Whether visible black characters or any other method of transcription billing, make sure you know how you're being billed and that you have an independent method of verification. In the medical transcription industry, many outsource contractors count on the clients' lack of education in how billing units are calculated and their lack of resources to verify them.

Visible Black Character (VBC) | Transcription Billing

Posted January 10th, 2008 by administrator

VerifiableBilling.com | VisibleBlackCharacter.com | TranscriptionBilling.com is owned and operated by ACT, a transcription industry consulting service providing billing audits, contract compliance consulting, performance measurements, performance improvement, quality evaluation and improvement, and contracting language consulting.

This site is not about setting a rate or giving a standard range of rates and/or pay. In the breakdown by scenario, the rates shown are only an example and not a suggestion. Site visitors should draw their own conclusions, based on the samples, about their own transcription service billing rate, the method used, verifiability and accuracy.

Setting a standard: Is the VBC the "new standard" for billable units in medical transcription? No. It is the standard proposed by two organizations that represent a very small portion of the industry. The Standard Unit of Measure for Transcribed Reports is not published by a standard-setting organization, nor has the VBC gone through any accepted standards-setting process. To date, no billing method for medical transcription services has undergone the rigorous process required to set a standard. Instead, the organizations have issued "standards," "proposed standards" and white papers that have been accepted as though they have actually undergone the standards-setting process.

Bottom line: There is no billing method practice that can't be manipulated. You must have an independent way to verify transcription billing against the contract.

A consultation may save you money if you have experienced any one of the following:

  • Wildly different quotes in response to a request for proposal
  • Monthly invoices that are significantly higher than those of prior vendor(s) when the current vendor's "line rate" is supposedly less than that of prior vendor(s).
  • Services that aren't being delivered in accordance with the contract

    • Please feel free to contact us using the contact form if you have questions, comments or suggestions. Comments and reviews are open to unregistered users: please see the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.