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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Make an income on 0.6 a line?

Posted By: Noodles on 2006-01-12
In Reply to:

Been offered an IC position for 6 cpl. Good dictators, header/footer, demographics, bold, etc. is counted, WP 5.1, and bountiful work. Too date, I have only worked for a hospital at an hourly wage and now for a service with benefits for 8 cpl. Not happy with the service so am looking elsewhere. Is this real, or can money be made?


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I think that low income bracket would make
That is not necessarily the case ya' know.  Sometimes people fall on hard times and it's not from just not wanting to work.       I would hope my government would help me if I fell on hard times.  I, fortunately, haven't had to rely on the government as of yet, but one never knows.   
Not sure, I have deductions for federal income tax, SS tax, Medicare tax, and state income tax. ???
nm
I don't make 0.08/line.. I work for no less than .13/line. nm
.
The bottom line is doesnt matter what they pay if there is no work you make no money. Bottom line.
:
How much do you make a line as well.
That along with the dictators makes all the difference.
I make .05/line on one platform and 0.04 on another
and I will take the 0.04 platform any day as I can get almost twice as many lph. Just like typing, editing depends so much on the platform that I don't think you can always just look at a blanket line rate to tell.
I make 8.5 cents per line sm
The incentive is 2 cents per line for anything over 300 lines per hour.  That equates to 10.5 cents per line, because I consistently do over 300 lph.  That equals minimum of  $31.50 per hour.  I would never work by the hour.
Per line - could never make much per hour.
I do 350-400 lph at 12 cpl - no one will pay me what I make by the hour! Per line is the way to go, plus keep your flexibility.
Make sure you use sm (see msg) or nm (no msg) in the subject line, too. nm
s
ICs - how much do you make per line and do you work for ...sm
a large company, small company or have your own contracts?
Don't most make more than 5 cents a line??
I do not agree with you at all!

right, make a little more per line, but also pay more taxes.
nm
I work for NTL and make .12 line
nm
You can make more than that per line, but at 125 lph, not a good living. Have to do at least 300 lp
x
...up to you to see if you can make more per line at home versus going
s
Is it possible to make a living off of 4 cents a line?

If there is anyone out there new and still considered a mentoree and able to work full time and make rent please tell me because I need some encouragement.  I want to quit the day job to be able to do this fulltime but when I do the math it just doesn't add up to the rent:-)


Any words of encouragement would be helpful.


MI MTs who posted line rates, would you make
x
In WordPerfect, could someone please tell me how to make a line break
so it keeps the justification?  Ctl+shift+L just moves down another line and does not justify.  Thank You. 
what do the middle people make per line?
I may be negotiating a contract directly with a radiology business, but I"ve only done independent contractor work up until now.  I'd like to enter into negotiations seeming like I know my way around the block:  what do companies (who hire transcriptionists) tend to make per line?  How would I find that out?
How long does it take to make decent line count?
I am considering joining an outsourcing company. Can you tell me how long it took you, as an experienced transcriptionist, to get up to snuff that you were making a decent wage? And what is your average rate per hour when paid by the line of 65 cpl?
I guess so! I betcha make your new line count!! NM
.
I make 0.725 cents per line after 5 years with the same company - nm
I make 0.725 cents per line after 5 years with the same company - NM
I couldn't screw this up any more if I tried! I make 7.25 cents per line. There! lol - nm
I couldn't screw this up any more if I tried! I make 7.25 cents per line. There! lol - nm
If you are paid by the line and make over $25 an hour, then I hate to say it

but I am wondering if you are doing full QA.  By the line is NOT fair pay for QA.  I know I mentor new MTs on a very difficult account and there is no way you could earn a decent wage on any amount of line pay, no way!


Don't go telling someone they could do better if they are paid by the line.  Quality specialists MUST have ethics in their work.  You can do a decent amount of reports a day and give feedback and mentoring, but you certainly would not be earning $25 an hour on line pay that I have seen....just no way!  The most I have seen QA paid is 7 cents a line and still those women do not average that amount. 


Now, I don't know what you do or if you listen 100%, but most QA positions I have had have had megablanks, 100% listen as well as 100% feedback and you just cannot produce that much doing your job in a proper manner.


