Medical assistants across

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1 Medical assistants across the country enthusiastically participated in the 2013 Compensation and Benefits Survey, conducted by the American Association of Medical Assistants. More than 4,400 medical assistants completed the survey. The AAMA ed an electronic questionnaire to a random sampling of more than 35,000 medical assistants and medical assisting educators. Most of the participants were CMAs (AAMA) (88 percent) and members of the AAMA (94 percent). The large number of participants ensures that the results have a high degree of statistical reliability. Statistical reliability and terms used The overall margin of error for the 4,438 responses is ±1.5 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. Margin of error describes the statistical reliability of the sample as an estimate of the population. The margin of error should be treated only as an approximation, since margin of error calculations are based on pure random selection, which is not achievable in traditional survey settings where response is voluntary. The ±1.5 percent margin of error applies to overall statistics based on the total respondents to the survey smaller breakout groups presented throughout the report have higher margins of error. Judgments based on statistics with very low sample sizes should be made with caution. Statistics are rounded to the nearest whole number. Compensation American Association of Medical Assistants 2013 Medical Assisting Compensation and Benefits Report Both hourly pay rates and annual gross salaries were collected on the survey. Over 96 percent of full-time medical assistants are paid hourly, while roughly 4 percent are paid by annual salary. By CMA (AAMA) certification Average hourly wages and salary vary according to years of experience for all medical assistants surveyed. -time medical assistants holding a current CMA (AAMA) certification earn an average of $15.35 per hour or an average annual salary of $29,889. These earnings are above the averages of $14.29 or $27,914 collected for full-time medical assistants who have not achieved CMA (AAMA) certification and may or may not hold another type of medical assisting certification. Comparisons for full-time CMAs (AAMA) and non-cmas (AAMA) are broken down by years of experience in Table 1. Employers are not only paying higher wages for the CMA (AAMA), they are also increasingly demanding that their medical assistants have a CMA (AAMA) credential. Every day the AAMA responds to more than 100 employer requests for CMA (AAMA) certification verification for both current and potential employees. Such demand is often due to the pressures of potential malpractice suits and the certification mandates placed on employers by managed care organizations. 1 Additionally, on August 23, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ruled that only credentialed medical assistants including CMAs (AAMA) as well as licensed health care professionals, would be allowed to enter medication, laboratory, and radiology orders into the computerized provider order entry system for meaningful use purposes for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Programs. 2 The CMA (AAMA) must have current status to use the credential, including for qualifying to enter orders for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. By geographic region The average annual earnings and hourly wages were computed for geographic regions of the United States (Figure 1). The Pacific region showed the highest earnings for full-time current CMAs (AAMA), with averages of $33,322 annually and $17.60 hourly. Across the country, New England turned in the second highest annual earnings ($30,997), while the West North region showed the second Table 1. CMA (AAMA) certification Average full-time medical assistant pay by years of experience Overall 0 2 years 3 5 years 6 9 years years 16 years + -time CMAs (AAMA) $ ,889 $ ,848 $ ,158 $ ,756 $ ,954 $ ,038 -time Non-CMAs (AAMA) , , , , , ,528 AAMA 2013 Medical Assisting Compensation and Benefits Report 1 of 5

2 2013 compensation and benefits report highest hourly wages ($16.15). The full comparison is shown in Table 2. Figure 1. Regions based on the United States Census divisions By work setting The overwhelming majority of medical assistants surveyed work in physicians offices. Almost 87 percent of respondents are employed in that setting, with roughly 2.6 percent listed in emergency and outpatient hospital departments, 1.1 percent in ambulatory surgery and another 7.4 percent in other. The breakdown of wages and earnings by work setting is shown in Table 3. Figures for inpatient hospital care, nursing homes, home and hospice care, and residential care are not listed due to insufficient response numbers. Pacific (Includes Alaska and Hawaii) Mountain West North West South East South South Atlantic New England Table 2. Geographic region Region Overall 0 2 years 3 5 years 6 9 years years 16 years + Northeast New England $ ,997 $ ,353 $ ,929 $ ,833 $ ,150 $ ,795 Middle Atlantic , , , , , ,071 Midwest East North , , , , , ,991 West North , , , , , ,075 South South Atlantic , , , , , ,629 East South , , , , ,583 West South , , ,400 37,318 West Mountain , , , , , ,921 Pacific , , , , , ,821 Insufficient response Insufficient response AAMA 2013 Medical Assisting Compensation and Benefits Report 2 of 5

