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

How are we supposed to make an informed - decision re benefits if we have no clue

Posted: Oct 27, 2014

what our new line rates and compensation are going to work out to be? Who knows if we can even afford it?

Excellent point. - SM

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Never even thought of that. When are we supposed to know about the new pay scale (or newest way to screw us)?

No idea. My TSM has been very quiet but that is - not unusual. I also think they

[ In Reply To ..]
are failing to realize that many of us may be single parents raising children. There is no absolute way to afford family coverage with this company. I think this is probably part of their cost savings knowing this. The fewer people who take coverage, the less they put out. Between these savings and our new compensation plan, just imagine the vacations and bonuses that will be going round this coming year for those at the top. Sickening.

just plan for the worst - its never good news for us

[ In Reply To ..]
sssss

Thank you! A basic concept Nuance can't seem to grasp SM - acuteMLS

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I mean we already know this won't be a good thing for us, right? I personally thought we were at the worst already, now I'm upset because another change is coming Christmas Day! YAY and it'll be even worse!

How does one plan for "worse than the worst?"

Medical bills go upaid - Cannot afford them

[ In Reply To ..]
I have health issues and have to go to the doctor regularly for checkups and dose adjustments. I generally don't have to miss work often because of these issues, though.

I generally purchase the more expensive health plan because it covers my medications, which themselves would be hundreds of dollars a month without the copays. Yet with almost all plans these days starting with $2500 deductibles before they pay for anything, I am out at least that much every year, and when you add in the 25% coinsurance, the doctors visit and blood tests skyrocket my balance to levels I simply cannot pay.

Luckily I was able to get food stamps and apply for some relief from one of my doctor's bills.

I fully believe that everyone needs to have insurance. I've worked in patient billing (how I got into this field in the beginning) and know how many bills have to get written off for patient's who had major life-changing medical events happen and didn't have insurance, so they have to file bankruptcy and such to survive. But when your deductible is so high that even a twice yearly checkup can set you back $800 (with lab work and such), it makes you not want to go to the doctor at all.

Speaking of. I got the flu a few years back, before Tamiflu was widely used (and certainly before insurance would cover it). I knew I had the flu. I was exposed to 2 friends who had the flu, went to the doctor and were diagnosed with it and sent home with the usual treating of symptoms but nothing that couldn't be purchased over the counter. So when I came down with the same symptoms, I knew what it was. I had to miss 4 days of work. But of course, since it was more than 3 days, I HAD to have a doctor's note. They wouldn't let me return without it. I had to go to one of those doc-in-a-box (more like nurse practitioner in a box) places when I was BETTER just to get a note saying they saw me and it was okay to go back to work. That is utter BS!

Our employers want us to run to the doctor at every sniffle or cough, yet complain that we spent too much on healthcare and that it forces our rates to go up. Sometimes we just have a cold, or the flu, or a bad sinus infection - most of which can be treated at home just as well as by going to the doctor. I'm sure many of us have typed thousands of notes where the doctor gives a speech about why antibiotics aren't necessary and were over-prescribed for years. Hell, many patient's still DEMAND them and are given "back-pocket," post-dated scripts because the doctor wants to appease the patient but is trying to avoid creating antibiotic-resistance.

I'm definitely on a soap box over this. I am so sick and tired of how horribly we are treated and the state of healthcare in this country! I know there are many other countries with FAR worse situations, but we are one of the largest, most brightest, most wealthy countries in the world. Surely we can figure this out!

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