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Again, you can't base your rates on what

Posted By: someone else charges sm on 2006-05-05
In Reply to: I am in Ohio, but have friends in MI and MO that charge 15/line. - Suzanne

Are you an MTSO yourself, Suzanne? I would say not because if you were, you'd know there are just too many variables. How do they charge? 65-char. line or gross line? Are they paying for spaces or no spaces? What kind of account is it? What supplies will you need to service the account? What equipment will you use and what kind of maintenance does it need? Will you need to hire SCs to work on the account? All of those things will make a HUGE difference. For example, a gross line at 8 cpl is actually more like 10 cpl using a 65 char. count (do the math and you'll see). Saying one MTSO charges 15 cpl and another charges 13 cpl is not comparing oranges to oranges unless their account specs are identical, which you cannot be sure of from an anonymous MB.

You take all of the above into consideration and come up with a line rate for each client on a per-client basis. The only time you need to worry what others are charging is to see whether you are competitive or not. Find out what you need to make and if it happens to be too far above what others in the area charge, you can negotiate a little in order to obtain the business.

I do not undercut myself because I do all of the above and charge what I need to charge for each client in order to turn a profit. I couldn't care less what other MTSOs charge in MI and MO. I know the market in my area and each person needs to consider that when branching out on their own.


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Don't base your quote on rates

Why are you a better deal than anyone else?  It's not because of rate, it's because you care about your work and you're reliable -- what else?


ASK them what they've been paying -- they won't know because they probably won't understand their invoice.  Ask them to send you a copy of the invoice.  Reply to me privately if you need to, I'll help you figure it out. 


But even if you get that, keep the focus of the discussion off price, keep it on your quality, your caring, your reliability, what you can offer them.  Do you buy EVERYTHING based on price?  If not, think about the things you buy based on quality and base your letter on that. 


If your sole value is because you have the lowest price, you're fighting a losing battle.


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.
You are WAY off base ...
WE don't have any control over any such thing at all.

The MAIN focus is patient care. We're part of the team that helps document that care but that's it.

I do NOT want such politics playing in my healthcare as a patient, I can tell you that.

Those physicians are very intelligent and educated and we need them. I know US physicians that are far worse dictators. The US is a melting pot (I believe Eyetype has already stated this all so eloquently); that is what we are made up of and will continue to be.

Get over it. We just don't have that much power...NOR SHOULD WE.
We have 500 at a base already SM

As early as today, the Ft. Custer Training Center, a fenced-in military base just west of Battle Creek, will become home to 500 Hurricane Katrina evacuees.


I don't think you could be any more off base

Just getting my power back and being able to access the internet after Wilma, I know exactly what it's like.  We're in an area that had to ride out the whole eyewall front, side, and back.  At least with the eye going overhead you get a 2 to 3-hour break.  We didn't.  Our power went out in the early morning hours before the storm even hit and we JUST got it back.   The east coast of FL where I am was told to expect a cat. 1 storm by the time it reached us.   Usually that means limited power outages with restoration of power within 24 to 48 hours.   The eye made landfall over the Everglades and it was moving so quickly that by the time it got to us it was still a cat. 3, and with the forward motion of the storm at 25-30 mph, it intensified the wind gusts to a cat. 4 in some areas.   This was much different than the storm we were expecting.


We've got more than enough water and canned goods to last us, and DS joked that we had enough batteries to power a third-world country.  But, we were on the verge of being out of fuel for the grill, camp stove, and lantern, out of batteries for the flashlights and radios, NO ice whatsoever because there is no way that ice will last for 3 days.  Think about preparing for the storm.  If you buy or make ice and your power goes out before the storm even hits, that means day 1 is over before the storm is even over.  By the end of day 2 (which is considered storm day 1 by FEMA) your ice is already starting to melt.  By FEMA day 3, you're already ending your 4th day and beginning your 5th.  Any perishables you had are long gone. 


In Broward County we were promised that ice would be delivered by 2 p.m. on the day after the storm (which had already been almost 48 hours since preparations were completed and the power went out).  People had been waiting in line since 6 a.m. that morning.   By 8:00 that evening the lines were already 1000s of people long and the ice hadn't arrived yet.  Some people's medications had already gone 24 hours without refrigeration by that point.  It was at that point that the announcement was made that ice wouldn't even be delivered to our area by FEMA until the next day. 


So while it may seem to you that all those people are just standing there with their hands out, it isn't quite the picture you paint it.  Ice was more importance than the water and the MREs, but FEMA doesn't let you take 1 without the other.  So while it looks to you that all those people were waiting for meals because they didn't prepare, the majority of them were waiting for ice because what we had was long gone. 


Coming originally from an area that was well known for blizzards in the winter time, the preparation for hurricanes is a lot different.  In the blizzards when the power went out there were blankets for warmth and indoor natural gas stoves for cooking.  Perishables could be placed outside and ice would keep for days.  Frozen goods would stay frozen.  Not so in Florida.  Until you've actually gone through it you don't really appreciate the difference.  And until you've actually gone through it, you're in no position to judge "all those people" waiting for handouts.


