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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Do you have bills that NEED to be paid?

Posted By: Question on 2005-07-31
In Reply to: True, but that doesn't mean we have to embrace it by working for these companies! - I think we need to (sm)

If there is no other job but those with companies that send work offshore, are you going to refuse to work for them?  How do you feel about stores that sell merchandise that was once manufactured in US and now outsourced to another country?   How about the very merchandise itself.  Do you check to see if Liz Claiborne or Nike or other favorite brands are outsourced and decide against buying them, hoping that somehow you are going to force these goods to be manufactured in US and are you willing to pay higher prices to justify American workers wages?


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    I worked as one, too. It paid my bills. Barely.
    I hated that job because I could so totally empathize with the people I was collecting from. Plus, we had to be real hardnoses. The thing is that our "numbers" were tied to our bonuses. The more you collected, the more money you made. I lasted 9 months and received two raises and promotions to keep me there before finally finding another job. By that time, I had developed sleeping problems and an ulcer and started smoking again.
    For QA consulting I'm paid per hour; QA instructing (college) paid salary, QA editing paid per li
    I am an IC and work for two different MTSOs as well as instruct at a business college.
    I pay all of our bills but I never would
    He makes money and I make money and we should each be able to spend some of that on ourselves if we desire. The only time we really consult the other on any purchase is if that purchase is over a certain amount. I do not ASK him if I can buy anything for my business. If I need it and we can afford it, I buy it. If it is a major purchase that might involve a credit line, I would definitely discuss it with him but not ask his permission. It should be shared. When you get married, you are sharing, not one person owns you/controls you or vice versa. I would be willing to bet that at some point during his little outings, he has chipped in for beer. I doubt one person would be willing to supply all the beer for all the guys every single get-together. My DH used to play softball and there were lots of times they'd hang out and have a few beers after and all the guys chipped in for their share of the beer. If he's telling you the beer is always provided for free, I would have a real hard time buying that. Sounds like you are an understanding wife and you deserve time out to go to lunch or do whatever (and some of that time should be without your kids to give you some alone time, too). If he can't see that, he needs a reality check! Leave him at home with the kids for a weekend and see how fast he wants to run out that door once you get home! lol
    Can you really pay your bills with only 29K though???
    nm
    If you have bills to pay you take whatever

    you can get.    You can refuse a job, but the work will just go to India or some other country and the company can get rid of all but a few MTs who will edit the work. 


    I have been in this business at least 20 years.  I make better than most people these days, but I have not had a raise in 5 years.  I have been offered at least 8 positions the past 6 months and not one of them offers what I make now.   I test very well, usually getting at least 98 on the highest level of testing,  I can do any ESL given to me, I do all Op notes, so I would be an asset to any company, but none will offer me what I am making now, much less offer me more. 


     


    Pay bills or make a
    list of things I need or want.
    What bills could we possibly have?
    That was exactly what one doctor said to me when he called wanting my services and I told him what my charge was. He was in a town 15-20 minutes away and since tapes were the "in" thing", I charged for picking up and delivery, minimal charge.

    Well, he thought that was ridiculous and told me I didn't have any "expenses" associated with this job, so what was I charging him for other than doing the reports. BTW, he got my name and number from his partner in the office who thought my charges were more than reasonable and willing to pay for it to get what he called "great" service.

    Of course, we have no expenses, we live free, not having to eat, buy gas, pay all the same bills they do. You know, the necessities of life!!!!!!

    Go figure!!!
    we did just the opposite, but now bills alone about 2,500.....
    We had a place similar to yours on a slough with lots of wildlife...loved the wildlife. Used to sit out on the deck and watch the great blue heron, raccoons, muskrats, ducks, etc. But never got it paid off as we kept building on as kids came along (3). We were there 30 years and finally sold to move out of the flood zone and into a new, easy-maintainance one story with smaller yard up near the hospital. The other place was so hard to paint and maintain that I knew we had to move before we couldn't take care of it anymore. Problem is our mortgage alone is 900$ month! Not as steep as others on this posting, but lots for us as the MT thing is not bringing in the money I expected! The house is worth lots more than we paid for it, and I keep saying we should sell it and rent until the big housing "adjustment" that I keep predicting, but family won't budge!
    Keep the bills out of sight--sm
    For me they are the biggest distraction. I can ignore the phone, tune out the noise but those stinking bills in my line of sight are the worst. I either have to go online and pay them or call so and so and tell them why I am late. I don't pull them out until after I am done or before I start. Otherwise, they stay in the drawer. Now, I keep the paid receipts on top of the desk to remind me why I work like a mule!
    High bills
    In Georgia, it's not unheard of for the power bill to exceed $300 during summer. In fact, it's expected. I can't believe the posters with two-digit bills. My water bill is $65! Everything around here has gone up in the last year. My doing MT was supposed to be for extras and fun money, but it's not turning out to be so.
    I have plenty of bills to pay...
    Hubby had open heart surgery and was off work during the busiest season last year. I now handle ALL the bills except his truck insurance and truck payment to the tune of at least $5000 a month and that doesn't include the $75,000 hospital bill that the insurance doesn't pay. I couldn't do that if I didn't stick to my guns. Sure, we're not in the best of shape right now, but we are scraping by with a little ingenuity and things will get better for us...but I surely will not work for peanuts,never have, and never will...and neither should you.

