Touchy feely versus show me the money sm
Posted By: Lyndia on 2008-01-07
In Reply to: I'm with you. - AnonMT2
I keep trying to say, over and over again here, that LINE RATES ARE ARBITRARY!!!!
Having the right MT job is a matter of three things...courteous people to work with, a decent platform and enough understandable dictations to make some money. I can PROMISE YOU that if they are paying a lot, they expect a lot. If the situation was more pleasant, they could hire MTs for less than that high high line rate.
Now, I am not saying I'd work for 7.5 cents or even 8, but I did take an employee position for 8.5. I accepted this for other reasons. You all might think that companies owe us benefits, PTO and so forth on their tab and that we should STILL be paid top dollar. There are companies who do and can, but they work their MTs very hard and I know this first hand.
Benefits, PTO, 401Ks...these are NOT free! There is no free lunch with this stuff. Remember that the only people in an MT company who are actually GENERATING income are the MTs. The QA people, the team leaders, the IT people, the MT manager, the owners...they all suck on bottle ONLY WE fill with milk. I am in favor of fewer office people being around to suck from that bottle, and a wise company has as few support staff as can be managed and at the same time, charge as much money as they can get away with. If they offer benefits, those benefits suck the bottle too, but they make cheese out of it and hand it back to us. That means less cream for pay, but it means having cheese. The bottle holds a finite amount, after all.
My taking less money is because from all I have read, this is an excellent company. The benefits are low priced and the company pays part of this for me. The PTO pay is the most fair and reasonable I have ever even heard of, and there is plenty of it even in the first year. The QA is all promoted from within, they still type on a daily basis as it should be, and they all have at least 10 yrs of experience. The platform is a dream come true. Even at 8.5 cents, I stand to earn over $30 an hour that I could not earn at 10 cents a line because I didn't have this much support.
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ooh touchy touchy - eTime is merely online...
i sent my chapstick back with show me the money on it. i'm now working for spheris.
oh well he has one more chapstick floating around to recycle next MT appreciation day.
Even if Cirie doesn't win the money she is the winner of the show in the self confidence and
:+
oil field pers a "per diem" which is a set amt of money they get to show up for work that day,
1
65 character line versus gross lines versus pay by word
I am checking into other options for transcription. Can anyone tell me how to compare all of these types of lines & also payment per word? I know companies use different scales, so I wondered how they compare. I have been paid on a 65 character line with spaces, but I may be making a change in the future - don't want to get burned.
Thank you in advance!
touchy, touchy
If an artist cannot perform a song made famous by a singer of the opposite gender then she certainly doesn't deserve to be called the American Idol. And you blame Elliott for Kat's shortcomings? Come on. Goofy, I think not. He doesn't come across as "Look at wonderful me, me, me!!!!" like ~some~.
Not really touchy, touchy
Ah well, thank goodness we're all entitled to our opinions. Wheher Kat goes or stays, I think she'll have a recording contract, which probably could be said for the remaining four. ;o)
Touchy
I think it is a darn shame that so many posters on this board take any and every opportunity to jump down each other's throats. Some folks seem to delight in picking apart everyone else's posts and 'reading into' them and then coming down on the poster and nitpicking them apart. We should be able to vent frustrations in here without being called 'unprofessional' and attacked by our peers. JMO.
Touchy, I never mentioned your age
You call attention to the fact of being retired in all your postings.
Think my husband must have it too (46), boy was he touchy the other night,
I asked him if he had his period. He took the slightest offense at anything, the tone of my voice when answering him, a look on my face, boy it was a fun night. He apologized later, which is a minor miracle in itself.....He suffers from depression as it is (untreated unfortunately) so he is already a bundle of fun to live with. Oh well, another thing to look forward too.
Goodness! This has sure been a touchy subject!
Just my 2 cents since everyone has has put theirs in too... As I posted earlier, I have 2 small kids (6 and 7) and 1 teenager (15). I had always worked "outside" but got laid off while working as an LPN and went back to school for this to specifically work at home. I do like what I do and do feel privileged to work at home. It is hard to juggle everything, but it was also hard to juggle everything when I worked outside of the home as well. It is what it is. My husband thinks my job is great, but he doesn't comprehend how difficult it is to deal with the distractions from just being at home, as I think it is difficult for anyone who doesn't work at home to understand that. People don't respect work time when you are at home like they do when you are at a place of business, be it friends or family. I also think that people do sometimes look at this profession with these rose-colored glasses because we "work at home" and forget that we have to actually work! You just can't do housework and cook and whatever else for 8 hours and get in 8 hours of work at the same time. That being said... as I live in Minnesota and it is like 15 below 0 outside with lots colder than that windchill... I am grateful that I can work at home even on my most worst days! 