Other than it really is broken a lot, you cannot make a decent line count on it.
It is a horrible disorganized program that is not user friendly like some of the other ones i have had. Sound quality has to be the worst of any company there is. Tech support is nonexistant for at least 6 hours to 6 days. Pay is horrible, especially if you get stuck on editing an account (about 4 cpl) Happy bankrupcy
RE: Other than it really is broken a lot, you cannot make a decent line count on it.
Your opinion is not shared by many who work at Transcend. I personally get all the lines I need using BeyondTXT and I think it is a great platform for transcribing or editing, and I do both, and believe me I have never gotten close to starving. Editing compensation is 60% of transcribing line rate by the way and my compensation is not 4 cpl as you so erroneously posted.
Do you have an unusually high line rate to make up for that?
.
make $20 an hour plus 4 cents gross line
nm
Yes, but didn't your line count double to make up for it? SM
I love EditScript. My only problem is that--reportedly--the profit margin for the MTSO can be very low, encouraging them to send it offshore. Does anyone else have information on this?
Cherrypicking didn't make our line rates less -
the lower line rates are what started people c-pickingin the first place, so they could make enough each week to live on. Back when I was paid by the hour (and lots more than I'm getting now per hour, I did whatever came along. But I'm sorry, I'm not gonna GIVE an employer a chunk of my change for the 'privilege' of doing a 40-minute report by a gum-chewing ESL with static on the line, partying nurses, or crying babies in the background, that I just plain can't understand, when I have the option to choose something that is at least transcribe-able.
Oh please, somebody tried to make me feel guilty for leaving a horrible job using this same line.
How much $$ it cost to train ME.  Like I should feel sorry for the company who basically misled me every step of the way regarding hiring, training, accounts, etc., etc. The job was a horrible fit, and I stayed way longer out of guilt. Not worth it! Conditions are deplorable enough for the MTs right now - we don't need to now assume responsibility for how much or how little a company spends to train us. PLEASE!! 
WHOAH, Nelly!! Make that 0.0725 cents per line! - nm
WHOAH, Nelly!! Make that 0.0725 cents per line! - nm
No - not worth 12 bucks an hour when you can make triple that by the line, sm
but that all depends on what company and VR platform you are talking about.
what? I used to make .02/line off my subcontractors work and felt guilty.SM
The MTSO is making .07 line off your work? I know you did not say how much you make, but the MTSO must be charging the client a high rate. Like I said, I had several subcontractors helping me as an IC for local clients in the past, and made .02/line on their work (I am the one who printed and returned the work). You deserve better and are selling yourself much too short! P.S. - Unfortunately this is what is happening to this industry, and it's called greed.
not a liar, not an old person, I make waaaaay over $20/hour, probably double (CA, .15-.17 line) sm

I have two accounts of my own and do vacation coverage for a few other MTs as well as occassional work for a lawyer and a psychologist.  I charge .15 for one clinic and .17 for the other clinic... clinic #2 is a husband/wife neurologist team, and the husband was a major A&& at first... with a very strong accent and every possible bad dictator habit you can imagine.  I told wife I would transcribe for her, but not for him, I had plenty of business.  She said charge whatever you want, have whatever turnaround time you want, just please don't leave.  At the time they were at .12... so I upped them to .17.  That was 5 years ago and now after having gotten to know him and his *quirks* I adore them both.  I am an IC, but they give me very large gift cards for Christmas, kind of in lieu of a bonus, I guess. 


Clinic #2... just this week took on another physician and I told them point blank it was too much for me to provide quick service and they may want to consider a service.  They said no way, we changed the turnaround time to one week with stats as needed.  I even asked them if they considered voice recognition and the office manager laughed and laughed. 


I am just now putting both clinics on digital, and after the initial cost, this will increase my estimated hourly wage as it will take away my delivery time and cost, and my paper and ink printing cost and time.  Though I still plan to visit each office on a regular basis for customer service and because I know my customer service is what got me here in the first place.


For the *occasional* work, the lawyer and pysch I charge $50/transcription hour. 


I know you will all doubt me.  But I work extremely hard, have put in my time with my education - not just learning MT but learning the ropes of running a business and how to do everything smarter, faster, and in the most efficient and sensible way possible.  I also have another business I do in a totally different field!  I am very blessed.  Well, I also know the fields I have chosen were perfect for me, and also I've had good luck.  You know what I think though?  I think my sense of humor and just being as honest and open and observant as possible has made this possible. 


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.
Anything on the line makes up a line even if just one letter or number. Every line of print is a
s
Gross line = each line on page counts as a line, even if it's only 1 word. nm
x
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.


MT income

I am at #6, but have been an MT for 30+ years. 