    You have to prove you're worth it that extra $.01 or so,(ahem), but in reality, we really need to stick together. Fighting amongst ourselves doesn't solve the problem.
    that's determined by your bills!!...
    There is an easier calculation but I think most companies require 1200 lines a day nowadays. Some 800 to maintain fulltime. One way to figure it is that you take the amount of lines x cpl and divide by 8. If you typed your other stuff in word, check the line count to see what you have done on a good day when paid by the hour. Hopefully you are getting paid characters and spaces as opposed to just characters.

    If you figure you can put out only 800, which is still a good bit, 800 x 0.08 cpl divided by 8 would be $8/hour. 1200 lines would be 12 an hour. So, if you are currently making 10 an hour, you would have to put out 1000 lines a day for $10 an hour.

    It can be done.
    What? Not only easy, but I did it Still pay bills.


    But I do make what I need to pay my bills
    so I am satisfied and like I said, just work part time, not full, work the time I want.
    for tracking congressional bills
    http://thomas.loc.gov/


    Kansas utility bills
    Hi, I live on the Kansas/Oklahoma border have a 3000 sq ft home (2 levels) and 2 boys who don't know how to close doors. Anyway, our last electric bill was $260.00. This was keeping thermostat at 80 upstairs with ceiling fans going in every room. If it gets too warm, you just go downstairs where you have to wrap up in a blanket as there is a good 10 degrees difference in temp. I have to admit, I thought mine was high but am now thinking we don't have it too bad. Good luck to all and hopefully, we will still be able to pay these next year at this time and the rates won't have put us all in the poor house.
    arkansas utility bills
    Wow.  I live in a 6 room house and my last bill was 328.00.  We have very high rates here.
    Used to, but compared electric bills
    I used to never turn my computer off. Then my grandchildren visited me for 3 wks. Because I did not want them playing on my computer (they had their own laptop), I kept mine off when I was not working. When the electric bill came it, it was almost $60 less, so from that point on, I began turning it off between the hours of 5 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. plus my days off (and I get more done around the house as well) -- continued with the same savings. Figured I can buy a new tower for $720 a year in savings.
    I keep the unpaid bills on my desk
    and put the college tuition bill right on top. Money motivates.
    Single person and bills
    How does any single preson today make ends meet as an MT?  I work a 2nd job and still way behind in bills.  Job-hunting for a full time position other than MT is fruitless, as employers take on look at all of your years in transcription and ask you how you think can do anything else.  It seems like a curse.  The dreaded "transcription" word is getting me nowhere fast when it comes to breaking in to other clerical work.  Had I know this would be the case, I would have left the MT field years ago.  I can do SO much more than transcription if given the chance.  Maybe I should lie on my resume and not mention all the years of transcription. 
    Nice doesn't pay the bills. They still only pay .06 line.
    You need to be a speed demon to make any money there and top pay is still only .08 per line at 225 lines per hour. No thanks. I prefer to work a 40 hour work week, not an 80 hour work week.
    Curious, how much of household bills is BF carrying?

    is withdrawn?


    If you are carrying the lion's share of the bills, then you surely will be better off when you have cut the ties and are in your own place.


    If he is carrying a good bit of the bills, and you are then responsible for them when he moves - whoa - think about this.  Will any childsupport you manage to get suffice for what you are taking on that he is paying now?


     


    There were a few bills that Arnold would not sign - not passed
    x
    Oh dear, maybe you could pay some bills or surf the net while she's impressing herself

    Insurance companies already know. Doctor bills them you know.
    I'm not running for political office. Who would be interested in my medical records and what could they do with them if they did have them?
    Not everyone bills based ona 65-character line
    An MT billing gross lines would stand to lose a great deal with a smaller font.

    See, not so confusing.
    DH pays the big bills and know he won't have more taken out on him, we don't share checking ac
    I have mine and he has his but like I said before, he pays for my car, his and the house note. Just moved here in 2004 and not planning a move, ever hopefully! But, as in my previous post, I have as regular employee been told to take off everything that pertains to my working at home (before becoming IC), room, DSL line, phone (have to have to use the DSL), computer, printing materials, all so I keep all receipts in all years plus we have 3 tax bills for 3 different properties for this past year (just sold a home where I used to live) but all that is kept. What I am saying is I have been told for years as an employee working from my home ok to exempt these. I do not like TAX TIME!!
    Sounds great. You gonna pay the bills for
    nm
    A husband to take care of the bills and the health
    nm
    You need to talk to the people who pay the bills where you work. nm
    x
    But if that account is paying your bills, you must negotiate and be flexible. IMO
    I know you can only lower a little bit, but to let them know that you are flexible and care about keeping their account may just encourage them to stay with you.  I can't afford to let an account go without just a little negotiation.
    Does paying your bills rely on offshore? No. Easy
    asdf
    Yep if I needed a job, beats not eating/paying bills - nm
    xx
    if mt paid 9, editor paid 4 or 5...how can company charge 14 and make it..sm

    I know the going rate in our area is 14 cents per line.  As MTs most companies here pay us 8 or 9 cents a line.  Now add in the Editor rate at 4 or 5 per line..you are paying OUT more than you can charge a line.  How would companies stay in biz?