You said it correctly, very touchy subject
as the majority of people working from home apparently get upset when I say MTs are coming across as being unprofessional when they write about being "supermoms" and yet complaining about how to fit time in for their babies, housework, cooking, washing, etc. while doing a job. I have never complained about my salary, my hours I spend working, the bosses I work for, just do my job. I, like you, worked outside when my children smaller but if I wanted to provide for them then, that was something we had to do, had no choice, just what you do as a member of the human race. It is probably a good thing for a lot of the people writing into this board to be able to "work" from home, otherwise I don’t see them making it in the "real" world of employment. I think your post was excellent and said exactly what I have been saying for some time. Try telling that to the moms who write in. I am not now nor would I ever say I was supermom nor super anything for that reason, not a "single" mother as to me that designates someone who wants people to feel pity for them because they have a child(ren) they are supposed to care for, only a woman who has raised her children to adulthood and ones any mother could be proud of and I did it, well just because that is what a mother does. I don’t look for any pats on my back. I have a strong work ethic and I applaud you for yours.
I didn't mean to sound touchy. You misunderstood and
whether or not you MEANT to reply to my post, you did. What else was I to think?!
I don't have all the answers but I was quite aware of that information already.
No offense taken by me! Just felt like you misunderstood, that's all!
Why start such a debatable touchy topic?
x
Money, money, money, mmonnneyyy. Singing the Apprentice song.
:+
If you can show proof you did this work for them, they then have to show they paid it in order
:+
Question versus gross lines versus 65-character lines....
I have always charged or been paid by 65 or 60 character lines or per letter or space typed, but have never been paid or charged per gross line.
What is the advantage of this? If I were to charge 11 cents per 65-character line including spaces, what does this figure out to for an average line rate and how do you do this calculation?
I'm wondering if it is financially beneficial for me to bill by gross line or to keep it the way I have it. I do know some accounts will only pay per 65-character line, as this was the deal my first own account I recently acquired. They were adamant on a 65-character line, but didn't specify with or without spaces and I personally would never not charge for spaces.
Thanks for explaining this. I appreciate it and hope everyone has a speedy day.
Make money? I'm not making any money because of my decision. You read my reasoning
You can agree with me or not, but don't make false assumptions please.
You're working to make money, not to spend money.
These people should be ashamed of themselves taking advantage of people this way!
I also blew some money signing up with Quixtar... The only way to make any money is to bug everyone
you know into signing up. I felt like a snake oil huckster. I hated it. I was flushing money down the toilet from the moment I handed over my money.
RUN, do not walk away! I do an entirely different side business now that I really love (in addition to my MTing, which I also love!) Find something you're good at and that you truly love doing. Then make a business out of it. That's the best way to have a side business. Selling discount toilet paper through Amway/Quixtar? Not so much.
The CMT exam is overrated. Don't waste your time & money. Use that money on
paid anymore just because you have it. There are a few CMT cheerleaders that post to people like you but they are pretty well sucked up into that association.
love, love, love the show. hate american idol. this show is for real.
the only reason i entertained watching it was because of mark burnett and as usual he has such genious casting and editing. btw, don't know who anything about "metal" music but these performers make me like it. love marty and jd as performers. HATE JESSICA. susie is so nice and so emotional. it seems they all support each other and enjoy each others skills. regarding ty and bob marley, ty was excellent but he also lucked out on the song! bob marley was genious too and his music is very easy to listen to. i don't like 3/4 of what the others are given to sing but their performances make me love the music. dave navarro shines on this show, very gracious for the most part and letting the contestants down easy when they have to leave. he was great last night with brandon (?). sweet, sweet show. i am so impressed with everyone involved.