3 By practice specialty Sixty-four percent of medical assistants work in a primary care office or practice. Another 32 percent work in practices with medical or surgical specialties. The income figures for practice specialty are shown in Table 4. By number of specialties Combining both full- and part-time medical assistant respondents, 51 percent work in a single specialty practice, while 45 percent work in a multispecialty setting. The income figures for full-time current CMAs (AAMA) by number of specialties are listed in Table 5. Table 3. Work setting Work setting Overall 0 2 years 3 5 years 6 9 years years 16 years + Ambulatory surgery $ ,350 Emergency and outpatient hospital department ,745 $ ,313 $28,500 $ ,962 Physician s office , , ,068 $ ,382 $ , , , , ,583 34, ,125 Insufficient response Table 4. Practice specialty Practice specialty Overall 0 2 years 3 5 years 6 9 years years 16 years + Primary care $14.90 $ ,858 29,412 $13.08 $ ,191 25,520 $13.99 $ ,482 27,871 $15.11 $ ,010 30,188 $16.18 $ ,295 32,214 $17.74 $ ,835 35,706 All other medical and surgical specialties ,036 31, ,196 26, ,423 28, ,356 31, ,010 34, ,602 37, ,043 30, ,163 26, ,722 28, ,412 32, ,407 33, ,236 35,695 Insufficient response response Table 5. Number of specialties Number of specialties Overall 0 2 years 3 5 years 6 9 years years 16 years + Single specialty $ ,791 $ ,488 $ ,132 $ ,349 $ ,616 $ ,212 Multispecialty , , , , , , , , , ,192 Insufficient response AAMA 2013 Medical Assisting Compensation and Benefits Report 3 of 5

4 2013 compensation and benefits report Employment benefits Roughly 87 percent of all full-time medical assistants receive some form of benefits package from their employer (Figure 2). Insurance Almost 74 percent of full-time medical assistants receive major medical coverage, 72 percent receive dental coverage, 61 percent receive vision coverage, just under 53 percent receive disability coverage, and 21 percent receive professional liability coverage. The full range of benefits for full-time medical assistants is shown in Figure 3. Figure 2. Benefits received by full-time medical assistants Receive benefits 87% Do not receive benefits 13% AAMA membership and conference When asked if employers offer to help pay for various AAMA expenses, almost 20 percent of full-time medical assistants who are AAMA members responded that their employers pay their membership dues in full (Figure 4). In addition, over 11 percent have their annual conference registration fees paid for in full, and another 5.5 percent have travel and lodging paid by their employers. The American Association of Medical Assistants thanks all the participants who made the 2013 survey possible. References 1. Balasa DA. Why more employers are hiring CMAs (AAMA). American Association of Medical Assistants. resources/library/whymoreempshirecma.pdf. Published January Updated February Accessed October 7, Balasa DA. AAMA triumphs in CMS medication order rule. CMA Today. 2012;45(6):6-8. AAMA membership dues 2013 American Association of Medical Assistants. Reprinted from the November/December issue of CMA Today. registration fees Figure 3. Insurance benefits received by full-time medical assistants Major medical Dental Vision Disability Discount prescription Accidental death Basic hospitalization Professional liability Figure 4. None AAMA 1.8% membership dues 4.5% registration fees 73.7% 71.6% 60.5% 52.6% 44.3% 42% 40.2% 21.1% 12% 8.3% Number of responses = 2, % 4.5% Number of responses = 2,652 Dues assistance received by full-time medical assistants Extended online version! See next page for educator earnings! and lodging expenses and 3.5% lodging expenses 3.5% Number of responses = 2,649 AAMA 2013 Medical Assisting Compensation and Benefits Report 4 of 5

5 Medical assisting educators were also surveyed for this report. (See page one for the survey overview.) American Association of Medical Assistants The majority of medical assisting educators (84 percent) receive their compensation in the form of an annual salary, while around 16 percent are paid hourly. Compensation On average, full-time medical assisting educators reported earning an annual gross salary of $50,985, with over 20 percent reporting that they earn at least $65,000 annually, and over 9 percent reporting over $75,000 in annual earnings. The breakdown of educators salaries by years of experience is shown in Table 6. Employment benefits Insurance Almost 85 percent of full-time educators receive major medical coverage and 81 percent receive dental insurance. Discount prescription coverage, accidental death, vision, and basic hospitalization all were over 50 percent rates. Rates of coverage for full-time educators are listed in Figure 5. AAMA membership and conference When asked if employers offer to help pay for various AAMA expenses, 54 percent of full-time educators reported full payment of membership dues and 47 percent reported full payment of conference registration fees. Almost 40 percent reported full payment of travel and lodging for conference (Figure 6). Table Medical Assisting Educator Compensation and Benefits Report Average full-time educator pay by years of experience Overall $50, years $40, years $45, years $50, years $56, years $59, Number of responses = 237 Figure 5. Figure 6. Dues assistance received by full-time educators Insurance benefits received by full-time educators Major medical Dental Vision Disability Accidental death Discount prescription Basic hospitalization Professional liability None 18.3% 6.3% 6.3% AAMA membership 84.6% dues 65.8% 63.8% 56.3% 55.0% 53.8% 81.3% registration fees 1.8% AAMA membership dues AAMA Annual Conference 4.5% registration fees Travel and lodging expenses to and lodging expenses the 3.5% AAMA Annual Conference 54.4% 2.1% 47.0% 12.7% 39.8% 13.1% AAMA 2013 Medical Assisting Compensation and Benefits Report 5 of 5