Yeah plus that 401k is tax deductible so free money. Also health insurance is tax deductible and with higher hourly you can work less. CME tax deductible. Paid vacations as an employee are already built into your hourly rate so you are paying for it.
Don't underestimate the value of tax free benefits. Here are some of my benefits that cut tens of thousands of dollars off my tax bill:
401k / Profit Sharing $55,000
Cash balance plan $50,000
Health and Dental insurance - $15,983
Malpractice Insurance - $25,750
Disability and Long Term Care insurance - $11,076
Life insurance - $1,025
Health Savings Account $6,900
CME $10,000
Computer / Technology fund - $5,000
Reimbursement for cell phone / internet ~ $2,500
Total benefits = $
183,234
I worked 1803 hours last year. The value of those benefits works out to $101/hour. If I had just been paid straight cash with no benefits my hourly rate would have been higher, but I also would have paid an additional $64,131 in federal taxes and $12,826 in state taxes.
When it comes to full time jobs, don't let the dollar signs fool you. There's no prize for the person who pays the most taxes.
As far as side hustles like chart reviews, the hourly rate is all that matters. You can make $110 - $150 an hour working from home doing all sorts of things. The companies I work for are trying to justify inpatient admissions. My job is to review a 100 page chart and sum it up into 3 paragraphs about why the doctor thinks the patient needs to be in the hospital. I don't think I would enjoy a job where I was trying to deny claims and screw over patients and doctors.