Alpha/iMedX - Grandy
Posted: Oct 24, 2014
An acquaintance of mine got this message from Alpha (now owned by ImedX). There has been a lack of work since ImedX took over countless VA hospitals that used to be handled by Alpha. In short, U.S. Government is now paying a foreign company, using taxpayer money, while causing unemployment for Americans, and the so called Americans working for Alpha/ImedX are assisting them.
As you know, the workload for the accounts in which you are providing services has been low over the past several months. Unfortunately, due to the reduction of workload, we have no choice but to downsize the number of contractors we utilize.
We want to sincerely thank you for the transcription services you provided to Transcriptions, Inc/Alpha Transcription. We take pride in providing services to our veterans through employing US only staff.
We also understand many of our independent contractors work with other transcription companies in the industry, and we wish you the very best. As a reminder, independent contractors are ineligible to claim unemployment wages for the time worked with Alpha, but with your permission, we would like to keep your information on hand should other independent contracting work become available.
Your final payment will be processed per our regularly scheduled pay cycles.
Again, thank you for the services you provided as a contractor. We wish you the very best in your future endeavors.
I tried to send an email response to you - Whistleblower
[ In Reply To ..]
but it came back as undeliverable.
I did not know that the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act stipulated that offshoring of services for federal government contracts was prohibited, as another poster said. I did know, however, that MTs working for an MTSO on VA accounts must be classified as employees and be paid at least the hourly wage determination rate (in almost every single case, substantially more than minimum wage).
I noticed IMedX's most recent job ad. The ad states "US-based candidates only." That's interesting. If they have MTs in India who are being paid significantly less than the MTs in the US, why wouldn't they just give the work to the Indian MTs? Unless, of course, it is VA hospital transcription work, in which case, the MTs canNOT be ICs! I made sure I got a screen shot of the ad.
People, please--if anyone works for this MTSO or is applying for the job: If you are doing VA transcription work, you MUST be classified as an employee and be paid the hourly wage determination rate. If that is not the case, you can file a complaint anonymously with the Department of Labor. Please do it!
It is not in McNamara-O'Hara... - it is in a VHA directive
[ In Reply To ..]
It is in VHA DIRECTIVE 2008-032. The contracting firm must be physically located in the United States, and work must be performed in the US.
"...Contracting Officers state in the solicitation that all contracts for performance and verification of medical transcription are required to be physically located and the work is to be conducted within the United States. These stringent requirements are due to the security and privacy concerns associated with the sensitive data that is the subject of these contracts."
It is not - Grandy
[ In Reply To ..]
So these contracts can go to foreign companies, as long as they have an American who is willing to provide a stateside front for them?
It is not - Grandy
[ In Reply To ..]
I still think it sucks that they are using a foreign company, when there are a lot of American companies who could do this work.
There are a lot of transcriptionists who have been complaining about being terminated or having no work to do, since this foreign company stepped into their lives, so I find it hard to believe that all of this work is being done in this country.
Lots of work before takeover, terminations and lack of work after takeover.
I tried - Grandy
[ In Reply To ..]
Apparently Alpha (bought out by IMedX) is now trying to claim they are a "stand alone" company; however, ICs working for them have emails from team leads with IMedX after their signatureline.
Their transcriptionists, they (Alpha) claim, are all American, but as far as I know, they are all ICs. However, I still have a problem with this, as IMedX didn't buy out this company with the intent to not profit.
I have been emailing politicians, all of whom are just blowing this off. I am now contacting some of the VA Hospitals, but they are not offering much in the way of an explanation, except stating that the work "is all done in America."
Nevertheless, obviously this foreign company is profiting from these contracts, using taxpayer money while unemploying Americans.
As was said before - if Alpha/IMedX
[ In Reply To ..]
is paying MTs to do VA transcription, they MUST be classified as employees and make the designated hourly wage determination rate. There have been MTSOs that were audited by the DOL, and when it was found that they were doing just what you say Alpha/IMedX is doing by paying their MTs as ICs on a production basis, the DOL not only made them change the MTs' status to employee, the MTSOs had to disburse back-pay.
