Patent ID: 8660855

Claim:
An electronic payment processing method comprising: receiving, an authorization request data message from a point of sale terminal at a healthcare provider via an electronic payment processing network, for a first amount associated with healthcare services rendered to a patient; determining, by the electronic payment processing network, a predetermined amount of time for holding the portion of the first amount on a payment card from a plurality of amounts of time, from the authorization request data message; forwarding, via the electronic payment processing network the authorization request data message to an issuer of the payment card, the authorization request data message having a requirement that at least a portion of the first amount is held by the issuer for the predetermined amount of time, the predetermined amount of time comprising at least four days; receiving, from the point-of-sale terminal, a settlement request message, via the electronic payment processing network, requesting payment for a second amount due from the patient after an adjudication with the patient's health insurance carrier within the predetermined amount of time, wherein the issuer is not the health insurance carrier, and if the healthcare provider does not send the settlement request message to the issuer within the predetermined amount of time, the held amount is no longer held; and processing, via the electronic payment processing network, a fund transfer transaction from the patient's payment card to the health provider based on the settlement request message.