Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Pretty low line rate, mediocre benefits. I had to turn

Posted By: them down, too. nm on 2006-06-07
In Reply to: What's the problem with Mag Mutual?? Are we missing something? - anon

nm


Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

That's a pretty good offer. Does the line rate go up for over 175 lph? sm
Will you have VR thrown in there also?
Pay and benefits were very mediocre 2 years
nm
Can you tell me what the benefits are like, line rate, average lph there, thanks..
Seeking a new job..
What is MDI-MD's line rate? Spaces counted? weekends? benefits? Thanks. Have EXTENSIVE MT ex
x
Need current info on ETransPlus i.e. work load, line rate (ballpark), cost of benefits, SM
and overall treatment of their MTs.  I found archived opinions but all old.  Is anyone there now that can comment?  Thanks!!
is the VR line rate 60% of the regular typing line rate?
s
MDI florida, pretty good benefits,

transcription super, Debbie, very easy to work with, down-to-earth. Pay 10 cpl if you have Meditech experience for acute care/radiology.  Saw in one post where they were willing to train.  Worth looking into.  I work for them, good company so far.


Pretty low-level pay and benefits. I had 6 offers and
nm
Webmedx has pretty good benefits sm
The benefits at Webmedx are pretty good. You are eligible for benefits after 90 days. I am paying about $400 per month for a family plan for health, dental, and vision. The coverage is pretty good for general visits and pharmacy, but there is either a $1000 or $2000 deductible (depending on which plan you choose) for hospitalization, after which insurance pays 80% and you pay the rest. There is also a deductible for certain medical supplies. My son is a type 1 diabetic and we have to pay a $1000 deductible for his insulin pump supplies. Not the best insurance that I've ever had, but it is much cheaper than what my husband can get through his work (he would have to pay $1000 per month in premiums for a family plan).
It goes two ways. MTs have to turn their line counts in on time and
in the format they are supposed to, not 4 days after the fact, not with mistakes that they find after the fact. There has to be accountability both ways.
Their line rate was less than my current nat'l rate, even with mucho experience. nm
no msg
VR rate is 1/2 rate of traditional typing,I believe it is 4 cents line.

Their pay rate is pretty good........
BUT they do tend to run out of work.  Everyone that I know, myself included, got started at 10 cpl for typing, 5 cpl for voice recognition.  The PROBLEM is you do run out of work too often and they REQUIRE you to clock out when out of work and sit at your keyboard waiting for work.  It is possible that you could work 8 hours and make only 20 bucks.  So.....if the work was there I guess you could make a good living, but my personal opinion is not so much considering their work flow.
Webmedx ASR rate is 70% of your regular line rate. sm
So if you are on a 9 cpl account, you get 6.3 CPL plus any bonus / incentives / shift differential.
Is the ASR line rate 1/2 of transcription line rate? sm
Reason I ask is that I assume if they have ASR now that eventually all will be ASR except of course for the awful dictators as this seems to be the norm.
Worked out to a pretty good hourly rate, just not the right company for me. nm
,,
Oh, they make money off us. Line rate is 17 cents a gross line.nm
z
I left MQ for TT. The base line rate was less at TT, but overall I make more per line with the
shift differential (I work second shift) and the incentive plan (I have never once failed to make at least an extra half cent per line on incentives - most of the time a penny). I was scared to death to make that move, as I had been with MQ since back in the Transcriptions Limited days. I have to say, though, that it was the best career move I have ever made and I have never, not once, regretted it.

I hope that was of some help.
Pays per page, top rate less than what I made 10 yeasr ago, benefits high
.
Focus Infomatics--Anyone have any experience with their insurance benefits, good rate, etc..
Yes, I know all there is to know about them in the negative form but people respond only if you know about their insurance plan. Thanks
Again, we make pretty big concessions to be in our line of work ...
First of all, I'd like to see this 'lucky enough to work out of the comfort of our own homes' stuff abolished. Many, many professions now work at home, and they do NOT accept a substandard quality of treatment because of that.

I know dozens upon dozens of coders, graphic designers, and support staff who work at home - BY THE HOUR - and get paid for the time in which they are working (or the time in which they are scheduled to be working, but have no work to do).

Let's say I make 9 cpl doing clinic notes (which is a really good gig, if I did that, but that's definitely NOT standard), and I make $19 an hour.

However, the first half hour that I work is answering work emails, starting my day, gathering the info I need, etc. Then, there's another half hour throughout my day that I spend answering emails or instant messages. Then, there's an hour or two during my day where I'm out of work because the company has over hired. Then, at the end of my day, I spend another half hour tallying my line counts, finishing up emails, and filling out a time sheet.

How much am I actually making per hour now?

Now, as a true fact, back when I started in transcription 12 years ago, I did start at 9 cpl. And I had an IC job that paid 13 cpl.

Earlier this year, I had to look for a new company to work for, and I was blatantly told several times by several 'reputable' companies that they would absolutely not start anyone, regardless of experience, over 8 cpl.

In no other profession would you find this, except maybe (MAYBE) fast food or waitressing.

