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

Gross line, also including blank lines because my line rate is so low. It all works out in the wash.

Posted By: ShellyG on 2006-06-12
In Reply to: gross line - IC -- nm - noyb

x


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

Two companies, both 65 char lines including spaces, one pays 0.10/l and the other 8.5/gross line. n
x
What is a 55 char gross line compared to a 65-char line including spaces?
t
Average line rate including spaces these days for experienced MTs is
pp
A gross line is anything on a line is a line. A line set at 65 characters means it sm
has 1-inch margins on each side. The maximum number of characters on that line would be 65 and that includes spaces. If there is 1 character on that line it is a line.

A standard 65-character line usually consists of 65 characters with spaces unless, of course, the employer does not pay for spaces and then it would be 65-characters without spaces.
Gross line is actual lines. sm
9 cpl if count is by 65 chars is not too much, IMO, for an experienced MT. If counting by gross lines, 7.5 c on a gross line equals about 9 cpl on a 65-char line, so if they use gross lines, it might sound low per line but it equals out in the end. A gross line is any line on the page. In other words, you can use your finger and count each line on the page that has words on it, and that's your line count. Most don't count blank lines. However, a lot depends on what they are including in that line, regardless. Are spaces included if 65-char line? Does the line count software count formatting changes (such as bold, underline, etc) If so, that will increase total line count. If not, it will decrease it. Gross line is usually a better deal unless the company is using a size 9 font or something or decrease the side margins. 11-12 size font with 1" margins is good with gross lines. The only thing that affects gross lines is the side margins or the font size. With 65-char line, font and margins don't affect it, which is why most go with that now. You take total characters (incl spaces if they pay for them, as someone else said) and divide by 65 to get total lines. Another thing to ask, if they use templates or normals, are the lines in those included? If not, that decreases total line count, too.

It's really hard for someone to say "this is the rate you should ask for" though, because there can be so much variability from company to company as far as what they count as a line. Also, is it clinic or acute care work? If clinic, generally easier and same docs all the time, so even at a lower line rate, you might make more in the end if you use expander, normals, templates, etc. Is there a platform or can you use Word and your own expander? If acute care where you have different docs all the time, a lot of ESLs, clunky platform, no Expander program, etc., it might slow you down so even with a higher line rate, you might not make as much in the long run. Therefore, you have to take all of that into consideration to arrive at what line rate you should charge or ask for ... almost have to adjust to each different company or client, really. For clinic work, 8-9 cents per 65-char line can net some good pay. For acute care, you might want more like 10-11 to get the same pay. Hope this all makes sense!
Gross line = each line on page counts as a line, even if it's only 1 word. nm
x
what is the .065 cents per gross line equivalent to in 65 character lines?
Would it be about 8 cpl 65 characters or higher?
Chars aren't counted in gross lines. If you have a 4-line paragraph...sm
you have 4 gross lines, no matter how long or short the sentences are. A heading on it's own line is 1 gross line. A signature on it's own line is 1 gross line. The date at the top of a document on it's own line is 1 gross line. Anything on a line going from margin to margin is 1 gross line, no matter how few or many characters, or if there are spaces or not, even if there's only 1 character on that line like 'A' for instance. Does this  help? :)
Gross line means anything on a line is counted as a line.

You can get an idea in the difference using documents you have already created, assuming you're working in Word. Simply open a document and check the properties. Click on the statistics tab and you will see the number of lines as well as characters with and without spaces. If you're currently getting paid by the line and a line is 65-characters with spaces, do the math and see how that number of lines compares with the number of lines in your stats.


One thing to keep in mind: if you have a blank line between paragraphs, instead of hitting the enter key twice, format your document to give the appearance of blank lines between paragraphs.


Line rate isn't the only factor -- your lines/hour average is key, too.
Even at 7 cpl, keeping about 275 lines/hour average keeps you at $19.25 an hour and that is $40,000 a year.

It is a myriad of factors involved. You have to have the knowledge, be decisive, self-sufficient and very focused. Then, you need to negotiate as high a base rate as you can and look toward the incentive plan to increase your paycheck.

With our incentive, it was not worth it if I couldn't hit high lines in a day. So, I changed my schedule to hit those lines.

I am tired after my work days but having the 4 days a week off and a good income makes it worth it for me. It allows me to spend my days off doing things I want to.

$.06 gross line / .70 = approximately $.0857 cents per 65 character line.

