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

Wanting to compare contractor rates - DiAnne

Posted: Jun 20, 2012

I'm seeing pay rates all over the place on this board and I'm just curious as to what others are receiving.

I'm an independent contractor. I have a lot of psychiatric accounts but they only pay 10 cents a line (65 characters, of course). That's a decrease from my standard rate a few years ago (but supply and demand made me reduce my rate). Because I'm a fast typist and the psychiatric work is easy, I easly make $30 an hour when I'm focused.

I've hired a few other independent contractors and they are great in their productivity, but their own proofreading has been inconsistent, at best. Because of errors in their documents, we agreed that they wouldn't have to proof their own work (which was just wasting time since errors were still coming through) and now I'm only paying 7 cents to them and then 2 cents to someone else to proofread, and I keep 1 cent for administrative costs.

While I would never want to work for 7 cents, I haven't had the problems with proofing my own work that these others have had. I have one transcriptionist who is close to not needing proofing anymore, so she will get a 1 cent raise soon.

I don't want to shortchange my workers, but I also don't feel I can pay any more than they already get. Everyone is happy except my new person who used to work for M*Modal, I believe. That makes me think she must have made more working for them. She's already threatening to leave because she doesn't feel like it is worth it for her.

So...how does this compare? I'm curious about both ICs as well as people who work for the big companies. This is straight typing, with copying and pasting medications and diagnoses (which results in extra lines, but a little bit of time to pull up the previous report). We have no benefits, of course, and have to pay self-employment tax.

IC pay - just me

[ In Reply To ..]
The above states pretty much my situation for my office transcription, but I have to keep at least 2 cpl for the dictation system/administrative costs as well as I am proofing, not them. I get 11 cpl for an ESL physician, and 12 cpl for operative reports. I have procedure reports that are paid like radiology, per report. If I could get more from the clients, I would pay the transcriptionists more, but I cannot. Us smaller companies do not get the pay that the larger nationals do; that is why they take a chance on us. An old classmate of mine somehow gets 16 cpl, but she was driving and picking up tapes, etc. If your MT is not happy, ask her to find a job she is happy at is my advice. I lose money on the work I do not transcribe myself-- I just cannot transcribe everything.

IC Pay - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I have done psychiatric work for the last 11 years and have been paid anywhere from 0.5 to .10 cpl. Right now, I am doing psychiatric, easy doctors, 10 cpl (gross line). I also work for an individual doctor "on-call" and I get paid 0.85 per 65-character line. I work for another facility and get 0.08 per gross line. This is the way I look at it...I really honestly don't care what the cpl are...of course higher is better, but I'm not picky...IF the doctors are easy. Even at 0.08 cpl, I can easily make 20 to 40+ an hour if the docs are easy peasy. I type quickly, but I know my stuff so if I have to take a few minutes to proofread, which is part of the job, I'm still making great money. If these transcriptionists are not good enough at what they do so much as to need their reports proofed, then they certainly deserve to be paid less, especially if you are doing part of the work!! Proofing is part of the job and if you have to have someone else do it because of error-ridden work, then it absolutely has to come out of their cut.

IC Pay - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I just posted above...I think I tested for you a few months ago and you had sent a test for a foreign doctor and an american doctor and if I remember correctly, the work you were hiring for was the foreign doctor. As I recall, I couldn't even get through the test because I couldn't understand him. Now, if the new gal is saying 7 cpl isn't enough, I don't blame her. There is no possible way to make money with that doctor unless you cruise through the report and put lots of blanks. I also wouldn't want to take the time to proofread if I had to listen to that and then try to make sense of what it was that was said. If you are talking about your American doctor, then she has absolutely no reason to complain about the pay because there is no possible reason why she couldn't make money on 7 cpl with that doctor and there is no reason she shouldn't be able to catch her errors as she goes along or proof it herself. If you are indeed talking about the foreign doctor and you are only getting paid 10 cpl yourself, it is your job to tell him that he really needs to open his mouth and talk clear if he wants a quality report back. Even if they are foreign, they can take some extra time and enunciate better. If you don't want to tell the doctor this...then it might be worth it for you yourself to type it. At 10 cpl, you might be able to make a decent amount versus your IC's 7 cpl.

Good dictation etiquette... - just me

[ In Reply To ..]
The prices I list are for above....good dictation etiquette prices, which I make very clear to them. I definitely tell my clients to speak clear English and use a land line..Makes all the difference in the world. I am very lucky in that respect. My clients are fabulous. I thank my lucky stars every day.. Even my ESL is pretty easy. I charge extra for cell phone/VOIP. I will let a few go but start charging when it becomes an issue, as it can bring havoc to my TATs and sanity.

ESL doctor - DiAnne

[ In Reply To ..]
It sounds like you did test for me. I was hiring for both the US and the ESL doc. Personally, I find the ESL guy to be much easier than the US doctor and I never have to leave a blank line for him (except occasionally when he dictates the name of a social worker or therapist from other agencies). I think everyone has their niche and some people have no problem with his work and others do.

I hired one transcriptionist who did great with the ESL guy but screwed up the US guy's work to the point where I got called out on it and I had to let her go (which is a shame, because her work ethic was awesome, her turnaround was good, and I liked working with her). I've hired another person and she didn't have problem with the ESL doctor, either, but she did complain that she didn't think he was worth her time, so now she is only doing the US doctor (and commented that she would have to look at her wages to see if she wanted to continue).