Yeah, money, that's it. I paid $20.00 for my dog. Money is NOT THE ISSUE
walk him daily, play ball daily, he sleeps in my office daily while I work. Yeah, I got a lot of money, NOT HARDLY. And, my dog is HORRIBLY HORRIBLY ABUSED because he wears a collar around his neck. It's people like you that make me sick. I am done defending my use of the shock collar. I am going to continue with it and my dog will continue to be pampered , educated, fed, kept warm, and love me for everything that I do for him even when I remind him that his barking needs to stop. So, with that said, I will not respond to any more of your CRAP in reference to the shock collar.
Money is money and most people will do whatever it takes when in need. sm
if you do bring it to the attn of the office manager, why not offer her a raise to compensate. it is obvious she just needs or wants more money than your office is paying her. I agree, it is a free country and although it seems odd, unless you had it outlined in contract, she can work for whomever or whereever she pleases on the side. at least she is typing and not at a strip joint, lol. I see no conflict of interest, she has experience obviously in whichever field you are in and what is wrong with doing extra in that field. i agree with MYOB "nicely" and concentrate on your reports than looking at older reports and seeing who they are typed by.
No need to wonder..It always means less money for the MT and more money for MQ.
z
Money, honey, money!!!!!!.
nm
One year and you make decent money? What is decent money to you?
k
PPD versus ppd
Ok - maybe I am having a brain fart - the dictation says the guy smokes 1 "ppd" (pack per day) should i do ppd or PPD?? It is verbatim.
HELP!
x versus X
I need to know if it should be x or X. IE 8 mm X 7 mm.
CMA versus CNA
Medical Assistants ARE allowed to give medications and injections, and have been taught properly by their MA schooling how to do this. CNA is all patient care, changing beds, changing clothes, bathing, taking vitals (maybe), but no giving of medications. They were not schooled in this and legally should not be doing it...and that is probably universal through all states. That was what I was taught when taking my MA courses. LPNs can, FNPs can, RNs can, PAs can, but not CNAs. Totally different area of care.
RMT versus CMT - sm
The RMT (Registered Medical Transcriptionist) credential that is for those MTs who have just recently graduated or have been working but do not have the required 2 years of acute care experience to write the CMT (Certified Medical Transcriptionst) exam.
You can find information about the CMT and RMT exams and credentials at http://www.aamt.org/scriptcontent/creddesig.cfm.
RE: cc versus ml
We were told cc was on the "Do not use" list, according to
Joint Commission for a couple of years now.
CVA versus CVA
One is an infarct in the heart, the other is an infract in the brain, but I agree with other posts. Many times it will be dictated in the body of the report and you can determine the exact differentiation between the two. However, if you absolutely cannot do this, you cannot guess in a diagnosis and have to simply leave it as CVA, or possibly defer it to QA, in which they probably cannot determine it any more than you can, and they would probably leave it as CVA.
MT versus MLS
How about the MTSO Company who now refers to their MTs as Medical Language Specialists. Does anybody believe they get more money for being an MLS instead of just a plain ole MT?
MT versus becoming RN
Hi all.
I did a search in my area to look at RN salaries. I know working from home I can make $52,000 with some effort. The having to pay my own taxes is offset by not having to drive to/from work. Just curious of any of you have decided to go to school to be an R.N. My husband thinks it would be a good idea, but since I have been at home for over 10 years, it would take some convincing! |
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|
|
Base Salary |
$59,036 |
70.4% |
|
Bonuses |
$150 |
0.2% |
|
Social Security |
$4,528 |
5.4% |
|
401k / 403b |
$3,670 |
4.4% |
|
Disability |
$947 |
1.1% |
|
Healthcare |
$5,328 |
6.4% |
|
Pension |
$2,486 |
3.0% |
|
Time Off |
$7,740 |
9.2% |
|
Total |
$83,883 |
100% |
Well, I'm not sure that you really want an answer of HOW to do it versus
just defending yourself, which is fine, by the way. Well, if you want an opinion on your situation, you see the problem yourself. You admit that you didn't discipline them and let them always have their way, which you feel is responsible for today's behavioral problems. Chances are they would have the same problems were they not with you 24/7 cause its your parenting skills that are at issue. Know what I mean? No, being an MT at home and raising your kids is NOT equivalent to what you, yourself, admit you did. You can't sit and type and let children run the house free will. You have to use your head and multitask, as the other poster said! Plan your days, plan activities, have a schedule for them, etc. Not trying to be mean, but that's really obvious, isn't it? You realize it now. Why not say something encouraging, like, Gee, I'm