A gross line is anything on a line versus 65 gross characters per net line the other way.  You make more money working for the gross line than for the 65 gross character line, as long as the line rate's OK.


A gross line is any line with typewritten characters on it - no matter how long or SM
how short.  So your gross lines may be longer than 65 characters, but you get credit even for a line as short as "Sincerely,".  If your gross lines are not being counted that way, then you are not being counted on gross lines and are probably getting screwed.  I'd look into that if I were you.
Yes if gross line or 65 character line with spaces....Good Deal!!! nm
x
Curious, do most IC's usually charge by the gross line or 65 character line?
Thank you~
What's the diff between a gross line and a 65-char line?

Mebbe just got my first OWN ACCOUNT YAY!  He said to charge him the "going rate" since I pay him that.  This could be the start, baby!  (I hope)



A gross line is any amount of characters on a line

for instance...


MEDICATIONS:


Effexor


Prevasid


 


A 65 character line without spaces is black marks on the page only and 65 w/spaces is everything... tabs, spaces, numbers, letters, bold, etc.


 


 


Gross line versus character line....Sm please

I am thinking of taking a job that pays by the gross line and not a 65-character line.  I have never worked this way.  Does this literally mean if there is one little word on a line you get paid for it?  I have not pinned her down on a line rate but I am just thinking I am going to be comparing apples to oranges and am wondering how to accomplish that. 


Thanks for any help!


gross-anything on line counts as line,even one word
xx
A gross line IS a gross line regardless if it's 90 characters long or 1 character long... SM

I'm very sorry that your lines are 90 characters line and you get paid by gross lines.  You are cheating yourself - that's not my fault.  You cannot change the definition of a gross line.  So I gues I'm not understanding what you are trying to say.  Now if you are trying to say that your line equals 90 characters and that's how you figure your lines, than you are not using gross lines.  You have defined a line to be 90 characters, whereas most MTSOs define a line as 65 characters.  If that is the case, then I must say again, you are cheating yourself.


So which is it, do you get paid by gross lines or by a 90 character line?


1) do you have a contract stating line counting and line rate,sm
if you look at the IRS website it's pretty clear what constitutes IC versus SE versus employee. You might want to photocopy that along with a copy of your contract with your next invoice and also put on the invoice any monies due from past invoices they "changed"...maybe catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Good luck!
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!


7 cpl gross and counts blank lines, IC status-- make a ton of money because it's easy work...nm
x
65-gross line vs.65-gross character line

Can someone explain the difference between these two?  I am assuming that the gross line is better than the gross character line.  How much better is being paid by the gross character line than just by the standard 65-character line?  Does anyone know how much difference it would make in dollars and cents?


Thanks.


That still is not a paid line rate. If your base is $0.10 per line, it will be $0.08 cpl.
Considering other companies pay 4 or 5 cents per line for VR - you are still making out.

gross line is anything on a line, even just your initials. sm

spaces really don't matter in a gross line count.


 


But that's a GROSS line, not a 65 character line.
So a newbie would have no problem at all hitting 150 lines per hour.  A gross line is any line with a printed character on it.
Which is better? Gross line or 65 character line? It's
nm
7.5/gross line or 10/65 char line?
Anyone have any idea which would come out to more?  TIA
A gross line may be close to 65 ch.pl but she said line
z
gross line and character line
I am an IC currently doing one doctor who pays me by the hour but I will be starting another doctor soon and he will be dictating differently so I was going to charge him per line.  What is the difference of charging gross lines or per 65 character line?
I would go with the line rate. At less than 9.5 cents per line sm
I make $30 an hour.  I would never transcribe for $15 an hour, for anyone.
Gross line is anything on a line is a line
so if there is just one character, it is a line. Font definitely makes a difference though particularly if there are true type fonts involved. That's one you have to be careful on and insist on fixed fonts.
Just do a gross line - anything on a line is a line. sm
I use Abacus - free line counting software.

Line padding is also adding little blank characters

like spaces throughout the report to get paid more.  I saw reports at MQ and Sp that had lines of spaces shown on reveal codes between paragraphs where someone either didn't know how to work their expander, was cutting and pasting, or was deliberately padding their lines.


As for typing out abbreviations, I work on an account that doesn't use abbreviations at all.  I use otcx for over-the-counter, etc.


Per Gross Line Pay?
Being relatively new to MT, I'm not quite sure what being paid by the gross line is as opposed to being paid by a 65 character line.   Can someone clear me up on this.    Thanks much. 
gross line
I am paid by the gross line whether one word is on it or 10 or 12, the same amount.

