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Pay range in a chiropractor's office

I'd like some feedback regarding pay range in a chiropractic setting. I worked as an independent contractor for one chiropractor doing 15-minute chair massage for $20, which was paid directly by the patient to me. At first, I paid a flat rental fee, but when it became apparent that the chiropractor was not actively referring to me (I was upstairs with the chiropractic assistant for ultrasound, stim, exercise, etc., so out of sight of all the patients going into the treatment rooms for adjustments), I was unable to generate enough income to cover my rent. So we switched to a percentage arrangement: I paid him 20 percent of whatever I made each week. I hoped that would stimulate him to make more referrals, but it didn't so we parted ways amicably.
I am now considering an arrangement with another chiropractor in a different town nearby with much larger offices and two massage therapy rooms. He is offering a parttime staff position at $22-25 per hour. He will supply the table, chair, console/desk for supplies, etc. and is willing to promote me through his monthly e-mails and with brochures and other marketing, such as events. He refuses to consider insurance billing, saying that it's too much hassle as insurance typically denies it first. The other chiropractor would not consider it either.
My concern is that this is about half the hourly rate I could earn at any spa, whose clients would also provide me with tips, which I wouldn't receive in this setting. The D.C. assumes that I will get private clients for this and has offered an as-needed rental rate for the room when I'm not using it during the hours he's hired me.
I'd like to offer a plan whereby my hourly rate rises as the total amount of income from massage therapy rises. Under the offered scenario, the D.C. is getting nearly 70 percent of the income, where I think it should be maybe 55-60 percent. I've seen other LMTs mention rates of $40 per hour, but those offices were also charging much more per unit of massage.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Janet Gross

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Serenity Achieved! on August 31, 2010 at 10:46pm

I've been working with a chiropractor for 11 years. Massage therapy is offered in our office in 60 minute sessions. I started at 50% of the cash price which at the time was $30 per hour. Now I make $45 per hour (of the $75 patients are charged if they are cash patients) and the chiropractor also pays my health insurance premiums (which I've taken instead of pay raises recently). Patients pay the office and I recieve a regular paycheck from the doctor.

The office provides me with room, table, lubricants, and the clients. I provide my own sheets, laundry and music. Since the doctor is making passive income on me, it's in her best interest to promote massage. If I don't make money, she doesn't make money...and why not make money doing nothing? I occasionally will bring in a private client of mine, if they are closer to the chiro office, or have time issues; but, why should I share that income if I don't have to?

We still bill out to Aetna, Cigna and personal injury/workman's comp cases. Blue cross and it's subsidiaries no longer allow us to bill for my time since I'm not a PT. We get paid within 45 days once deductables are met, but we also watch for how many visits are permitted and keep patients within their plan limits.

If you are getting paid from the clients directly, you could bill out for PI or workman's comp. The paperwork is a bit of a pain, but the pay scale is per unit and you can average $75-100 per session depending on where you practice. There are some great classes out there to teach you how.

I've also worked for another chiropractor who had patients pay me directly (except for those on PI/workman's comp). I charged patients $65 and gave the doctor $15. I brought in everything, table, linens, lubricant, music, etc...and had to work around his schedule. I made more, but it was a pain only being able to see one or two clients at a time and having to set up and break down equipment every time I went there.

Hope this helps!
Susan

Permalink Reply by Stephanie L Chan on December 29, 2010 at 5:13pm

I think situations concerning $ will vary greatly from state to state and even within that state. At the Chiro office I am in now I charge $50/60 min or $30/30 min. Most people take the hour session. If the client is a chiropractic client that the doc booked for me he gets $20 and I get $30. If it is a client I bring in he gets $10 and I get $40. Family members (mainly my father) who I do not charge, the doc does not charge me for the room. All supplies are taken care of by him except sheets/laundry. The other place I am at is a simple 60/40 split (I take home the 60%) and since most are insurance clients, fees are varied depending on what treatment they receive. I supply my own oils/lotions and sheets but they supply a table, secretary and a lot of clients.

Permalink Reply by Michelle Batac on January 17, 2011 at 12:41am

My feedback is for you, I don't think your asking for my situation? This doesn't sound too bad of an arrangement. I would try to keep "should" out of the medical scene. People pay more at spas for obvious reasons, and do people ever tip at doctors offices? So, you get paid by a number of different factors, but your situation doesn't seem extreme to me., in fact pretty normal. Only compare to other doctors of the same field providing the same services, never compare to other industries when trying to find a rate worthy of your skill. Just my thoughts, but I have so many!