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

MTSO rates for clients - Curious One

Posted: Oct 30, 2010

Anyone have an idea of what MTSO client rates run? I'm thinking 18-22 cpl for acute care (depending on TAT) and 16-20 cents for clinic (depending on TAT). Do you think these rates are totally outrageous or about in the ballpark?

I doubt any MTSO will say how much they charge the client - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
If they admitted to 18 to 20 cents, knowing most of us get paid 7 to 8 cents, we'd then know how little we really are making.

see msg - xmtso

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If they admitted to 12-14 cents, knowing most of us get paid 7 to 8 cents, you'd still argue so what's the point is the real answer.

But your post discloses a lot. - see msg

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If MT pay was close to the rates that MTSOs charge clients, many MTSOs would be on here stating that fact and defending what they pay. However, they remain silent. That pretty much says it all.

disagree - xmtso

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Truth be told it's none of your business (your being the MT not you personally).

When you go to a restaurant do you figure out what they pay for beef before you'll buy it?

It's business. That's how it works. MTSOs aren't in this field to be social workers. They're in it to make money. Otherwise, why put up with all the crap they have to put up with?

I've worn both hats and can tell ya I made more money as an MTSO than an MT but I also had absolutely no life, never saw my family, had doctors calling whenever they felt like it, sometimes demanding I appear in person in their office for a meeting, nevermind I lived several states and a time zone away! And I paid my MTs well, and that was never a worry for me (or them).

But times have changed and the money that was available just isn't anymore. So MTSOs are left with trying to figure out how to still make it they can earn a living and make it all worthwhile.

So simply put, it's just not the business of an MT what the MTSO is charging. If they really want to know, let them BECOME an MTSO, bid on accounts, invest in technology, staff, etc and then they can share with whomever they'd like what it is they charge :)

Do you really think it's that much different for the MT? - ??

[ In Reply To ..]
Like you said, you made more money as an MTSO, but you were well paid for your time. We, on the other hand, sit chained to our desks up to 16 hours a day just waiting for work to come in, logged on in the middle of the night just to get work. Yet, we only get paid for what we produce! Sometimes we can't even keep our health insurance because we don't get enough work to meet the quota. I can't speak for everyone else, but I have actually had managers call me at midnight wanting to know if I could grab a stat after I had been sitting at my computer from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. waiting for work. So the unwanted calls aren't limited just to MTSO. Giving up a life and having no family isn't limited to the MTSO.

Just as you're not in the field to be social workers, we're not in the field to be slave labor either.

That was a great response. - Thanks for posting

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x

It is my business - Curious One

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It is my business
If I were merely a customer at a restaurant, no, I would not want to know how much they paid for beef. If, however, I was looking to open up a similar restaurant in similar neighborhood, you bet, I'd be trying to figure out things like where they buy wholesale, what they charge for meals, what sells, employee wages, etc.

Same principal here. Yes, I am an MT, but truly wanting to start business of own and need to have some idea of what going rates are. Why all the secrecy? I would gladly share general rate information...maybe not exact but a ballpark figure (i.e., 17-22 cents acute care). Why not? Elsewise, competition may severely underbid in order to get clients, thus we all lose...MTSOs and MTs.

Why does this business have to be a ME versus THEM mentality...why can't it be WE!

Speaking of due diligence - xmtso

[ In Reply To ..]
For the record, I'm not an MTSO anymore. I'm a grunt. I type. I get paid. I, however, make sure I'm paid an amount that I'm happy with. For anyone who feels they are "slave labor" I have to wonder why? Why are you in that position? Why do you stay in that position? Serious questions because for the life of my, I can't come up with a good reason.

To Curious One. If you were going into business against a fellow restaurant, the owners are not likely going to tell you where to get the best deals and what their rates are. They may hand you a menu- and say, here's what the end product costs.

MT is no different. (BTW, I agree that I don't quite get the US and THEM attitude. Having been THEM and now an US, there really are a lot of common issues).

Back to your dilemma- If you want to enter the ring as an MTSO, then you better get a lot more creative about finding out your information. Call an MTSO and be a prospective client. Call the clients and ask what they are currently paying. I followed a job link yesterday that took me to a (very obviously offshore company who was a "US" company) site that put their rates right there. I think 15 cpl was their highest number.