If you are paid by 65 character line, you take the characters and divide by 65 or use Sylcount whereas you are can then paid for each keystroke, i.e. capitalization, underline is two characters, etc. YOu have to define what a line is or what a character is.
gross line
Thanks Patti!!
gross line
6 is a good gross line rate when you figure it is equal to at least 8.5 if it were counted at 65 characters, most companies don't want to pay more than 7-8
Gross line
What is a gross line and how is it figured? The contract states 6 cpl for 68 characters. Although, after just speaking with the company, every space, keystroke is counted. Still confused.
Gross line
What is a gross line, and how is it figured?
I saw that it was for gross line but I was getting
x
Gross line
I do gross lines and if they want a smaller font, I change it back to Courier or Arial 12 and count that way.  I have been lucky as just raised my rates 0.005 to 11.0 but have not raised in the past 4 years.  I do do pick up and delivery as they are still on tapes and told them that with the gas I had to do it.   They had no problem as I am still one of the lowest here in the Portland area.  And, they have been with me from 6 to 18 years my accounts.  But I still go on what I can do in an hour and since I have been doing these docs so long I can make anywhere from 30 to 50 dollars an hour and I think that is a fair rate for me.   I still believe the only ones getting rich in this medical mess is the insurance companies and that was in the news this last week.  Their big profits.  Anyway go with gross line, I still quote it as 65 characters per line which it is but I count by gross and 12 font.    Patti
Gross line

I bill for gross line which means each line counts whether there are 10 words or one word each line counts.  So when I type in a smaller font, there are less lines than in Courier.  I do not take the characters and divide by 65.   Hope that makes sense.  So the smaller font, the less lines.  So when I contract with a client I tell them that my price per cpl it is a 65 character line in Courier font.  If they chose to use Ariel 10, I will type in that for them but the line count is done in Courier or at least Ariel 10. 


 


gross line - IC -- nm
m
gross line
Hi, a gross line is a line that is counted if there is even only one character in it, as opposed to the usual line count of having to have 65 characters in it. so, for instance if you have a line that says *1.* and that is all, it is ocunted as a whole line.
Gross line - What does this mean?
What is the difference between regular cents per line and gross line pay? For instance, if a company pays 8 cents per line, what would this be for gross line pay?? Thanks for any information.
gross line here

One account that I inherited told me to count from top to bottom, gross lines and just use microsoft word lines.  Their margins are 1" for chart notes and -- I did not do this they requested, letters/consults 1.45 as it lines up with their letter head.  Count blank lines, etc., was told to do it this way.   But then again I charge .115 per line and type in Times Roman 12.  Again, I figure out how much per hour I make and try to keep my cpl in line with that.   Another account wants chart notes in Arial 10 and I told them when I bid my cpl is for Courier 12 and so I change the file back to Courier 12 when I do my line count for them.  But I do all in gross lines, one word or 10 words all the same price for the line.   I do print and supply all paper except for letter head, pick up and deliver which is all included in my price.  But I make good money and again look at my hourly rate and my monthly receivables to see if it works for me. 


Patti


Which is better, 10 cpl 65 ccl, or 7.5 cpl gross line? sm

Gross line is courier new 12, 1-inch margins.  I tried to figure out some kind of formula, but not really sure where to start.


Any input is appreciated.



gross line
Unless your margins are teeny-tiny, that sounds like a really good rate for gross lines.
Gross Line is actually better. sm
Any line with characters is considered a gross line.  You should be fine at 8-8.5.  Some work for 8-8.5 for 65 character line for a company.  However, if this is your own account, you may want to go to 10 cpl.
Definitely gross line or cpl

I never bid per page anymore but by the line.  On a full page you can get anywhere from 50 to60 depending on the font and if you times that by 0.12 it is better pay.  It also depends if you are putting the chart notes consinuously and counting just full pages and not per each patient.  To me $3 per full page is WAY low, I used to charge when first starting out back in --- wow am I old -- 1988 $1.00 -- 10 lines or less, $2.50 half page and $4.00 full page.  Now I am lucky that my accounts all started out with me doing gross lines when it was still acceptable and I continue with gross lines, put patient after patient on sticky paper and just do line counts per Microsoft word.   That is what they are used to and that is one reason my rates are a little lower.  All averages out.  But per page - to me - does go in your favor. 


Good luck and congrats. 


Patti