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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Dept of Consumer Advocacy........nm

Posted By: no message but good luck!!!.....nm on 2006-09-06
In Reply to: Everyone Please Read This - Dianne




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The consumer age is here.

I have watched bank tellers, cashiers, gas-pump attendants, farmers, pharmacists, butchers, telephone operators....you name it, lose their jobs due to technology and the need for mass production.


Everyone wants it now and they want it cheap, whether it's medical transcription or food.


Yes, it's depressing but I'm just as guilty as the next guy.  I shop at Walmart and that has put a lot of little specialty stores out of business, but what can ya do? 


It's just a sign of the times I'm afraid.


consumer credit
i don't know about them, but CAmbridge is a good one. They pay the creditors on time and are always in follow up with you. They do, however, charge a fee but it's not too great of one.
Consumer Credit

I talked with them and there was a HIGH fee for them handling my payments.   Too high for me.  I talked to the credit cards directly and worked with them.  I think my payment to CC would have been about $70 a month.  Also through them, the interest rate was lower, but the payment was higher as they do a percentage of the balance.  But now that the credit cards are doing higher minimums, more people are going to be in this situation.   I did go throught Trinity Credit Counseling and my fee to them was only $25.  So you need to check around.


Just my two cents worth.


 


 


RE: Consumer Credit Corp.
Are they the same as Consumer Credit Counseling Services? You might want to check with this service in your city. I used CCCS many years ago, and they were very helpful. They were very strict with budgeting, but they explained everything before I agreed to their requirements. I also attended classes when I could. They also have a toll-free number: 1-866-331-2227. Hope this helps.
We are the largest consumer of goods. nm.
With all of the outsourcing, a lot of products are being made outside of the U.S. All countries are helping in the problems with our environment.
I'll never buy another car without using Consumer's Guide!

When you have a good QA dept, this isn't a
I've been an MT for 28 years. The first 20 years, we didn't have such a thing as QA per se. The office manager might have read a report or 2 a year at best. The last 8 years have had a great QA crew, and I have learned and relearned a lot. I am always very thankful to get the feedback. Perhaps these MTs you are referring to aren't quite as lucky as I.
You can also go to the Dept. of Labor. (n/m)
x
your QA dept is incorrect....

from whonamedit dot com and when it's a proper name and you have to put *non* in front of it - you hyphenate..non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
































Thomas Hodgkin (1798-1866)
English physcian and pathologist, born August 17, 1798, in Pentonville, St. James Parish, Middlesex; died April 5, 1866, Jaffa, Palestine [now Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel].
Hodgkin-Paltauf-Sternberg syndrome (Hodgkin's disease)
Hodgkin-Paltauf-Sternberg disease (Hodgkin's disease)
Sternberg’s disease (Hodgkin's disease)
Pel-Ebstein fever (Hodgkin's disease)
Paltauf-Sternberg disease (Hodgkin's disease)
Hodgkin’s syndrome (Hodgkin's disease)
Hodgkin’s paragranuloma (Hodgkin's disease)
Hodgkin’s granuloma (Hodgkin's disease)
Bonfils' syndrome (Hodgkin's disease)
Bonfils' disease (Hodgkin's disease)
Hodgkin's disease
A neoplastic disease of unknown aetiology, considered to be a form of malignant lymphoma, producing enlargement of lymphoid tissue, spleen, and liver with invasion of other tissues.


Try to talk to someone within MR Dept.
That kind of info wouldn't be easily found out unless you actually know someone in MR Dept, HR, Personnel, someone with knowledge of what happens around there. Our local xray techs actually know what one of our hospitals do with their transcription.
If you have a good QA dept
they shouldn't mind helping you fill in those blanks. Make copies of all the reports you get back if their from a particularly difficult dictator and used them for future reference. Most QA I know love to help people so I wouldn't hesitate to ask for their assistance.
Consumer Credit Corp. ? Anyone have any info? (sm)

I seem to have some high balances on a couple of credit cards and am curious as to whether their claim for negotiating a lower interest rate is valid.  It would certainly help me pay these off quickly. 


They claim they negotiate these lower rates, set you a payment schedule, disperse the money as agreed upon to the creditors and there is no charge to you.  I am sorry, but I am a bit dubious.  Their web site shows BBB logo on the bottom, that does make me feel a little better about it.


Any input appreciated.  Am NOT looking for a free ride, just checking out my options so please no flaming.