I am very happy with my wages; I just simply have way too much work and trying to hire was a bit of a nightmare. I had 700 applicants, tested probably 30 of them and a few months later I'm still struggling to have the work done.

I think you have a very reasonable approach to your situation - ICManiac

[ In Reply To ..]
You are correct that some people find ESL work easier than other types. I find myself to be that way, but it wasn't without having worked at it for years.

My private clients pay per report for both op notes and clinic notes. I have heavy use of templates and it works out to 7 cpl. I always earn over $40/hr, often more than that. I hired someone, but like you, found the errors coming through. My guys are very understanding, but would definitely say something as they were not used to seeing errors.

In today's market, I think what you are offering is a fair rate in your circumstance. I know I couldn't pay anyone 2 cpl less than what I get paid (no one would apply if they saw 5 cpl being offered). The benefit in my situation is that I know I will have these clients for life. They are very loyal to me. One will retire the same year I plan to. Job security counts for something. As long as I always make the per hour rate I need to, I place less emphasis on the cpl.

I think... - I tested for you

[ In Reply To ..]
and you told me I had no mistakes on the US doc, but I didn't fair so well on the ESL, which is unusual for me. I did have issue with audio, maybe from running ExpressScribe, but I still found him more difficult than the US doc.

I think how you are paying is fair, based on your explanation on here.

I know so many people on here complain about the wages going down (the way of the field) and complain about making peanuts, but like you, I have accounts where I can easily make $30/hour and I work for $0.075 and $0.08 cpl. I work hard and will not turn in work I am not proud to have my name attached to. I think for some it's easier to complain about wages than it is to just buckle down and put in the work.

Please email me. I would love to test for you. - Looking for a job.

[ In Reply To ..]
I sent you an email, but also wanted you to see here that I would like to test for you.

Rates - Edie

[ In Reply To ..]
I subcontracted for someone a while back. I was started at .08 cpl and submitted my reports for review. After a short while (and 99-100% accuracy), my rate was raised to .09 cpl, with random review of reports. Then I was cut loose and my rate raised to .10 cpl.

I seriously doubt I would have been kept on had the IC needed to constantly monitor my work....

IC rates - Dickens

[ In Reply To ..]
As a subcontractor, I make 13 cents a line. The IC who I work for charges 16 and takes the extra for administrative duties. I've been very happy with my rate, especially after having to take a job at Nuance for nearly half the pay.

Wow! That's incredible! - DiAnne

[ In Reply To ..]
Dickens - Wow! I'm amazed at your rate! Even in the height of the MT market when jobs were plentiful and at-home workers were rare, my highest rate was 12.5 cents and that was as the account-holder. Now, all of my medical accounts pay 11 cents and my psychiatry accounts pay 10 (and one of the offices threatened to stop my services if I didn't go down to 9 cents, but I stood firm and they backed down).

You are very lucky! I'm sure you're also very good at what you do, but there are certainly many others who are good and just can't get work. It's nice to hear that you're getting such an amazing rate.

Thank you - Dickens

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks, DiAnne. This woman and I have been working together since 2004. I started at 12 cents a line, and a few years later she raised the rate. We work really well together, and she doesn't need to proof my work because I am so used to the doctors. The doctors also know me by name, and I've met them. The ladies in the office knew me well, because back then we used to print the work and deliver it (envelopes for letters and all--those were the days!).

It's a really great job, but last year we lost our biggest client to check-box EMR system. It was half our workload, which is why I found work with Nuance. So now I work two part-time jobs, one paying 13 cents a line, the other paying 4 cents a line. Oh, how I wish things hadn't changed!

I get 12 cpl and type the basic 4. - Lucky

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

I think 12 CPL is just about the most fair rate - DiAnne

[ In Reply To ..]
Lucky - I think your rate of 12 cents is just about perfect. I used to get that (actually it was 12.5) 10 years ago, but then the jobs started dropping away due to EMR and I had to lower my rate. My regular medical docs pay 11, which isn't bad, but my psych offices pay 10 (and one tried to force me down to 9) and that's irritating (but it IS easier work than general medical).

Thanks for the input.

I think 12 CPL is just about... - mdgal60

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm with one of the large companies that is seemingly eating up all the smaller ones. I would say 99% of my work is VR and I only receive $0.035 per line. VR is supposed to be easier and not as much work, right? WRONG! Many times I find I am retyping rather than just correcting a few errors here and there. I rarely receive ST, which is paid at $0.07 per line. I am a good worker, I only turn in blanks when I've exhausted all resources (and of course, I am not paid for that time), I type about 80wpm and have a 99.86% quality/accuracy rate.
Yet, I am so disillusioned with so many aspects of the job, including the very low pay, that I am researching other non-MT jobs. I'm 51yo and thought I could work at this new career for at least 10 years, but I no longer believe that will happen.
If either of you ladies on here who are owners of an MT company are looking to hire someone who is an avid proofreader and who also LOVES psych work (I'd gladly take $0.09 a line for that), please contact me. I'd so appreciate speaking with you about working for you.

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