Patent ID: 6820058
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: G06Q,G07F,G16H

Abstract:
A method for accelerating the provision of funds to a service provider for medical insurance using a smart card, consisting of the steps of:a. obtaining medical insurance coverage from an insurer for a person; b. creating a relationship with at least one service provider for medical services for persons contracting with the insurer; c. creating a smart card for the person, wherein the smart card comprises: information about medical insurance coverage for the person and a personal identification code; d. using the smart card to determine if the person is eligible for accelerated provision of funds from the insurer to a service provider for medical services based on medical insurance coverage; e. using the smart card to determine if a medical service is preauthorized by the insurer for the person; d. using the smart card to determine if a service provider is preauthorized by the insurer to perform a medical service; and g. using the smart card to facilitate a first transmission from the service provider to the insurer, wherein the first transmission consists of: i. service provider identification; ii. insured information; iii. proposed medical service information, iv. a request to confirm for 1. eligibility for medical insurance coverage; 2. medical service accelerated payment availability; v. a first transmission identification code; and vi. a description of a symptom; h. using the smart card to facilitate a second transmission from the insurer to the service provider, wherein the second transmission comprises: i. confirmation of medical insurance coverage; ii. confirmation of medical service accelerated payment availability; xii. an alert to the service provider that a portion of the funds may need to come from the insured and an indication of that fund amount; iv. type of policy held by the insured; v. claim code for the insured; vi. contact person at the insurer; vii. authorization code to perform the medical services and to guarantee payment for the rendered services; viii. information on co-payment amount; ix. information on deductible amount; x. reference codes from the insurer to be used by the service provider to perform the services; xi. co-insurer information; xii. a notice as to further services potentially needed by the insured; xiii. a depiction of the insured; xiv. a second transmission identification code, or combinations thereof; i. using the smart card to facilitate a third transmission to the insurer from the service provider, wherein the third transmission comprises: i. an acknowledgement of the medical service costs, ii. information on the medical service provided to the insured, iii. acknowledgement that the medical service has been rendered from the service provider to the insured, and iv. acknowledgement that funds were collected from the insured by the service provider; v. claim number vi. date medical service was rendered; vii. total amount charged to insured; viii. statement as to amount that exceeds rendered medical service; ix. detail on reference codes far rendered medical services; x. discount applied by the medical a services provider for a rendered medical service; xi. information on funds collected which includes co-payment amount collected and deductible amount collected; xii. an amount to be billed to a co-insurer; xiii. a third transmission identification code; or xiv. combinations thereof; and j. from zero to two days from the third transmission being received by the insurer, funds are transmitted from the insurer to the service provider for the medical service provided to the person.