 


Avast also recommended by Consumer Reports.
x
Rising costs always causes the consumer to look for another solution
in the MT field, this includes offshore, EMR and SR, and people taking pay cuts. Once everyone around your wonderful doctors are getting the work done reasonably well for much less, they will take a second look too.
yes! i used Consumer's magazine to make my choice,
and love mine - Eureka the Boss, SmartVac (an upright) -- less than $150 at Walmart -- very quiet, picks up very well. Only drawback i see is the cord is not retractable. If upright is not your style, or you want particular features, i'd still suggest using Consumer Reports suggestions. Neighbor just bought a Kirby for $800 -- bet this one would outclean that. Its even advertized as outcleaning a Dyson by 60%.
check with the dept of labor...sm
they might be able to handle it for free
When I got into this field 17+ yrs ago, not one MT in our dept had gone to school. s/m
You could hear the 6 of us clanking on our IBM Selectric clear down the hall. I was one of the youngest going to college where I earned an A+ in Eng. 101 and 102. I had a little bit of doctor's office experience (6 months). Luck didn't have a thing to do with me becoming an MT at 18. God blessed me with ambition, the desire and ability to learn, a love for the job, and a touch of intelligence didn't hurt either. I learned hands on, which sometimes is the best way. In a year, I was receiving commendables on my evaluation. I'm not trying to sound arrogant. I just want people to know that they can learn if they have drive and the passion to do it. Heck anything can be conquered with those two elements. Trust me... I was ranked nowhere near the top 10 of my class.
I'll check with Dept of SS on that and

let you know if it's illegal. My guess is that those restrictions on your income after you retire aren't just put in there to fill blank spaces.  They're there for a reason, and if you thought they were so legal, why are you asking discreetly on this board for suggestions to get around your situation.  If you only wanted info on becoming an IC, you would have just asked for it instead of supplying us with the dirty details. 


I apologize if I seem a little offended at your morals.  I certainly wouldn't suggest that you leave your grandchildren in the street, but I would think there are legal ways to solve this situation, and perhaps some of the people on this board wouldn't have gotten so upset had you just asked for suggestions on your situation rather than how to work the system.


Check out the nearest HIM dept
longer a huge secret - they are demanding rates that US companies cannot give them and they have no qualms about going offshore.  If the US companies can't accomodate them, they go straight to the outsource.  You can live with your head in the sand all you want, but it's happening every day at hospitals around the country.  Look at the state of our healthcare system.  Hospitals are closing down.  Surely you don't think transcription costs are at the top of their priority do you?  They're just looking for cheap and with the economy the way it is, it's not looking any better for MTs any day soon. 
Consumer Reports June 2005 covers this.....sm
type of information if you'll go to your local library they usually have a copy available there.   Happy researching! 
Forgot to add my accounts say "Closed at request of consumer."
x
I blew a big wad on my last one - Hoover WindTunnel - because Consumer Reports (sm)

gave it great marks about three years ago.  The self-propelling feature was nice, but it kept breaking down so now I'm back to my K-Mart Bissell.  So much for Consumer Reports.


 


 


 


 


Get the April 2006 Consumer Reports magazine...sm
It gives you a rundown on all vehicles as well as which ones have held up well and which ones haven't over the years. It's in the stores now or your local library should have a copy you can look at for free. :o)
Contact your state Consumer Affairs. They will guide you.
nm
No but I think Consumer Reports and other industry specific testing
Honda recently made the announcement they're going to pull production on the Accord hybrid due to lack of demand.  You'd probably be better off getting a vehicle that uses ethanol, which many of the new ones do already, if you have stations that have ethanol pumps.  Ethanol is selling for cheaper than gasoline apparently.
From experience as an insurance biller and a consumer with 2 policies.
I think it is always beneficial to have two insurances. I think if it doesnt cost you anymore to have it for him...then do it. Most insurance companies have what they call a "coordination of benefits" and the second insurance usually does pick up what the first doesnt. Say for instance though, with your primary insurance has a $25 copay so they pay for everything but that. That is in turn will go onto your secondary and typically the secondary will pick that up, depending upon their "COB" (coordination of benefits) policy. It may not benefit you a lot if the second has a high deductible until something major, god forbid that.. but I had that happen with my child. One hospital visit and your deductible is met on both as well as your stop loss so basically your covered 100%. Again, it really depends on your insurance and how they do their COB so you may still have a small amount of a copay or percentage but if it costs you no more to haveh him on it, then do it. Trust me, you will be glad you glad, especially in cases of large medical bills. Anymore questions, let me know.
Consumer Reports did not give the best rating to Dyson....
which surprised me.  The top were Sears, which also surprised me.  I just recently got the Sears bagless with HEPA filter for about $300 and I am EXTREMELY pleased with it.  I could check on the model # if interested.
Hey---Nowadays we NEED a Dept of Pubic Health!!
ROFL
As a former supervisor of Mayo's Transcription Dept.
I can say that, yes, they continually run ads whether they are hiring or not.  HR keeps resumes on file and refers to them as they need to fill a slot.  Mayo is not the easiest place to work.  Incoming MTs have to go through pretty rigorous training and you have to have 3 passing QAs before you can work out of the home.  Many of the dictators are horrible due to their very thick accents or racing dictation methods.  It's been a while since I've worked there, but when I did, I know that their word processing system was rather cumbersome and required a lot of mouse work and their Expander wasn't very good either.
Applied to Medical Records Dept ...
... second shift position.
From NY Dept of Labor, exam is required sm

Link included but excerpt here ---


OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES AND PERMITS


Minors can obtain employment certificates or permits from the school they attend or from the superintendent of schools in that area. The paperwork required include:



Written permission from a parent to work. (There are exceptions for minors considered to be emancipated by school authorities)


Proof of age, either a birth certificate or some other document at least two years old that satisfies the officer issuing the certificate;


A certificate of physical fitness to assure that the young person is in sound health and that the work will not impair his/her physical condition.


