I'll trade you your $88 bill for my $350 bill.
I would love to have such a small bill like that.
Depends on what kind of hospital? Large urban hospital or small community hospital? SM
Also, is it a large teaching hospital? If so you have to consider there will be A LOT of different residents dictating, usually a lot of ESLs at teaching hospitals, and the residents rotate out and new ones rotate in every summer. So you can't expect to get the same dictators and build up your macros because the dictators change all the time.
I would say 9 cpl would be a pretty good offer for a small to medium community hospital where you will be doing the same dictators on a daily basis. But for bigger, urban or teaching hospitals I would want at least 12 to 15 cpl.
$14.97 is what I was charged
They did not have these on the shelf (I wonder why). I had to ask for the model number. See my post above and they had to go get them in the back. You could call your local Radio Shack (what I did). They looked in the computer and saw them in inventory (they had only 3). I would ask them to pull a pair for you and hold them at the front register with your name on them until you can get there. Hope this helps. Happy holidays.
I think you should have charged them
the first time. Tell them if you have to spend time to listen, then that's at a rate of $20.00 an hour in addition to the transcribed lines minus the reports they think are already transcribed. This way, you are paid to listen.
How much more of this are you going to take Lisa? My dear, you are letting them walk on you.
Are you being paid for the "meeting" in the morning?
I can thank C-Bay for losing my job, too.
Look, you are going to need to draft a contract to bring along in the morning. Otherwise, you will be working for free, and this practice will drive you insane.
You need to figure out what works best for you and set the ground rules. You simply explain to the office manager that this is how you will be doing the work and what you will charge, etc.
At some point, you will have to hold this office accountable for the work they give you and stop working for free.
If you are picking up flash drives, then they should not expect you to report back on patients, etc., which is time consuming unless they would agree to a flat hourly rate for listening and sorting out dictations and then a lower line rate.
I know, I have a big mouth, but please, don't let them take advantage of you. As I said in your last posting, they will continue to abuse you if you allow it.
There are plenty of companies online hiring right now. www.mtjobs.com - have you checked there?
AND CHARGED ME AND KEPT MY MONEY
when I asked for return. Thanks you for the post above. I think the people on here are mostly English speaking, are they not? Maybe some speaking broken-English. They are not seeming to understand. I do not think most would like to be stolen from. I would put this in several languages as I am thinking the posts coming in are maybe not comprehending what we are saying but I only speak English.
I charged per line
I charged per line because then they had no question with regards to hours. It was gross line, top to bottom of page using Microsoft word. Did all the uh's, yea, okay as they wanted it verbatim. For a little over 2 hours dictation made $400 but it was very hard to do and I think that they got a deal. It was a land use county meeting and people would not identify themselves and talk over each other, interrupt, could not tell who was talking, etc. I think I averaged about $25 an hour but kept going over it and over it. Had someone else helping me and we kind of relistened to each other's parts of the tape. But again, they got a deal as between the two of us we put 10 hours typing and 5-6 hours reviewing. But I charged .125 cpl. Then told him that there would be review time and so we just settled on $400 and made sure that he paid me before I returned the tapes. He had to review them to see who was saying what and I did eventually get an apology saying he now could see why I had the trouble that I did. It was 7 men and 1 woman and all the men sounded alike. But good luck. I have done seminars, medical and building a computer chip and those were easier than this. But the only way I would bid on this type of job again is to say I need to listen to part of the tape before I can name my price. Good luck.
I used to do that and charged by the page. nm
x
They charged me almost $400 last year.
It goes up every year. I overhold on all my employee jobs so I'm not worried about that. I just can't stand paying someone that much for something I can do myself.
Forgot to say, doctor charged $79
for DH to come in and find out the results of the MRI, doctor never touched him. It could be worse, we could have not had insurance at all. DH and I weren't exactly thrilled with the doctor anyway (can you imagine an MT going to support their spouse and not being allowed to ask questions until the doctor gives you permission - LOL).
I got charged $75 for a copy of my old MRs, even though I transcribed it!!! n/m
:p
Cigna may be charged with manslaughter in
x
Guilty as charged! It is very difficult.