    Unless all work is sent by the company overseas at pennies per line, this would not pay for a company.


    just curious how this works out


    Correction note to husband. Meant BILLS NOT AUCTIONS LOL
    Freudian slip. Have to read whole post to get joke. LOL.
    How are you planning to deal with the oncoming high winter heating bills?
    I'll be bumping the thermostat back another degree or 2, down to whatever leveI I can  not be cold at.  Otherwise there will be less "fun" money spent if it has to go to the oil companies!
    But how much are the US EDs gonna be paid? Typically this work is paid at 2-3 cpl. nm
    :+
    You don't get paid an hourly rate you get paid by line - sm
    so because of how you are paid (not an hourly rate) you don't get OT, especially if you are an IC.
    I would move on. I think it is so unfair not to be paid for spaces! I think we should get paid

    per keystroke, but that'll never happen.  I just think that these national companies are going to keep finding ways to cheat us.  I found a job working for a hospital as an employee, paid hourly plus incentive, and they let us expand everything!  Somebody's gonna have to kill me to make me give up this job.  I will never go back to the national's again.


    I feel for you though.  I know that for us MTs those good jobs are few and far between and some have little choice but to work for the nationals.  I just happened to luck into the job I have now.  I just applied at the right time. 


    Good luck to you whatever you decide.


    If those companies paid a fair wage, and paid more
    all came out equal, people wouldn't feel the need to try to make up the deficit by going for the good stuff. I actually prefer the harder, juicier reports. But I can't make a living doing only that, because the pay is not commensurate with the difficulty. So even though I prefer not to, sometimes I have to pick up some of the easier, more boring 'line-o-matic' reports just to make ends meet. Tell your MTSO to make it work their while, and MTs will stop taking all the easy work away that you obviously would prefer to keep for yourself.
    You wont show UE being paid because it is employer paid -
    the employee will never have to pay this.
    What you "should" be paid and what you "are" paid

    sadly are two very different things.  Good luck on demanding more..because someone else will just come along and take it for what they offer and they know it. 


    10$ late if invoice is not paid within 10 days. At day 15 work stops until invoice is paid. Hardly
    xx
    Fear of change is worse than fear of not being able to pay your bills? nm
    :)
    getting paid
    In a hospital setting, doctors get paid when caring for patients that arent their own, patients admitted whose care they take over.  I dont think it is wrong.  They need a pay check too and the time they spend is taking time away from their office patients. 
    Wonder if they get paid by the name?

    nm


     


    RE: Paid for looking this up
    Why would you want to get paid extra for performing your job properly?
    Most I have run across say you will get paid for it sm
    if you ask off that day, but unless you ask off, you have to work it and will be paid the holiday pay in addition. Most I know will not pay you for it if you do not work unless you request to be off on the holiday. I think it is strange because why else would they call it a holiday, but I think it is the nature of the beast of MT.
    not getting paid
    This was my thinking as well.  Just didn't "jive" with me, if you know what I mean.   I will check with the places you mentioned.  Thank you.  
    Getting paid

    You are doing the right thing asking what to do before flying off and ripping them a nasty letter with empty threats.  Do some research, check and double check that you did not sign a contract, get all your ducks in a row and the facts straight, then sit down and write them a very professional, calm letter outlining the facts.  Send it addressed to one of the doctors specifically -- as if it goes through an office manager it sometimes does not get to them -- and ask for it to be signed ONLY by the doctor and get a recepit that it was delivered.   Just outline what will be happening if you do not get your check within 7 to 10 days and follow through.  But make sure that the doctors know what is happening.  But you can contact your state Labor Board, Consumer Affairs or any state agency that will listen to you to get the facts.    Also the State Medical Association.   Be sure to mention to the doctor (s) that you have contacted these agencies and will be doing a follow up letter with them should you not get paid.  You can also file under the smalls claim court to get your money but that takes time.   But if you write a very professional letter, have the correct facts and they see that you do -- they will pay.  They don't want to fight.  But again try to get the letter to the attention of one of the doctors.


    Good luck, let us know how you do. 


     


    GETTING PAID
    Is anyone having trouble getting paid by Keystrokes?  My direct deposit never went into my account.  Any information appreciated.