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Independent Medical Evaluation Fee Survey
©SEAK, Inc., 1998 All Rights Reserved. Not to be copied.
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Executive Summary
The following analysis is based on independent medical evaluation fee information reported by 266 physicians during 1997 and 1998. They reported fees for a typical (routine) IME, a brief IME, a complex IME, and hourly rates for consultation and testimony. This data is presented for informational purposes and not to recommend a specific fee structure. The following reports are provided.
Table 1. Specialty Fee Analysis - Average Fees Reported by Type of Service
Table 2. Specialty Fee Analysis - Lowest Fees Reported by Type of Service
Table 3. Specialty Fee Analysis - Highest Fees Reported by Type of Service
Table 5. Analysis of Impact of Certification and Training on Fees
A physician can compare his/her experience with others in his/her specialty by noting the average fee within their specialty and correcting this for relative differences among states. In addition, if the physician has had training there may be further modification of the fee.
For example, the average fee for an orthopedic surgeon performing a routine IME is $533 (compared to the overall average fee for all specialties of $508). In general, physicians in Florida receive an average of $587 per IME, 116% of the national average. Therefore, one would expect the average fee for an orthopedic surgeon in Florida would be approximately $618. Fees may be greater for physicians who are trained. For example, physicians trained by SEAK, Inc. receive 28% more (average fee for a routine IME is $605) compared to those not trained by SEAK (average for untrained is $473). Extrapolating this example, a likely fee for an orthopedic surgeon in Florida who has been SEAK trained would be $791 ($533 x 116% x 128%).
Table 1. Specialty Fee Analysis - Average Fees Reported by Each Specialty
Primary Specialty |
IMEs (types) |
Consult |
Testify |
||
Routine |
Brief |
Complex |
Rate / Hr. |
Rate / Hr. |
|
Anesthesiology |
$800.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,500.00 |
$300.00 |
$400.00 |
Chiropractic |
$400.00 |
$261.90 |
$754.76 |
$213.57 |
$439.29 |
Chiropractic Neurology |
$260.00 |
$158.33 |
$383.33 |
$190.00 |
$250.00 |
Chiropractic Orthopedics |
$378.33 |
$266.11 |
$594.44 |
$249.44 |
$327.78 |
Emergency Medicine |
$325.00 |
$300.00 |
$350.00 |
$200.00 |
$500.00 |
Family Practice |
$557.14 |
$407.14 |
$1,271.43 |
$375.00 |
$564.29 |
General Surgery |
$450.00 |
$375.00 |
$550.00 |
$425.00 |
$775.00 |
Hand Surgery |
$400.00 |
$290.00 |
$750.00 |
$350.00 |
$700.00 |
Internal Medicine |
$611.67 |
$341.67 |
$966.67 |
$266.67 |
$508.33 |
Neurology |
$650.00 |
$465.27 |
$1,413.64 |
$368.91 |
$515.91 |
Neuropsychiatry |
$900.00 |
$800.00 |
$1,000.00 |
$200.00 |
$200.00 |
Neurosurgery |
$575.00 |
$375.00 |
$825.00 |
$187.50 |
$347.50 |
Occupational Medicine |
$466.46 |
$311.75 |
$1,017.50 |
$238.93 |
$339.29 |
Ophthalmology |
$250.00 |
$175.00 |
$350.00 |
$225.00 |
$300.00 |
Orthopedics |
$533.18 |
$374.93 |
$959.38 |
$351.31 |
$661.44 |
Otolaryngology |
$600.00 |
$480.00 |
$1,000.00 |
$300.00 |
$300.00 |
Pain Management |
$600.00 |
$400.00 |
$1,200.00 |
$200.00 |
$400.00 |
Pain Medicine |