The bitterness many MTs feel makes sense. We are asked to do many things outside of our work time that brings our actual hourly wages down. We are asked to sit for hours and scrounge for work, all without pay. We are consistently stripped of benefits like holiday pay and vacation pay. We are never rewarded for the years we have put into our careers or the knowledge we've gained because of that. We are very, very occasionally thanked (in mass emails) for the hard work we put in, and then immediately asked to flex our time regardless of the lives we have planned in order to suit the needs of our company. Our only hope for more money is to work more hours, or to somehow make our fingers faster and the dictators more audible. We are never, ever able to be dependent on our paychecks, because our line counts vary paycheck to paycheck due to fluctuating work. And, more than anything, we're treated as numbers (by many, but not all), and expendable because we're faceless, personality-less drones.

But it's our fault as much as it's the companies' faults. We've allowed ourselves to be treated this way. We've told ourselves things like, 'Oh well. At least I can do this in my pajamas.'

Can you imagine a coder in a hospital being asked to leave for three hours a day on random days of the week, only to be asked to come back and work those three hours at some time after 7 p.m.? Can you imagine an accountant being told that they are not to conduct company business like responding to or sending emails during their work hours, and that they have to do it on their own time without pay?

I don't condone whining, and I don't think dwelling in negativity is the answer to our problems. I also agree that the complaining can be easily misconstrued as selfish.

But I DO congratulate those who are constructively doing something to elevate our profession to a new level. Even if it backfires, even if it's all for naught, and even if it's misguided, at least it's not just sitting around and complaining anymore.

benefits/ line counts
Has anyone found that some companies are offering vacation time/insurance and giving totally unrealistic lines that you must accomplish in order to get those benefits. I have run into 2 such companies recently.  At one company there are many different platforms but yet have one standard line count that you must achieve in order to get their benefits. Line counts can vary by platform.  Anyone else running into this or is it justme?
So you'd be making 6 cents a line with no benefits and....sm
have to adhere to a schedule too? No way!
Line rate
I was offered 6.5 cpl. How do I calculate gross pay based on that? I'm not sure how many lines I can produce, since I'm still completing a transcription course and this will be my 1st position.
line rate
oh, my gosh -- i've been with them 3 years and am SE with a base rate of 8 cpl, but usually get 8.5 cpl with the 6000 lines minimum. that is just wrong that you've been with them that long and you're making that. have you ever asked for a raise?
How is their line rate? sm
Recently applied but worried they will offer a low line rate to begin. Do you know what their base rate is or does it vary based on test results and years of experience.
If so, do you know the range?

TIA:)
They did tell me the line rate..

Just wanted to hear from people who knew about them or had worked for them as to whether they are a good company to work for.


Well....about the line rate....sm
I was really offered what I felt like is going to be a good account, and this is only going to be part-time for me.  I'm hoping the work itself, i.e., surgery center, will make up for the line rate.  They were very accommodating on the actual amout of time I wanted to work per day, too.  I'm going to give it a try.  I have high hopes - we'll just see! 
line pay, rate
these companies say excellent pay.  how do they feel right posting that? 
What is their QA line rate?

Line Rate
I talked with a guy from the company today by phone, and according to what he told me, they pay on a tiered basis.  They start at 8 cpl for 10,000 lines and it increases from that point.  I don't remember the exact numbers and amounts after that point, so I won't quote him.  If you don't do 10,000 lines, then the rate is 7.5 cpl.  This is for full-time people on a day shift; the rate for second and third shift is different.  They don't want daytime part-timers, which is what I wanted.  In any event, for a university account I think the rate is on the low side.  I can make 8 cpl transcribing office work.  I'll keep looking.
Sorry. I'm not sure about the line rate but I DO know in this biz...
that line rate is ever based on your years of experience. It's become pretty pathetic. I have over 14 years of experience and was still offered the same as someone with a few years of experience, 7.5 cpl, and of course you will see those paying 6-7 cpl and you will rarely see anymore on an ad where it reads, salary based on experience at least not in this profession anymore. Best wishes if you apply. I hope they offer you something worth your time.
Yes, if you can get a better line rate
Eight cents a line is pitful for an IC. I did the opposite of you and went from a small company to TransTech. I do love working for TT but nothing compares to where I was. The work was wonderful, flexible, 12 cents a line with bonuses and yearly $400 Christmas bonus. I'm sorry I left but that's another story and like I said happy with TT. Do yourself a favor and don't settle for 8 cpl as an IC.
What is their rate per line? - nm
..
Pay is not all line rate! sm

I have been in this a lot of years myself.  I am being paid the same LINE RATE was I was 11 years ago.  I had no benefits, paid my own taxes, supplied my own stuff to work with, including a pedal I had to purchase.


Today, I have health insurance, dental, vision, PTO and holiday pay, plus the company has to pay part of my taxes.  They supplied a pedal at no cost and I rent their computer for next to nothing and it is a lot better than mine anyway.  


I used to make $6-$7 and hour 11 years ago and I do more like $30 now, same line rate, but a faster computer, a better Expander and more knowledge. My income last year was 4 times what I made each of my first 3 years when I started a dozen years ago.   I also work fewer hours to accomplish all of this.


