A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

ICs, would you take a position for 7 cpl - for a 65 char line

Posted: Jun 17, 2010

Is that worth the added expenses of being an IC?

.7 cpl - Really???

[ In Reply To ..]
I was looking at posted jobs this morning and there were two with very demanding expectations at .6 and .7 cpl. What has happened to our profession? The demands for both of these jobs were unreal for what they are willing to pay. So, in answer to your question, no, I would not be an IC for .7 cents a line. If you can afford to keep looking, then you should wait until you can get better pay. Or, get trained in something else. This is getting ridiculous.

What kind of demanding expectations were posted for those 6 and 7 cpl jobs? - Wondering

[ In Reply To ..]
Wondering what the demanding expectations were.

Expectations - Really???

[ In Reply To ..]
I emailed you.

Thanks! Interesting - See message

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That's a lot of experience required. There is a point where it gets to be ridiculous to tack on the number of years.

definitely! - sm

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Heck yeah, I'd take a job at 0.7 cents a line. But I wouldn't take one for 0.07 cents a line. ;-)

I'd clean filthy toilets with my bare hands first. - and toilet cleaning probably pays better besides

[ In Reply To ..]
That is nucking futs, if you'll excuse my French....

really? filthy toilets, bare hands? - Dickie would wear gloves .... n/m

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n/m

Yes, I would with good accounts and a platform that works well - See message

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I'd much rather have 7 cpl on a platform that is user friendly with accounts that aren't horrible, and a good support system. That's why some MTs are making more than others, even though the others may be making more cents per line.

clarification - I would work for 7 cpl as

[ In Reply To ..]
an employee typing on a good platform.

but....as an IC for the first time,

I'm not sure what to expect with all the other expenses such as E and O insurance, taxes, etc. Can you really make a decent salary on 7 cpl on a good platform as an IC?

all MTs need to get out calculators, see what you would make - .

[ In Reply To ..]
say 1000 lines a day at 7 cents, that is $70 a day, divide in 8 hours, that is $8.75 an hour, $350 a week before taxes (either as an IC or employee you pay taxes, probably 20-25%).

So that is about (less than) $45 a day (before taxes) to support whoever on and the extreme expectations required of the job/employer. Heck no!!!!!

You would do better at Jack-in-the-Box, wages, benefits, etc

I've found from experience that it isn't really that simple - Your math does not tell the whole story

[ In Reply To ..]
Just playing around with one factor alone changes the math and makes it irrelevant. It doesn't tell the whole story.

The quality of the accounts, the ability to use expanders, incentive pay and bonuses, etc. Your math means nothing. Each job is different and on some you can do very well at 7 cents because you can put out the lines. On others, not so much.

My math is a little different - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
My IC account that only pays 7 cpl is super easy, no platform, I turn in one long word file, FTP file transfer. And since I get to know my doctors it makes my speed go up too. This means that for that same 1000 lines it only takes me 4 hours to type them. It is only the crappy dictators and sloppy platforms that make 1000 lines take 8 hours in my opinion.

Oh and the "actual" tax rate after deductions won't be 20% either. Remember you only pay taxes on your income -after- deductions are taken. My tax rate was about 2% of my gross last year.

So that puts me about $17 per hour. I also get a 24 hour turn around for fantastic schedule flexibility and I know in advance if I am not going to have work (because the doctor is on vacations).

So would I work for 7 cpl, you betcha!

Exactly! My math agrees with yours and I also would work for 7 cpl - Without A Doubt

[ In Reply To ..]
Rating jobs on cpl is an obsolete method. There are too many variables.

Same here! - sm

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I defnitely agree on your math! Some just get too hung up on the actual number. If you look at time spent, it's not so bad in the long run. Also, my nerves are shot. I have to do easy accounts. After almost 25 years MT'ing; yeah- I want the easiest work I can find because all they are is lines anyway at this point. Production is production. It is what it is!

Cheers!

You said it beautifully! "It is what it is" - Love that philosophy!

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I think many of my stresses would be gone if I would keep in mind that, "It is what it is." LOL. I love it!

Each area pays differently - CC

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Yes if you have to struggle with a bad provider, then it decreases your profit, but every area pays different. It's the old supply and demand.

I think you need to take what everyone says with a grain of salt - 7 cents a line is fine

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As long as it is good accounts with good dictators, you will be fine. And being an independent contractor, you can pretty much set your own hours so its doubly good.

Not really good, as an IC I get 10 cpl, as full-time I - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
am on a graduated tier - 9 to 11 cpl. 7 cpl is definitely not good.

No, 7 cpl is a ripoff, an insult, and a DISRACE. - "Good accounts?" In your DREAMS. NM

[ In Reply To ..]
NM

MIGHT be fine if one didn't live in one of the highest - cost of living regions of the country

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I'm not making it on 9.25 typing and 5 CPL for VR, and if I didn't have a local account that paid me about 25 CPL (no, I am not kidding so don't bather calling me a liar, and no they're not hiring) for about 3 hours' worth of work per week, I would not be surviving. Even so, I am barely making it. 7 CPL, even with easy accounts, would kill me.

You made a really good point. I had forgotten about the cost of living being different - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

I took 6 cpl as a newbie - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I graduated MT school last year and am on 6 cpl now, and expect to be for at least my first year of experience. All the jobs offered out of school were 6 cpl. I'd like higher pay, of course, but getting something is better than nothing so I would never turn down 7 cpl.

so many variables - old mt

[ In Reply To ..]
is it 7 cpl with spaces, without. As an IC don't forget you have more to take out in taxes too!

No, actually dumped some work that was .07 - sm -

[ In Reply To ..]
and switched over to accounts for .08, still not a fortune but better. Has swtiched from another job that was .09 but no spaces so took the job with .07 adn .08 and now have all .08. Doing okay, making a lot more now and have steady work and 24-TAT which I did not have before so happier.

7 cpl. No, no no!!! - No, no, no!!!

[ In Reply To ..]
No way! I wouldn't accept that kind of pay for employee status either! Anyone who would is just helping to drag the MT industry down in the US, in my opinion.

No way. I wouldnt even take 7cpl as a fully- - benefitted, full-time employee. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Not as an IC and not at 65 cpl. You wouldn't make squat. - myka

[ In Reply To ..]
After you take out your takes, you most likely are looking at around .05 cents per line.

My private IC account is 7 cpl - and I make great money

[ In Reply To ..]
I am paid a flat fee per report. It doesn't matter how short or long each report is, all reports are paid by flat fee. The work is 90% templates. On average, I earn $45/hr for 8 hours a week. I periodically check the average line count and for 3 years now it works out to 7 cpl. It wouldn't work if it were more straight typing and fewer templates.

I agree with the poster who said you need to get out a calculator and decide what you need as a true IC.

Wow! Very nice. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

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