But for those who need FT income...sm
I can see how that could be a problem for some. It is my intention to get a PT job, and if I don't get enough work, find another to fill it out; then, who ever pays best for the best work and least hassle WINS. However, my DH is the primary wage earner around here. My income helps, but we don't require it to live.
income

I live in New York, have been doing MT for 15 years and during all of that time I have needed to work 50 to 70 hours a week.  I started on working mostly from tapes. When the dictations started coming through the computer and I started using word expanders, income went way up.  But so has my rent - used to be $750, now $1100.  And my son eats a lot more at 14 than he used to! A few years ago I started working for 2 services for extra money... but now I couldn't get by without 2 jobs. The first job used to pay well, but with a combination of a new platform and VR,  plus being transferred to a different account at a lesser line rate, I make thousands less from them than I used to.  I am changing companies.  Would love a 40 hour work week but don't think it's possible.


40,000 not low income

maybe with 10 children..  I know of one circumstance (in my state, and some others) where a person can make a decent amount of money (sky's not the limit, but 50,000 range is OK) and still get Medicaid. It's a program for working people with disabilities, whose medical expenses are extremely high and would not be covered by regular insurance - including services of home health aide and transportation to medical appointments, equipment, etc etc). I am on this program (which I was not told about by Medicaid workers, had to do my own research). So I am in the curious position of receiving government assistance (Medicaid only, not food stamps or disability payments) and working/paying taxes at the same time.


Likely the OP is not in this category.


Income Tax after Death

I have a friend whose mother passed away in March of this year.  She was an IC and thus earned income right up until the time of her death.  Is her daughter now responsible for filing an income tax return and/or paying taxes on this income?  I know an accountant for her would be handy in this situation, but I thought I might get some opinions here as well.  Thanks!!


Disagree - it is NET income
You pay your social security on your NET income not your gross, after all your deductions and look around you will find them.   Also you are only paying 7.5% MORE than if you were an employee.  Again, as an employee you have the convenience of someone controlling and withholding your income tax while as an IC you do it.  I have more usable income as an IC than as an employee because of my deductions.  If your husband is working have him take one less deduction or have them hold out a specific amount that will offset what you make,  they will do that and that way you don't have to worry about paying quarterly taxes.   The IRS doesn't care who pays as long as if you are filing jointly the tax has been paid.  
He can't cut his income intentionally.. sm
It's written into the divorce decree (if you have a halfway decent attorney) that income cannot be reduced.. and even if it is.. the child support and other payments remain the same as ordered. Been there...and done that..
Monthy Income
I would like to know what short cuts "nm" is using in order to make $60K a year.  Maybe that will help us all make more money.  Thanks.
Yearly income

I have three 1099's here in front of me  -- one for 24K, one for 13K,  and one for 5K.    My W2 one is for 14 almost 15K.  I did work without 1099 in the amount of 3K.   The reason that my average goes down on the IRS forms is that after all my business deductions -- which includes my health insurance and 401K and Self employed retirement fund, mileage, supplies, etc. it goes down to less than 20K.   Believe me or not, but it is possible and I still have time to go on the boards.  I do not work 60 to 70 hours per week. 



I have my own accounts and my income
was around $38,000. That is around $3,100 a month. I work M-F and usually work 8-hour days, though there are times I need to put in an extra hour or two on the weekend or in the evening when the work is really coming in. If you work for someone else, that person is charging at least 3-4 cents per line over what they are paying you in order to turn a profit, so if you are making 7 cpl, you can bet they're charging at least 11 cpl, if not more. At 11 cpl, if you can achieve 1400 lines a day, that would be around $3000 a month. That would be 175 lines an hour and that is not an extraordinary amount for an experienced MT with Expanders and other production tools in place. I would venture a guess that most saying they make that much have their own accounts and those making less than that a month work for someone else.
Low income housing?
My sister is getting divorced and wants to move into this place that bills itself as "low income".  They told her they would take 30% of her income.  BTW, she is also an MT.  She says she makes about $1350 a month, but has a van payment and various bills.  I am asking on here because the place won't answer any of her questions right now.  She needs to be moved by the 15th of March.  I am wondering if anyone knows how they can take over $400 of her income and still call themselves "low income" that doesn't seem fair.  I knew a lady that lived their with one child and paid less than $10 a month.  I mean what about her other bills?  She has 4 little children (twins 4, and  6- and an 8-year-old).  I hate to see her move in there and overpay.  My mom and I don't know what to tell her.  She's been through quite an ordeal already.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks!  Aunt Maria
annual income
Watch out, you will be accused of being childish from the same person who refers to "some" fellow MTs as unfortunately not having a brain. Hmmm, pot calling the kettle black? That was so rude and so not called for.....is that necessary!