My biggest and best suggestions are to type a specialty that interests you and try to keep up with the report. In other words make it a challenge to diagnose and treat the patient before you're through with the report. I use an online timer set for 45 minutes. I'm not allowed to do anything but type during those 45 minutes. If I'm feeling a compulsion to research something that I found while checking on a word, I write it down and give myself 5-10 minutes between 45 minute sessions to do exactly that. I also take medication (adderall) without it I would be completely lost. I also have to make myself use the interest as little as possible.....too many shiny things to take my attention away. The good thing is that usually ADD people are exceptionally bright and innovative, so I can accurately produce in 4 distracted hours what most can produce in 6-8 diligently working. However, can you imagine what your line count would be like if you stuck to it the whole time??
So, to summarize:
1. Try to find an MT job that interests you.
2. Use a timer to limit your distractions.
3. Take medication.
4. Avoid the internet for reseach if at all possible.
has anyone ever charged insurance companies for doing their work - SM
I have a lot of medical issues with my family and so see a lot of doctors and pay a lot of copays. Each and every time I see a doctor or facility I have to pay a copay, which I always ALWAYS charge on my credit card. No exception. Do not pay, do not see the doctor or have the test. Yet time and time again I get letters from the doctor's billing or facility saying I owe a copay to them. When I call them up, explain that I paid my copay at the time of services rendered and do not owe anything further, I am told they don't have a record of it. I must find the receipt and send them a copy for proof of payment. In short, I must do their job because they are either too lazy or inefficient to do it. Earlier this month I got a statement from the x-ray facility saying that I owed a copay. The customer (dis)service person was very unhelpful when I explained that I always made my copay first and it showed up on my credit card statement. Finally I told him I would call the facility myself and get things straightened out, which I did (they had put my copay into a different account by mistake). But I ended up doing his job and got treated rudely to boot. Then yesterday, I got yet another doctor's billing statement saying I owed my copay. I called and left a message saying that it had already gone through on my credit card bill and would not be paying. They want proof. Am I out of line saying, fine, I will photocopy the receipt (and this is an NCR receipt so the office has a copy of it) and my credit card bill (with everything else blanked out) and send it to you as proof of my payment, but it will require my invoicing you a $10 processing fee. If you are not willing to reimburse me for my time to straighten out your mistake, then I will not provide proof of payment. This takes time out of my day to hunt through my receipts, make a photocopy, document it in writing (LOL I learned that VERY early on), then postage, etc. Why must I do this without being reimbursed for it. IS ANYONE ELSE FED UP WITH PEOPLE NOT DOING THEIR JOBS????? Arrrrghhh. I feel every so much better.
An MTSO that I worked for charged $6 a page. NM
d
Some of my accounts are charged for blank lines..nm
x
Wow! Thanks for the info. I didn't know the nationals charged THAT much!! I'm going for it! n
nm
Agree, but geezzo, my acct only charged 150 to
x
line rates charged to clients
I know that 10 years ago, Medquist charged one of their big hospitals in St. Louis 24 cents per line!!! Yet of course they pay their employees peanuts, since they pay by the WORD. (MQ is more concerned with paying Wall Street.) But there's your upper ceiling of what you might dare think of charging!
Very impressive. Reading this really charged me up, and I hope it does him also. nm
nm
Yep, my son's doc charged 111.00 for a 3 minute visit to tell him he had a kidney stone.
And to think the insurance paid it. Hmmm.
figure an average at 1.20 and 1.50 and charge double..we charged 2.50 and 3.95
I've never heard of sales tax being charged for a service, only
for a tangible product.
I charged by the gross line and made more money that way.
I had to have a bowel resection for a Meckels diverticulum and the surgeon charged 2500 and got 1500
and the hospital bill was 27,000. Until that surgeon gets done paying malpractice, his office costs, taxes, etc. I bet he doesnt get one third of that money plus all the visits I had while in the hospital for 9 days and fu visits. I did have insurance thank God.
You need to charge for this extra service. Stat reports should be charged at a higher rate or per r
Never lose money. I have unlimited long distance and when my docs what things faxed, etc, I charge them per report to fax the document as well as charging them to transcribe it.
Ole Bill for me too...