Way off base

Hopefully you answered to the wrong poster as she said nothing about investing in anything to help her KEEP the account she doesn't have it.  If not, you are way off base and rude.    Most of us charge by the line normally and it depends where you live and what you will be providing, printing, is it pick up and delivery, etc.   What kind of doctor, etc.  But most of the time between 12 and 15 cpl, I am at the lower end but that is me.    


What company are you currently at, what is your base
pay, and how many years experience do you have?  Me, i'm 10+ years, MQ, 9.5 cpl.  Wondering if i'm at the top of the scale and the only way to go is down?  I hate switching jobs as it is, was back and forth between Edix and MQ, pros and cons of each, but I want BIG BUCKS!!!!!
Does anyone have any idea what my base pay

will end up being on the new payment plan?  I do clinical and ER reports/discharge summaries.  I've been a Transcriptionist for 8 yrs (worked with them for six).   I currently make 8 CPL as it is.  


I really  need to know what I might make with this new plan.  I NEED THE MONEY.  I SURVIVE ON THIS PAYCHECK.  Nervous as all he** right now. 


Obviously not part of the base of
..
I am making 8 cpl base
I average 1800 to 2000 lines per day and gross 40K with just 8 cpl with incentive and that's not including any overtime. Maybe my production is above average, but my pay rate certainly is not.   
Me thinks you are way off base.
You may want to find a new career.  When you refer to drop in for an hour or two, you are speaking about ICs who in no way are any less professional than you are working from your home as an employee.  Some MTs work from a typing pool meaning they can take a job at a time and make money in that fashion as a contribution to the household (paying bills I might add).  Many professions offer at home employment.  We are not the only ones.  I think you have a bad attitude and should probably find somewhere else to drone in your sorrows.  Many of us here are professionals even at home with a husband and children.  It kind of sounds like you are jealous about husbands that make money and have insurance.  You may want to re-think what you are saying in regards to MTs working from home and not being considered a professional.  In my experience, my friends and relatives are envious of my being able to make a living from my home office, so I'm not sure who you have that talks about you to where you cannot defend yourself, but that is usually a psyhiatric entity called paranoia.  Sorry to say, but you make as much as you'd like as long as you can "hang with the big dogs".  If you are not making enough money, then that is for you to either take some courses in typing and anatomy or just go with the flow.  To blame at home MTs is way off base.   
Sure, base it off of 1 experience....
that makes a whole lot of sense .  You must be the same person who said Radiology was an "easy specialty," right?
I would certainly base my decision around what
What are your hobbies or activities that you really enjoy? Look for a way to find training/employment in those areas.

It's not too late to go back to school at all. Though it will take some time and investment. You might discover your perfect interest along the way!

I'd open an Internet Cafe that serves gourmet baked goods, sandwiches, etc. :)


Base for the ball chairs
I actually bought my exercise ball/chair through ebay and it came with a base which has a small back support as well as wheels.  It works out great.
Thank you your reply. He/she says the client base
is there and I know the funding is there. The plan is in its early stages, but they are ready to go forward and will. I can't decide whether this is something I want to get involved in or not and I appreciate your input!
Our president has even alienated his own base.

I visit a local political board that is primarily conservative (something I am totally not, but it's still fun to go watch the "fireworks") and even the hardcore Republicans are peeved at him.  Apparently this immigration "amnesty" bill he's pushing has really not settled very well with his "peeps."  I didn't vote for him twice, so my conscience is clear, but I still think he's a tool, president or not.  I never had respect for him and never will.  I know I am not alone either and I'm sorry if that offends you, but I'm exercising one of the primary freedoms that our poor soldiers are dying and getting wounded for--freedom of speech. 


This is my base rate for surgeries sm
I have an incentive program, I can make more, but this is my base rate. I had this rate at another company where I did OPs for 4 yrs and I made really good money at it typing just outpatient surgical notes (6 hours a day, 1500-1700 lines a day average during that shift).

In point of fact, it is much easier to get normals set up for this situation than for OPs in a hospital because you have fewer doctors and fewer different procedures.
maybe spray outside the house around the base? NM
.
It is a startup company with base in Phillipines. That is all I know! nm
x
I've used it. There are a ton of knowledge base forums out there
where you can research your results.
Thanks, Mardi. My base rate is .085, so the most I am paid . . .
is .095 a line, whether it be 16,000 or 20,000 lines per pay period. I try to get 1800-2000 lines a day, or 9000-10,000 lines a week. This is for employee status, 1st shift, acute care, with 15+ years' experience.

I have seen so many job listings only requiring 5000-6000 lines a week and a line rate of .07-.09, and figured my .095/line was about average. If I can do better than this, please let me know!!!

