Advise for client billing

[Jill E. McChesney]

Dear List:

I would like some fellow homeopaths advice on how to bill for a
homeopathic assisted home delivery. I provided the client with a
birthing kit, containing 32 remedies and a simplistic rep sheet she
could feasibly use if I was unable to attend the birth. Her water broke
at 6:30 am Sun and we were in phone contact throughout the day...where
different remdies were prescribed. I attended by her side from 12am -
4am ( a beautiful baby boy the result).
Now the hard part as this type of service (if you will) was my first.
Any advice outside of straight hourly rate billing? Experiences
welcomed!

My e-mail: jilt@globalserve.net

Thanks JEM

[Tanya Marquette]

how do midwives charge? by the job? by the hour?

tanya

[Jill E. McChesney]

In the area where I live, their charges are subsidized 100% by the
Government.

[Tanya Marquette]

okay, but how much do they get paid for similar services. i am suggesting that
you find some sort of basis for comparison. have you talked to other practitioners
in your area? how much do you charge, usually? is there an hourly wage that
you try to earn?

i think this is always difficult to figure out. wages are always affected by what the
market will bear, in a sense. so it depends on how much value you place on your
labor, your overhead costs, and what you can get people to pay. it's just that
simple--and complicated

tanya

[Ruby]

A midwife provides much service, in not only her medical knowledge, but physical stamina in "helping' that child to come into the world... The midwife's services are usually a complete charge for the pregnancy and birth together... I don't see how that could give a good comparison for the homopath. A Dula on the other hand is called in for the birth only, and is there for support and help.

The Homopath gives homopathic wisdom, remedies, and can help with the pregnancy, and delivery, especially in transition,etc., but the hands on labor isn't the same... So, I'd say take a look at what you'd charge for your consultations, and a less per hour "on call" charge - while your time, while on call was still your own, and find something that works well for both of you.

Just my two cents...
Jennifer

tanya marquette wrote:
Health, Hope, Joy & Healing :
May you Prosper, even as your Soul Prospers 3John 2

Jennifer Ruby

Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

http://www.rubysemporium.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SymphonicHealth

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[Shannon Nelson]

Wow, lucky you!
My memory from the dim past is that midwives (here in US) charge a flat fee,
rather than hourly. I think charging hourly would make it too much of a
"pot shot" for the pt, added stress that a long labor would not need! Can
you find out what the midwives are paid by the Government, then decide
whether your fee should be higher (our gov't does not reimburse well, so
here it would be higher!) or or what...

on 2/10/03 10:08 PM, Jill E. McChesney at jillt@globalserve.net wrote:

[Shannon Nelson]

on 2/11/03 3:54 AM, tanya marquette at tamarque@frontiernet.net wrote:
Yeah...
And, since the issue was not worked out *beforehand* (a mistake, IMO!), it
may need to be handled a bit delicately. I agree with Tanya, you need to
know what is standard charge for your area, for similar services. Maybe she
already knows this info, and maybe she assumes your charge will be the same
-- that would make it easy!

(I do think you should charge separately and extra for the kit, esp.
assuming it's something she can make future use of.)

Maybe you could work out (uh-oh, here's my personal wishy-washy,
embarrassed-by-money "stuff" coming up, which may not be useful) a price
*range* that feels appropriate to you, and let her decide which end she
feels more comfortable paying you at? (I actually do know people who charge
this way, tho I know others that would rather be disembowled than let the pt
set the price...)

Cheers,
Shannon