$800.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,200.00 |
$250.00 |
$450.00 |
Physical Medicine & Rehab |
$513.16 |
$357.87 |
$977.47 |
$288.23 |
$579.53 |
Physical Therapy |
$300.00 |
$250.00 |
$500.00 |
$200.00 |
$225.00 |
Preventive Medicine |
$300.00 |
$250.00 |
$500.00 |
$500.00 |
$500.00 |
Psychiatry |
$568.57 |
$416.43 |
$829.29 |
$225.71 |
$357.14 |
Pulmonary Medicine |
$362.50 |
$312.50 |
$750.00 |
$262.50 |
$325.00 |
ALL |
$507.47 |
$353.01 |
$946.82 |
$296.52 |
$534.96 |
Table 2. Specialty Fee Analysis - Lowest Fees Reported by Each Specialty
Primary Specialty |
IMEs (types) |
Consult |
Testify |
||
Routine |
Brief |
Complex |
Rate / Hr. |
Rate / Hr. |
|
Anesthesiology |
$800.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,500.00 |
$300.00 |
$400.00 |
Chiropractic |
$150.00 |
$100.00 |
$250.00 |
$85.00 |
$150.00 |
Chiropractic Neurology |
$100.00 |
$50.00 |
$150.00 |
$100.00 |
$100.00 |
Chiropractic Orthopedics |
$275.00 |
$175.00 |
$350.00 |
$120.00 |
$200.00 |
Emergency Medicine |
$325.00 |
$300.00 |
$350.00 |
$200.00 |
$500.00 |
Family Practice |
$350.00 |
$300.00 |
$450.00 |
$200.00 |
$400.00 |
General Surgery |
$400.00 |
$350.00 |
$400.00 |
$350.00 |
$350.00 |
Hand Surgery |
$400.00 |
$250.00 |
$500.00 |
$200.00 |
$400.00 |
Internal Medicine |
$320.00 |
$150.00 |
$600.00 |
$150.00 |
$150.00 |
Neurology |
$225.00 |
$193.00 |
$600.00 |
$250.00 |
$300.00 |
Neuropsychiatry |
$900.00 |
$800.00 |
$1,000.00 |
$200.00 |
$200.00 |
Neurosurgery |
$500.00 |
$300.00 |
$800.00 |
$175.00 |
$300.00 |
Occupational Medicine |
$200.00 |
$129.00 |
$315.00 |
$75.00 |
$150.00 |
Ophthalmology |
$200.00 |
$150.00 |
$300.00 |
$150.00 |
$300.00 |
Orthopedics |
$250.00 |
$75.00 |
$300.00 |
$125.00 |
$250.00 |
Otolaryngology |
$600.00 |
$480.00 |
$1,000.00 |
$300.00 |
$300.00 |
Pain Management |
$600.00 |
$400.00 |
$1,200.00 |
$200.00 |
$400.00 |
Pain Medicine |
$800.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,200.00 |
$250.00 |
$450.00 |
Physical Medicine & Rehab |
$200.00 |
$150.00 |
$275.00 |
$135.00 |
$175.00 |
Physical Therapy |
$300.00 |
$250.00 |
$500.00 |
$200.00 |
$225.00 |
Preventive Medicine |
$300.00 |
$250.00 |
$500.00 |
$500.00 |
$500.00 |
Psychiatry |
$180.00 |
$145.00 |
$200.00 |
$150.00 |
$200.00 |
Pulmonary Medicine |
$250.00 |
$250.00 |
$600.00 |
$250.00 |
$250.00 |
ALL |
$100.00 |
$900.00 |
$150.00 |
$75.00 |
$100.00 |
Table 3. Specialty Fee Analysis - Highest Fees Reported by Each Specialty
Primary Specialty |
IMEs (types) |
Consult |
Testify |
||
Routine |
Brief |
Complex |
Rate / Hr. |
Rate / Hr. |
|
Anesthesiology |
$800.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,500.00 |
$300.00 |
$400.00 |
Chiropractic |
$1,200.00 |
$750.00 |
$1,700.00 |
$400.00 |
$1,500.00 |
Chiropractic Neurology |
$350.00 |
$225.00 |
$500.00 |
$350.00 |
$350.00 |
Chiropractic Orthopedics |
$500.00 |
$350.00 |
$800.00 |
$325.00 |
$450.00 |
Emergency Medicine |
$325.00 |
$300.00 |
$350.00 |
$200.00 |
$500.00 |
Family Practice |
$750.00 |
$700.00 |
$2,500.00 |
$700.00 |
$1,000.00 |
General Surgery |
$500.00 |
$400.00 |
$700.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,200.00 |
Hand Surgery |
$400.00 |
$330.00 |
$1,000.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,000.00 |
Internal Medicine |
$1,000.00 |
$600.00 |
$1,250.00 |
$400.00 |
$800.00 |
Neurology |
$1,450.00 |
$750.00 |