sure it can be done, but not the way I did it. I messed up. Rather, you post your negative experience which YOU caused and act like it can have no other outcome. It can. I have 3 kids, and all 3 different personalities. My oldest and first was the most demanding. I basically set up a Little Tykes playground for her in my office, and STILL she didn't want me to "type", as she grew to call it. Constant battle of wills, but guess who prevailed? Me! I'm the parent! She grew to understand that she would have her fun time AFTER my work - i.e. going to the park, movies, etc. My second child was an angel and would just sit on the floor playing with fuzz if that's all there was. My third child was a boy, and enough said there! I had no help whatsoever - unless you can include a bunch of negative relatives who mocked me rather than offer a hand in help, but it CAN BE DONE, and we were SO happy together. It is SO worth the effort - these are your children - your legacy - your LIFE. If they aren't your life, then my words are falling on deaf ears. I work around the clock - still do - typing hours here and there to have MY FAMILY as my #1 Priority. All my employers have always understood that and been more than willing to work with me. Also, I had stayed away from working for some companies that demand a set schedule because I refuse to work a set 8 hours shift with kids. Know what? Every single company said they would let me do "my own thing" on hiring, so while everyone else complains about having to work a straight 8 hour shift, I didn't have to! It can be done, even with the strictest companies! They respect where our hearts are, if its with our kids! Again, sorry for what sounds like a horrible experience for you and your kids, but you, yourself, admit it was your own fault. You are not the majority, though, again, the posters on this board are definitely anti-kids, so you've found your niche in that regard, so to speak! And, also, now that your kids have behavioral problems, severe, I believe, per YOUR words -- is the solution going to come from an outside source? From a stranger? Or from you? It doesn't sound to me like its working now. Only YOU can really fix your mistake and change your kids. As long as they're still with you, no matter how old, there is hope. But passing them off to the school system, or counsellors, or some "expert" is probably not gonna be too successful. Ground Zero is Mom, good or bad, positive or negative.
melena versus whatever
You are correct - and heaven help us all (including the patients) if that's the kind of QA you're getting on your job. Just to get more confused, check out "melanosis coli" which refers to dark pigmented lesion in the colon - NOT to bleeding or melena.
IC versus employee
 I have been an IC/MTSO both married and divorced for the past 15 years. I feel that I bring home "more" of a dollar than if I were making the same amount as an employee. I do have quite a few write offs as I do have a real "office" in the home, I take my depreciation on the house as I feel when and if I sell prior to dying, will deal with it then. I do deliver and pick up so have mileage. I save for my vacations and time off. I have the flexibility to take time off during the day if needed --work at night true but I CHOSE it not someone else. When married I just had my husband over withhold a little more and did not need to worry about the "tax bite" on April 15th. I planned and planned so I knew what he had to over withold. But again, when I make over $50K and end up paying SS on only $15K or so, it is well worth it to me. I did take a small "in-clinic" employee status this year to get out of the house as with no hubby - thank the Lord, and no kids it gets me out and I take out more of my taxes that way. But when I did not do that, I just took 5 to 10% out of each check and put it in a special account and it was more than enough to cover my taxes. Truly look at your paychecks as "employees" and see what you really bring home but everyone thinks that because your "employer" pays those taxes FOR you, you are not really paying them. So you just have to do the same. And you have to add the two salaries together even as an employee so that also hurts. But again, I feel being self employed or IC is the only way to go. Even when on vacation I stop in a local transcription company or a couple of clinics or hospital and talk to them about providing services so I can count part of it as a write off. Also look for seminars in cities you want to visit. I go to Vegas every year for the "electronic show" to see what is new for my company. Again, if you look carefully at deductions and plan, plan, plan it is better - at least to me - financially to be an IC. Patti -- e-mail me if you wish
IC versus employee...
Am thinking about going from employee to IC - what is involved with being an IC? Taxes, etc...would appreciate any advice from IC's. TIA
how did they come up with 40mg versus 40 mg?....
i was taught not to do it that way. i understand that every company has "their own departmental specs" or "preference" if you may, but that is a little bit to much for me.
