Patent ID: 8442840

Claim:
A healthcare transaction system for managing and arranging payment for a healthcare service provided to a patient by a healthcare service provider, said payment being owed by one or more payers, comprising: a. a central data system residing on a computer which is independent from said healthcare service provider and said payers, said central data system including authenticated access control for said healthcare service provider and said payers, wherein all information submitted remains centrally persistent in said central data system; b. an electronic deposit account which is created by said healthcare service provider over the Internet, in said central data system, wherein said electronic deposit account includes information pertaining only to said individual healthcare service provided to said patient; c. an electronic deposit account for each of said payers in said central system, into which each of said payers submits coverage information sufficient to determine whether said electronic deposit account created for said individual healthcare service is a healthcare service for which each of said payers owes a payment; d. an sweep tool for performing a relationship sweep within said central system, wherein said relationship sweep creates a link between said electronic deposit account for said individual healthcare service and said electronic deposit account for each payer having an obligation to pay for at least part of said individual healthcare service; e. wherein each link created by said sweep tool is limited to said deposit describing said individual healthcare service and one payer; f. wherein a payer is provided access to said electronic deposit account for said individual healthcare service once a link is created; g. wherein once a link is created both said healthcare service provider and a linked payer are able to submit information to said electronic deposit account for said individual healthcare service; h. wherein once said link is created both said healthcare service provider and a linked payer are able to review all information submitted into said electronic deposit account for said individual healthcare services; i. wherein once a payer is given access to said particular linked deposit said payer can deposit payment for said healthcare service transaction with said central data system; j. a means for electronically transferring said payment from said payer to said healthcare service provider; and k. an asset management tool which allows each of said payers to determine its total liability within said central system following each sweep made.