The other thing you have to consider is geography. I could not charge in PA what my MTSO friends charged in CA. HUGE differences.

Do some research into government contracting, and make bids. Everyone gets a copy of who is bidding and what their bid was.

There are ways to get the info- and it's not likely to be from someone from whom you make take business away.

And as an MT, I still think it really "ain't" your business. If you aren't paid what you feel is fair, then it's time to find a new gig.

Will you post where you work so we can get paid fairly? - probably not

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I need a new job.

Kissing frogs - mymt2

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They recently had an ad on the other site that lists MT JOBS. I found them after kissing a lot of frogs. If you need a new job, I'd recommend applying to the ones that don't have ads out every other day or so as there's a reason those services are constantly looking for help. I checked before I replied to you and my acct manager says they just hired 2 people are are not hiring anymore at this time.

Finding the small to mid-size services is the key.

It still would be nice to know for future reference. - always looking

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Unfortunately the good companies usually keep the MTs for a long time. You have to get really lucky to land a job with them, and then you keep the job forever.

That would be unethical - Curious One

[ In Reply To ..]
I appreciate your respone and respect your opinion; however, I disagree.

As far as your comment about "Call an MTSO and be a prospective client." That, in my opinion, would be unethical...a downright lie...and I'm not about to do something underhanded like that.

As per my company's CORE BELIEFS:

VALUES:
STL...Where honesty, loyalty, communication, and attention to detail form the key to success!

ETHICS:
Live by the golden rule...that which you want for yourself, seek for mankind!

CODE OF CONDUCT:
All men and women are created equal. As such, all employees of STL shall treat all peers, supervisors, clients, and/or contacts with respect at all times.

As per the CODE OF CONDUCT, maybe I sound a bit wishy-washy in that I do have a problem with offshoring (really pisses me off) but not at the MTs that are doing the transcription offshore...same as us, they have to make a living...if you can call it that. My problem lies with the corporations trying to save a buck and offshoring and supporting slave labor!

Anyway, just a few of my thoughts!

Best wishes to all!

I schedule activities when my job says I can. - an MT

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x

What the competition is doing - s/m

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I do know that overseas companies are bidding around 8 - 12 cpl for both acute care and clinic. Not that it is reasonable for US based companies to do that when that is what the transcriptionists make over here, but just be prepared to get turned down a lot at those rates.

Something a recruiter told me recently - from non offshoring company

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We were talking about the rate that they could offer me for a position with them and she said that they had recently lost a job to another company at 9 or 10 cents a line that was being charged to the hospital. There was no way they could compete with that and pay their people a decent wage.

A good number of facilities have brought the work back home - because of quality.

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They have learned first hand that you get what you pay for. So if offshore is charging 8 to 12, you can bet that the facilities refusing offshore are paying more than that.

Wish we could put a stop to offshoring! - Curious One

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks to everyone for posting. I too saw an ad for a company trying to appear as though based out of CA with rates to clients of 10 cpl. It was iSource...India! They pay their transcriptionists 2-3 cpl. We can't live on 2-3 cpl in the US.

So, by comparative standards, if they charge 10 cpl and pay 3 cpl plus no taxes, no HIPAA worries, no OT, etc..., if a US company charged 20 cpl and paid 6 cpl that would be about the same...after all, when hiring employees, the US company has to pay social security tax, unemployment fees, federal tax, state tax, income tax, maintain insurance (by law soon), etc.

I think 9 cents is a bit closer to a fair wage to MTs (at least for acute care). At 9 cents a line at minimum line count (6000 per week) * 52 weeks, the MT is only making 28,080 and that's before taxes!

Too bad the corporate MTSOs are obsessed with making billions, and would rather watch America crumble rather than bring wages out of the poverty zone. Not that it matters, because, guess what, their jobs will be next to go...outsourced to India too...they make the money over there, they buy companies here and get work here, they spend the money over there, what are we left with here!

Curious One - Old crone

[ In Reply To ..]
When you think of the harm that offshorign has done, please remember that AHDI was the first to support it.

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