MTs versus RHITs
From my experience with RHITs, the resentments and hostility was and is because our profession is based on production. While the RHIT has traditionally had a fixed salary, we as MTs are paid mostly by production. I cannot tell you the amount of hostility and resentment from RHITs because of this issue. Now, I'm not saying all RHITs are bad people, but whenever an RHIT can see an MT was able to make more money, well, that had to stop! The attitude from RHITs was that we were typists. No clue as to the intricate details our work demands of us. I can tell you from experience when Edix was formed, those RHITs that were the managers in the beginning could not wait to whip those transcriptionists into line! They wanted their foot on every transcriptionist's neck to show them whose boss!! Same old, same old!!
Subcontracting versus IC
At some point this becomes about who makes more/does better. Right?
8 cpl IC versus employee
No I mean money wise what is the difference once you take out the taxes. 8 cpl as an IC is less money than 8 cpl as an employee when the employee pays half your social security
IC versus employee
I was following you until you said "my regular scheduled hours". Um, if you are IC, you shouldn't have scheduled hours, only a set amount of production within a specified time period (say 2000 lines in 24 hours). I'd say you are already crossing that IRS rule of who has control without even considering the OT issue.
But, to answer your question, they can ask for help and you can say yes or no, but you are not under any obligation to do it. As the other poster did point out, preference might be given to someone else at a later time, but IMHO, not working "every weekend" is acceptable. You can give yourself permission to take some time off. No, they do not have to pay you overtime, but you could ask for incentive pay for the work you provide on days you are not already comitted to (they will probably tell you no).
cpl WITH versus cpl WITHOUT spaces
I really don't want to open a can of worms about poor pay, but I am really trying to compare these two options. I need to make a decision about which company to go with. Since I have no idea which has the better platform or better dictators I'm pretty much flying blind. The obvious difference is that one pays for spaces and one doesn't (I didn't know there were still companies that DIDN'T pay for spaces). Both are part-time IC.
Company 1 -- 7.6 cpl with spaces, no headers or footers
Company 2 -- 9 cpl with headers and footers, no spaces
Any insight would be very welcomed.
IC versus Employee
I am trying to figure out if going from employee status to IC is worth it. Anyone have any opinions?
ic versus employee
Hate to burst your bubble to but you are better off with your own accounts. Most of the nationals out there want strict hours and a requirement of how many lines you are going to do. Some do pay a little extra for holidays and weekends but not always and most you will get stuck working on weekends as well.
MTs versus MTSO
I don't know what MTs you hire, but I have always given 100% to my jobs. Right now I type an average of 2000 lines a day, 98% accuracy, willing to change my schedule so I can get work...........but its been the MTSO that have let me down. Right now I am struggling to get work becuase they have overhired AGAIN and this has happened with every MTSO service I have worked for. (4 to 5 in the last 4 years). Finally I am returning to a local hospital where I don't have to worry about running out of work.
By the way, I am not saying there aren't sorry MTs out there........I am just not one of them. I work my butt off, 1.) Because I like the challenge of transcription and 2.) Because of a little thing called bills, responsibility, and family. 3.) Satisfaction and the end of a long day.
Hot key versus pedal
Hot keys are the F function keys and they do the same things as the pedal. Personally, I don't like having to take my fingers off keyboard to start/stop using the hot keys. Much quicker for me to use the pedal, like driving a car, and I can regulate the dictation so that I am typing smoothly and continuously. However, when I am editing, I like the hot keys better cause I can ff and reverse quicker using them.
Pay versus quality
I understand that experience warrants more pay - however, if working means I take a lower rate, and work up to a higher rate - than I take it - it does not mean I give less of myself - Being a Transcriptionist I take pride in my work and work hard at whatever the rate. Too many jobs going over seas for a much much lower rate than 7 cents a line - if we want to get it back, and / or continue working than you do what you have to for the time being. I have companies that pay me 7.5 and clients that pay me between 7 and 14 - and thank goodness I am busy enough to make a decent living. I am not a prima dona who picks and chooses - I have a responsibility to my family to make money, and a desire to work and maintain a household.
However, I will not work for someone who does not pay at all, bounces checks or disrespects me in any way - but my quality never wans for any reason - that is my reputation on the line not any one else's.
So, yes we should make more money - but if this is what is out there, I will take it.
VR versus typing
For straight typing I get 8.5 and for VR I get 4.8 with 6 years experience. I usually produce around 170-200/hour typing and 150-200/hour VR. I loath VR.
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