Why all the gloom and doom?  Benefits are NOT a gift from the company, we pay the entire premium whether the company takes it out of our paycheck or not.  WE MAKE ALL THE MONEY FOR AN MT COMPANY and we always have.  Benefits are NOT free!!!!  Think about it, my benefits equal about $500 a month that doesn't come out of my paycheck, but it is compensation.  That is 500% MORE compensation that I received 10 yrs ago.  I am keeping a great deal more of the money I help to generate for the company, whether it is in my nice benefits, a paid vacation or in my paycheck.


To me, the picture is rosy and good.  Not only is my income 4 times what it was when I started (that is quadrupled in 11 years), I no longer pay self-employment taxes, I will have my very first paid vacation since I have been an MT and I have health benefits for the first time since being an MT.  I don't have it showing on my pay stub, but I KEEP what is on that stub insteading of working 3 jobs to pay my IC taxes.  If I get sick or need surgery, I don't have to wonder how I'll pay for it, that is a given.  I don't panic if I get sick, I just use my card and see the doctor.  I can have my teeth put into better repair this spring too. 


I feel blessed that I have more work than I can do on any given day and I am well compensated and happy. 


VR line rate
Try Precyse.  The line rate for VR is somewhere around 0.055 and they have a TON of VR available at the moment.
need better line rate

Is anyone willing to share a good company that pays 12 to 15 cents per line?  I am so tired of having experience and no one wants to pay?  Thanks


Line rate
$.095, $.10 and $.125 all as employee with benefits.
line rate?

Here's my situation.  I currently provide transcription for a clinic w/four docs.  My price hasn't changed for alomst 7 years.  I'm just curious what the going rate is per line?  I have to pick up microcassette tapes and deliver hard copies w/a 24 hour TAT.  Any info here would be greatly appreciated as I don't want to overcharge or be under paid!


Line rate
I have been with them 5 years, doing acute care, and make 8 cents per line. Pay rate has not changed in all that time. I do not recommend them because they outsource all the best work to India now and all we get are foreign doctors whose English is horrible. The sound quality is also horrible. You won't make any money here even if you type 200 wpm. I am looking for another company now.
line rate for VR?

Is the 9 cpl for straight typing and VR?  Usually VR is half, 3-5 cpl.  I would kill for 9 cpl on VR.  They contacted me also, and if this is what they pay for VR then I am testing asap!  Let me know please.  I love my FT job, but this would be a great PT gig.


Thanks,


Sue


70% of your non-ASR line rate. nm
.
Line rate
My line rate is the same regardless if it is a holiday or not. 
Regarding line rate?

I know I probably should know this but is .005 cpl half of a penny, .01 cpl 1 penney or some type of tenth of a penny, also what about .015 cpl. 


Line rate
I found this in the archives: As of the recent AHDI/AAMT annual meeting, it appears that the method of line-counting known as VBC (visible black characters) is becoming a trend. All MTs should read the following report from Perspectives in HIM, February 14, 2007. http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_034023.html To summarize: counting by VBC results in a 31.5% reduction in line count, compared to the traditional 65-line (with spaces) count. Thus, to avoid a pay cut, any MT now earning 9 cpl should be
raised to 11.8 cpl if line counting is switched to VBC. This is a critical issue, and it does not appear that AHDI is taking any action to promote fair pay for MTs under VBC compensation plans.
Regarding your second question about the single spacing, IMO that depends on if you are a VA MT or not. VA requires 2 spaces and doesn't care a whit about the various editions of BOS.
70% of your line rate...for now. nm
x
They do pay 70% of your line rate for VR. nm
Good luck. :)
They do pay 70% of your line rate for VR.
But I have heard they are not hiring now, although you should check. Good luck. :)
line rate
The pay rate is adjusted in some companies because when you sign on as an IC you earn a different rate for your requested lines. They 'save' the lines for you. The more you type, the more you make. The low rate is for 300 lines a day, which amounts to somewhere around 1.5 hrs of work per day, so those who type many hours/lines are rewarded with the higher rate for more commitment. The reduction occurs after IC has been told upon entering IC agreement that this is the rate for 'x' number of lines. The lower rate is for a very very low line production. Other part time IC's make the same rate as the very high production people.  It's just the 300 to 500 lines per day that are lower.

Line Rate
Basically, you take what you can get right now.  If you are not happy with your pay scale then there is nothing holding you back from quitting.  If you are happy with your pay scale, then there is nothing to complain about.  Your happiness is only what you make it!  If you can find another company who offers more than 8-9 cpl, then go apply to work for them.  Do I think that someone who has several years experience as an MT deserves more money?  Of course I do!  But, in order for a company to offer more than just say 10 cpl, they would have to charge their clients in excess of 18-20 cpl  to make a success out of their business - I know this because I have done extensive research on the operation costs, anyone can argue with me on this, but I know this information 100%.  If someone with 20+ years experience wants to make the money, make yourself an independent contractor and seek clinics out yourself, not through an transcription company, and then you can get your 12+ cpl.  If you are not willing to do that, then you have to take what is offered and not complain about it.
depends on whether you need benefits. If not, go with 9 per 55 character line. more money. nm
,