Again: If there is anyone working on VA accounts, you MUST have employee status and be paid the hourly wage determination rate. There are no exceptions. Don't let an MTSO get away with not paying you properly. File an anonymous complaint with the DOL. This is something we can and SHOULD do if we are being cheated in this way. Start earning your hourly wage and get the back-pay out of which you have been cheated.
Something else - sm
[ In Reply To ..]
I don't know for sure, but I suspect there may be some clause in the VA contracts that prohibits subcontracting of that work, at least not without prior authorization. I say that because I know for a fact there are states that have laws which require contractors to submit names and addresses of potential subcontractors to the state for approval prior to those subcontractors commencing work on that contract.
All employees of MTSOs who have VA transcription contracts must complete annual HIPAA and privacy training, too. Have any of you at Alpha ever had to do that?
Alpha/iMedx - bugger
[ In Reply To ..]
Exactly the email I got..But as a company doing VA work...they cannot send that work overseas. IMedx on the other hand does not do VA and certainly is run out of India even though they boast US soil locations. Alpha claimed they had no connection really with the iMedX side, but if you look at your log in for ADP....its iMedx....we were paid through them. If for some reason they were sending VA reports overseas and the government found out....most likely contracts were taken away, hence the loss of jobs. Wonder how many of us were let go.
Similar Messages:
IMedx/Alpha Sep 16, 2014Anybody worked or work for iMedx/Alpha Transcription? Are you having issues with decreased pay and switching accounts? ...
Alpha Transcription/Imedx Aug 01, 2014Anyone happy with Alpha Transcription/Imedx currently? I thought about working with them but read on another MT site there's a lot of changes going on without any notice. ...
Alpha/iMedX Work Aug 23, 2014Anyone working on Alpha VA accounts have work pick up or not? ...
I'm Confused - Does IMedx Own Alpha Transcription? Feb 07, 2014nm ...
Alpha/IMedX Employee Classification Aug 12, 2014Just got a letter from the IRS saying they concluded that I performed services (2013) for the firm (Alpha) as an employee! So looks like Alpha and their COO and CRO "team" weren't playing by the rules, although their webpage currently boasts Ms. CRO "ensured compliance with Federal law and managing the payroll benefits for IMedX" in her bio. I see their new webpage no longer has IMedX attached to it--what's up with that anyone know? ...
Alpha Sold By Imedx To Trio Jan 01, 2015That was fast!
http://www.imedx.com/news/trio-consulting-acquires-alpha-transcription-imedx
I also found an interesting article on the legalities of small VA contractors winning contracts as a "small" business while combined with huge businesses...
http://www.njit.edu/ptac/veterans
It appears that Alpha is separating from huge, Indian-owned Imedx,
so hopefully the complaints filed with the contract officers and DOL were starting to sink in. ...
Imedx And Moderator At MT Stars, Plz Ignore All Employees/posters Of Imedx Feb 03, 2015Moderator, please delete everything on your site that refers to Imedx, even this post of mine, it is only the right thing to do. I prefer to be angry and have no where to vent.
Last week we were told by Op Mgr that "she has a call into the client about why volume is so low."
Yesterday, we got a "yippee" from "her" about having a coupla hundred jobs ready.
This morning, we got an email saying, "we need to make sure you have backup accounts now."
I wont address the timesheet issue, I am still ...
If It Looks Like IMEDX, Talks Like IMEDX, It Is IMEDX Feb 28, 2015No one on this board seems to give specifics when they get canned from IMEDX. So my question is this: Can each person who got laid off/fired let us know more details. Were you PT or full time, did they call or did they email, did you have options, or just firing. How many lines did you do per day. Some of us may not be in your situation and you may have been just an employee that was not worth IMEDX's time and they got rid of you while they may keep all the others, or full timers. Details p ...
Alpha In MN Jun 03, 2013Anybody who works for Alpha in MN willing to answer a few newbie questions? If yes, please e-mail me. Thanks for your time! ...