$4,000.00 |
$600.00 |
$800.00 |
Neuropsychiatry |
$900.00 |
$800.00 |
$1,000.00 |
$200.00 |
$200.00 |
Neurosurgery |
$650.00 |
$450.00 |
$850.00 |
$200.00 |
$395.00 |
Occupational Medicine |
$900.00 |
$900.00 |
$2,000.00 |
$500.00 |
$750.00 |
Ophthalmology |
$300.00 |
$200.00 |
$400.00 |
$300.00 |
$300.00 |
Orthopedics |
$1,200.00 |
$900.00 |
$8,000.00 |
$700.00 |
$2,500.00 |
Otolaryngology |
$600.00 |
$480.00 |
$1,000.00 |
$300.00 |
$300.00 |
Pain Management |
$600.00 |
$400.00 |
$1,200.00 |
$200.00 |
$400.00 |
Pain Medicine |
$800.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,200.00 |
$250.00 |
$450.00 |
Physical Medicine & Rehab |
$2,500.00 |
$600.00 |
$10,000.00 |
$600.00 |
$3,500.00 |
Physical Therapy |
$300.00 |
$250.00 |
$500.00 |
$200.00 |
$225.00 |
Preventive Medicine |
$300.00 |
$250.00 |
$500.00 |
$500.00 |
$500.00 |
Psychiatry |
$900.00 |
$900.00 |
$1,300.00 |
$300.00 |
$500.00 |
Pulmonary Medicine |
$475.00 |
$375.00 |
$900.00 |
$275.00 |
$400.00 |
ALL |
$2500.00 |
$900.00 |
$ 10,000.00 |
$700.00 |
$3500.00 |
Table 4. Specialty Fee Analysis - Average Fees Reported by Type of Service
Sorted in Descending Order by Average Fee for a Routine IME
Primary Specialty |
IMEs (types) |
Consult |
Testify |
||
Routine |
Brief |
Complex |
Rate / Hr. |
Rate / Hr. |
|
Neuropsychiatry |
$900.00 |
$800.00 |
$1,000.00 |
$200.00 |
$200.00 |
Anesthesiology |
$800.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,500.00 |
$300.00 |
$400.00 |
Pain Medicine |
$800.00 |
$500.00 |
$1,200.00 |
$250.00 |
$450.00 |
Neurology |
$650.00 |
$465.27 |
$1,413.64 |
$368.91 |
$515.91 |
Internal Medicine |
$611.67 |
$341.67 |
$966.67 |
$266.67 |
$508.33 |
Otolaryngology |
$600.00 |
$480.00 |
$1,000.00 |
$300.00 |
$300.00 |
Pain Management |
$600.00 |
$400.00 |
$1,200.00 |
$200.00 |
$400.00 |
Neurosurgery |
$575.00 |
$375.00 |
$825.00 |
$187.50 |
$347.50 |
Psychiatry |
$568.57 |
$416.43 |
$829.29 |
$225.71 |
$357.14 |
Family Practice |
$557.14 |
$407.14 |
$1,271.43 |
$375.00 |
$564.29 |
Orthopedics |
$533.18 |
$374.93 |
$959.38 |
$351.31 |
$661.44 |
Physical Medicine & Rehab |
$513.16 |
$357.87 |
$977.47 |
$288.23 |
$579.53 |
Occupational Medicine |
$466.46 |
$311.75 |
$1,017.50 |
$238.93 |
$339.29 |
General Surgery |
$450.00 |
$375.00 |
$550.00 |
$425.00 |
$775.00 |
Chiropractic |
$400.00 |
$261.90 |
$754.76 |
$213.57 |
$439.29 |
Hand Surgery |
$400.00 |
$290.00 |
$750.00 |
$350.00 |
$700.00 |
Chiropractic Orthopedics |
$378.33 |
$266.11 |
$594.44 |
$249.44 |
$327.78 |
Pulmonary Medicine |
$362.50 |
$312.50 |
$750.00 |
$262.50 |
$325.00 |
Emergency Medicine |
$325.00 |
$300.00 |
$350.00 |
$200.00 |
$500.00 |
Physical Therapy |
$300.00 |
$250.00 |
$500.00 |
$200.00 |
$225.00 |
Preventive Medicine |
$300.00 |
$250.00 |
$500.00 |
$500.00 |
$500.00 |
Chiropractic Neurology |
$260.00 |
$158.33 |
$383.33 |
$190.00 |
$250.00 |
Ophthalmology |
$250.00 |
$175.00 |
$350.00 |
$225.00 |
$300.00 |
Table 5. Impact of Certification and Training on Fees
Category |
Average Fee (Routine IME) |
% Increase in Fees (for Routine IME) |
Average Fee (Complex IME) |
% Increase in Fees (for Complex IME) |
||
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
|||
CIME |
$543.32 |
$492.86 |
10% |
$1182.99 |
$850.61 |
39% |
AADEP Trained |
$547.15 |
$491.89 |
11% |
$1030.27 |
$914.06 |
13% |
ACOEM Trained |
$508.92 |
$ 506.75 |
||||