Believe it or not, my bill was $35.
But then my apartment complex pays for AC and heat - yea!
Bill in NY
The rates in NY have gone up too, but we just paid $175 so I feel very lucky after reading some of the amounts.
$440 last bill
I bill
once a month and pay my MT's once a month. Payable upon receipt. I've only had a few times where the check didn't come but that was a small account at the hospital and the bill was going to the wrong department, etc. As a business owner you should be prepared to have SOME cash flow, just for occurrences such as these. I have had accounts miss a payment but when I send the next month's bill, they paid right away. Then again, there were some months when I forgot to send THEIR bill, so fair enough. I have never really been stiffed.
p.s. a contract is only as good as the two people signing it...
Yep, except the game with Bill
was minus the odor and the little white crabs marching around the stogie.
Mine went from $19 to $138 from one bill to the next.
We expect it to go even higher despite using wood heat in the shop now.
Heating bill
I just got socked with an over $500 bill for a fill of propane
That is what I am doing now---I bill at .10 a line BUT -sm
it is a 50 character line. I have no idea if the docs know it or now though as I took it over from another MT. So I do my billing with the just the line counts showing, no character totals, and take it from there, comes out to about a .13 line if by 65 characters. I plan on doing the same when soliciting new accounts as no one wants to go over .10 around here. Yes the line blurs a little here but you gotta do what you gotta do--- if the docs weren't such cheapskates maybe the line would not have to be tweaked or crossed.
You know, it may be because of Bill Cosby!
Doesn't that take you back?
bill clinton nm
x
electric bill
Yes, our electric bills have been outrageous. Last month was $199.00, and my new bill came in and is $256.00 also! I too live in California, and we get shafted with the utilities in this state. During winter months my gas bill was as high as $175.00 which is almost five times what it used to be 7 years ago, and my paychecks keep going down in the transcription field!.
how can you *bill for your time* when all that --sm
the MTSO sees is your line count? am I missing something here??? Please explain. thanks
Pt should worry more about the bill
Yuk.
If there is one bill you NEVER ignore
mortgage. Always, always keep in touch with them even if you don't have the payment. Your not alone in your dilemma. The mortage companies have been very flexible and willing to work with payment issues in the past year. Not sure if the options are still available since they've started foreclosure proceedings, but there are payment plans and now the popular "modification" loans. Pick up the phone and call them - do it ASAP. Explain your situation, decreased income, ARM adjustment and see if there is an option to keep you in the home at a payment that is comfortable. I know many of the lenders are waiting for the exact guidelines on March 4th under the new stimulus plan to come out. Hopefully this will be the saving grace some are hoping for.
I wish you luck though, I know you're in a touch situation. I was there too so can truly sympathize. My loan is currently pending modification, but I first started with a payment plan. My fingers and toes are crossed.
it fits the bill for me! i'm frugal too :)
x
FOX NEWS??? BILL O'REILLY???
Great source of "unbiased" news there...lol.
Would rather have Bill and his sexual escapades...
than W with his useless and tragic war anytime...
Does anyone know when the Safe ID bill comes up for vote?
(regarding our medical records being sent out of the country). I have already emailed my senators and am encouraging everyone to do the same.
Mine was a bill collector
You just get yelled at all day and threatened. What a miserable job, listening to people cry about their problems, etc. I felt bad for them.
I worked beside a bill collector once (sm)
and she was NOT very nice. I really think she enjoyed badgering people on the phone. People cussed her, hung up on her. I used to work insurance billing in the same office and once in a while had to call patient's concerning their accounts. I worked with them on payment arrangements, I mean something is better than nothing. I brought in more than she did.
Anyone getting socked by heating bill yet?
My latest was $88 - hmm...I've almost never had my heat going since I use space heaters. Hmm...odd.
Seriously, I think it's Bill Cosby playing...
mind games with us because I do the same thing with Jello! I never make it, but I can say I have at least 3 or more boxes of the pudding and the Jello at all times. My children often see it and beg me to make it. What's the deal? Really, I think it's a leftover 'Bill Cosby' thing for me. I don't know what makes me buy it, I don't even like it. It's an illness. I'm sure of it.
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