School medical doctors or physicians designated by the Department of Health give physical examinations. Otherwise minors may obtain a certificate of physical fitness from their own doctor. Minors from neighboring states who seek work in New York can use a certificate issued by a physician in their home state. Physicians who find that a youth age l4 to l8 is not physically fit for some occupations but may engage safely in other types of work, can issue a certificate of limited physical fitness.


I have never worked where the MT dept was anywhere near the charts, for that reason.
It's been my experience in different hospitals that MT dept is NOT the MR dept. Different wings, different supervisors, different workers. As a hospital MT I never had access to the charts. But since you said you went upstairs to do this, it sounds like your facility is the same.

Walmart is trying to save the consumer MONEY. It's not all about corporate greed.
Rubbermaid products are advertised. So the costs of doing business with Rubbermaid factor in advertising costs. Now I don't care what brand name of plastic container I buy if the quality is equal. So I buy Rubbermaid's competitor (I forget the name) cheaper because they don't advertise. I also think there are a lot of big executives at Rubbermaid who take a bigger profit each year which once again factors in the price of Rubbermaid.

With the economy as it is, gas prices soaring, interest rates up, taxes up, our pay going down (MQMT), I don't care to subsidize Rubbermaid's advertising budget or their CEOs salary. And I go to Walmart and buy the plastic container that is cheaper because they don't advertise.
Well, we can write to the Dept. of Labor's Apprenticeship people
and tell them that the AAMT's proposal is not what MTs want, and that the AAMT has only a very tiny percentage of MTs as members.  If a lot of people do this, then the Dept. of Labor might think twice about the proposal, especially if everyone gives reasons.
I think that Health Dept needs a class in black widows
/
I guess you never worked in a medical records dept? LOL
x
I send one quarterly check to the Dept of Treasury which --sm
distributes to appropriate categories. I also send a separate check to NC Dept of Revenue for state taxes.
Check consumer reports ratings on the size SUV you want. I went with Subaru Forester..but sm
Its just me..no kids to haul around.  The Ford Escape is in your range..but check the repair record.  They were brand new the year I was looking..take into consideration tires..Escape uses truck tires which are more expensive than car tires.  Have fun shopping!!
You might want to check out Consumer Reports 1/08 magazine, had article about ins and suggested visi
x
Mammograms are going to PenRad in the local hospital's Radiology dept.
dd
And there are Christmas Angels in about every mall & dept. store, but people have
always donated through MTStars Santa's House.  As well, we are doing prize giveaways with donations. We encourage everyone to give in any way that they wish.  This is an easy option for WAH folks. 
Contact their local police dept with serial numbers.
You can report this as theft of property and have warrants issued.

Or, add the current value (when you sent the equipment to them) to their earnings statement at the end of the year so they must pay taxes on it and write it off your books as payment for services.


Most recent Consumer Reports magazine did an article about this. Most effective was hormone replac
.
Anyone know higher-up contact names at Dept. of Health and Human Services..sm
this is who created HIPAA. Anyone willing to email or write any of these people in regard to these offshoring issues and how the doctors should be required to inform the patient when their medical information is leaving the country in order to be transcribed. HIPAA was created with privacy and protection as its main purpose, but ironically once the work leaves the country, this means nothing. The Dept. of Health and Human Services (HIPAA) needs to step up and do the right thing here in the best interest of our country's citizens, while preserving many U.S. transcriptionists who will lose their jobs if no changes are made.
Finally steady money. whew. Applied and got job at Dept of Law Enforcement entering

They started me way above minimum because of my experience.  I was shocked and happy all at the same time. 


And of course I'm esctatic to not be wondering how much money I would be getting each pay check.  Working on production in transcription now is like playing Russian Roulette.


There's good benes where I going, retirement, sick days, no games with my health insurance.  I should have done this long ago.


Another suggestion, google a specific state's dept. of medical or professional licensing.

I've got the Missouri Division for Professional Registration --> which you can look up MDs, DOs, RNs, PACs, LPNs, etc.


Kentucky has a board of medical licensure website with a search function.  Indiana has a state professional licensing website.


In some states, like California and Texas, they separate the nurses and doctors, so there are two separate sites to search.  If you have a nurse practitioner dictating, it's good to know.


I'm not at my own PC as I'm working in the office right now so I don't have access to all my different sites, so I'm trying to remember what all I have.


Let's see.... WebMD is a good one.


If I think of anymore, I'll post 'em! 


Labor Stats from Dept of Labor for MT inside

This is quite interesting...it is too long to post here but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the statistics.  Thanks!


 


tp://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:eGxrU1X5lOEJ:www.bls.gov/oco/ocos271.htm+how+much+to+become+certified+Medical+Transcription&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us