Cost is one of the first questions practices ask when considering a virtual medical assistant. The short answer: a VMA costs 60โ75% less than an in-house hire. Here's the full breakdown.
VMA Cost Breakdown by Service Type
| Service Type | Part-Time (20 hrs/mo) | Full-Time (160 hrs/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| General VMA | $699โ$999/mo | $1,299โ$1,799/mo |
| Virtual Receptionist | $799โ$1,099/mo | $1,299โ$1,599/mo |
| Medical Billing Specialist | 4โ6% of collections | $1,399โ$1,999/mo |
| Medical Coder (CPC) | $899โ$1,199/mo | $1,199โ$1,799/mo |
Full Cost Comparison: VMA vs. In-House
When you factor in ALL costs of an in-house hire, the savings become dramatic:
| Cost Item | In-House Assistant | Virtual Medical Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $38,000โ$48,000/yr | Included in monthly fee |
| Health Insurance | $6,000โ$12,000/yr | $0 |
| Payroll Taxes | $3,500โ$5,000/yr | $0 |
| PTO/Sick Days | $2,500โ$4,000/yr | $0 |
| Office Space | $3,000โ$8,000/yr | $0 |
| Equipment | $1,500โ$3,000/yr | $0 |
| Total Annual Cost | $55,000โ$80,000 | $15,000โ$24,000 |
What Affects VMA Pricing?
- Specialty complexity โ Surgical coding VMAs cost more than general admin VMAs
- Experience level โ CPC-certified coders cost more than entry-level schedulers
- Hours per month โ Part-time costs more per hour than full-time
- Agency vs. independent โ Agencies charge a premium but handle compliance and management
- Service bundle discounts โ Bundling VMA + billing typically saves 10โ15%
ROI Calculator: What's the Return?
Consider a family medicine practice that hires a full-time billing VMA at $1,499/month:
- Average denial rate drops from 12% to 2% = +$4,200/month in recovered revenue
- Physician sees 4 more patients/day = +$3,800/month in additional revenue
- Reduced no-shows by 40% = +$1,600/month
- Total monthly benefit: ~$9,600 vs. cost of $1,499 = 6.4x ROI
Get a Custom Quote for Your Practice
Our pricing depends on your specialty, practice size, and service needs. Book a free call to get your custom estimate.
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