I just assumed the low line requirements were due to the fact that anything more than that was impossible, whether it be due to ESL dictators, complicated platform, or just the lack of work. I would love to know of any MTSOs that can provide enough work for my production level with a better line rate. Thanks again!!
Is it at the thumb base? I had mine x-rayed, and it
NSAIDs and wearing typing gloves seems to help. Also, after the initial 1-2 yrs. of constant pain, it did settle down considerably, now only hurts if I use my hands for twisting, such as opening jars, wringing out wet washcloths or laundry, or using screwdrives instead of a power drill bit to assemble, dissasemble things. I also have a lot of pain riding a bike. I padded the handlebars as much as possible, and try to ride with the the sorer of the 2 thumbs resting on top of the handle bar with my other fingers, not gripping it.

Anyway, good luck, and hopefully it'll settle down in a few months!
Dolfan you are so far off base you are foolish. I don't troll these boards and don't come her

that often. I am baby-sitting and I can be on the computer on and off today.  Can't work.   I don't know what you are talking about trolling when there is a discussion going on with people's taste in men.   You are LOL with your "wisdom" and "insight" on trolls. 


PS:  Sorry if you like girlie men.  Didn't mean to offend you.  It is what it is and the unisex look is okay for some, male and female.


 


you are soooooo off base, it really is funny. i am a single woman who
runs my own household. i try to surround myself with smart people, or at least as smart as myself. i am not threatened by anything but the dumbing down of america and lots of that can be seen in situation comedy for the masses. i raised four boys, all of whom are doing very well in life and i can do things i can't do and know things i do not. i am not threatened by them. i enjoy them. i am a student of life even at my age and want to learn and be amused not at the expense of someone else, male, minority, blonds, etc.
Mayo Clinic in AZ has an ad for in-house MT in Advance Mag, $19/hr base pay. sm

Plus shift diff and bonus, plus $1000 sign-on bonus, and relocation $. What a great offer if it's true.


Have you forgotten we have not gotten the new pay plan yet which will lower the base rate I am sure
and be incentive tiered according to production which is next to impossible on so many accounts anymore. This is only the beginning of the pay decrease.
At our base the civilian employees are treated worse
than the prisoners from the nearby federal prisoner. Military thinks civilians are the scum of the earth. You will never get a promotion or recognition unless you are married to an active duty person.
Many words are formed with a base word with a prefix or a sm
suffix or both and are not picked up in spell check. Arousable is a word formed by combining arouse with the suffix -able and in this case the E is dropped and the able is added. This has been going on for a long time and like the above poster says, many of these forms are not in spell check.
Exactly! We have a broader knowledge base. My sister has been an RN for 30+ years and I have the u

I could never do what they do.  I am an anxiety-ridden person and the thought of someone's health and well being, not to mention physical comfort or discomfort being completely my responsibility and then to be able to function in a calm, methodical manner in a high-stress, life or death situation...  Well, let's just say I know I could not handle it.  I would have a nervous breakdown. 


It's a pity that some nurses can't return to the favor and respect us for what we do.  My sister respects me.  She actually comes to me with medical questions because she realizes she doesn't know it all and I basically get a medical education on a daily basis what with new terms, drugs, procedures, equipment, etc.  And let's face it, MTs are the masters of research and medical references, searching the internet, etc.


But all people see when they see an MT is that we sit at a desk all day and type and to them it looks easy.  It's just a shame.


Just got a letter in the mail from MQ stating that they will be paying 80% of our base rate for ASR.
So this is the start of the new pay plan the rest of which isnt out yet. We will lose 20% of our line rate for ASR starting October 1.
Next they will reduce the base pay we get just wait and give us incentive tiers which will be almost
impossible to make. Great fun. This company sucks big time. I have never been so sick of jumping around in accounts to make lines and then expected to have no blanks and maintain 98% quality. What A--holes they are. I can hardly stand to even talk to those people anymore. They are nothing but BS like MQ tells them to be.
I always write a "touch base" email, making sure they got resume.
hasnt failed me yet :)

(I mean, even if I dont get the job, I hear back.)
I live in a small rural area and they housed some evacuees at a nearby military base
crime went UP in our little community that previously HAD a ~very low~ crime rate. It is a FACT. I'm not saying all NO residents are like that, but MANY seem to be.

My mom was raised in conditions like this poster describes. Mom's parents died when she was 7 (father) and 9 (mother). Her teenage sister (newlywed) raised her and 4 other siblings. They had next to nothing. Not ONE of them turned to a life of crime. Not ONE even graduated high school but they still made good lives for themselves. Life was rough for them, but they didn't blame it on everyone else and cry around about what the president should be doing for them. It is all about RESPONSIBILITY and taking what life throws your way. IMO.
Wait until we get a lower base rate and incentive and no work for incentive.Should prove interesting
because everyone will probably have a lower base rate than now. As I say, should prove interesting.
3. CT scan showing an odontoid fracture at the base and also fracture of the posterior ALMA at C1-C2

???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.