What Is Going On At Alpha? Aug 04, 2014Does anyone know what is going on at Alpha? Apparently the let employees complete the last 2-week pay period without telling anyone that they had changed the way they were calculating the line counts.
...
Anything About Alpha Transcription? Jun 17, 2010Does anyone know anything about Alpha Trancription? I have been talking with them. Are they a good place to work? ...
ALPHA Transcription Anyone? Sep 15, 2010Any current info on this company? What kind of platform? Good/bad mgmt? Work flow issues? ...
Alpha-fetoprotein Sep 30, 2010Is alpha-fetoprotein normally hyphenated? If so, why? Compound modifier for protein? ...
Alpha Transcription - Sm Oct 18, 2010Any info on how long from turning in your paperwork until you start training or hear from IT? TIA. ...
What Is Up With Alpha Transcription? Oct 21, 2010I was just wondering if anybody knows what is up with Alpha. Did they lose accounts? No communications. Shuffling people here and there. ...
Alpha - What A Joke Feb 19, 20117.5 cpl for VBC - thanx but no thanx. Do they think they are hiring MTs from out of the US with these wages? Not this MT, that's for sure. Flat out refused prior to interview once rate was made known. ...
ALPHA Transcription? May 18, 2011Any info on ALPHA Transcription -- good, bad, or ugly? Thanks. ...
Alpha Transcription, MN Jun 09, 2011Can anyone give any uptodate info on this company as far as platform and accounts. Thanks much! ...
Anyone Have Low/no Work During The Day For Alpha Out Of MN Lately? Jan 12, 2012nm ...
Alpha Transcription - What A Rip-off! Mar 23, 2012How are all you alphies out there loving the new cuts? Don't ya just love not getting paid for spaces, then templates, and now headers and footers? What's next? Commas and periods? What a rip-off! I'm quitting soon. Anybody else? ...
Alpha Transcription MN Jun 01, 2012Does anybody know if Alpha has been sold yet? An MT friend of mine was interested in working there but with it being for sale with Kruse Acquisitions and the ability for the new owner to use their own MTs she does not want to start and then be let go soon. Thanks for any info. ...
Alpha Staff Nov 23, 2012Anybody else having problems logging in on webclock. I started working but have yet to be able to log in; sent note to TL. I now have no work but was able to get 2 hours of work in - we will see how the rest of the day goes ...
Alpha, CommandHealth, Or GIS? Jun 18, 2013I have job offers from these, read the archives, am scared of all, lol, what would you do?
GIS is offering .075cpl/.0375VR, CommandHealth (MD-IT) .078cpl/.0969 per minute, Alpha 8cpl/4VR, all employee status.
Any current info as to platforms, work availability, etc.
TIA! ...
Alpha Out Of Ohio Aug 30, 2013Looking at their ad on MT Daily. Any information would be helpful. Are there any benefits for FT or is it IC's only? The ad says IC. If they have FT/employee, do they offer insurance? I see it is mostly editing. Do they frown upon using the mouse to move around in the text? Do they count off for errors? Just routine information would be helpful. ...
Anyone Currently Working For Alpha? Mar 17, 2014Anyone currently working for Alpha? When searching through archives, I see there were some problems. I am curious if it has gotten better?
Thanks! ...
Alpha/AKA Imedix Aug 22, 2014Anyone else wondering why Alpha, which is now apparently owned by Indians, working on USA government contracts (Numerous VA Hospitals across the country)?
...
Wow Alpha...classy Nov 18, 2014Just 2 weeks after being laid off along with many others, Alpha has the gaul to post an ad looking for MTs....really???? why were we let go then??? Oh but you have to live in certain states? What's up with that???? ...
Patient Had Been Previously Alpha And Jul 22, 2010S/L a BENZOLINE and metoprolol
TIA ...
ALPHA Transcription - Any Info? Sep 20, 2010Does anyone have information on this company? Thanks! ...
Info On ALPHA Transcription? Oct 30, 2010Can anyone give me info on ALPHA transcription? I need any info, good or bad. ...