Patents by Inventor Cullen L. Reed
Cullen L. Reed has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8464937Abstract: The present invention relates to a real time account control method and system that allows only eligible and authorized items to be purchased using the account. The present invention relates particularly to healthcare spending accounts such as flexible spending accounts and health reimbursement arrangements. The method can comprise the steps of: establishing at least one account, each account having an account holder; identifying at least one item eligible for purchase using one of the accounts; identifying at least one item authorized for purchase using one of the accounts; and, upon request to purchase an item using one of the accounts, authorizing the purchase for an amount not to exceed an available balance in that account only if the item is both an item identified as eligible for purchase and an item authorized for purchase.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2011Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignees: Alegeus Technologies, LLC, Humana, Inc.Inventors: Cullen L. Reed, Richard L. Stephenson, Steven T. Brown, Joanne E. Gruchalski, Henry A. Widenski, Jr., Jeffrey Jay Erdmann
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Patent number: 8265956Abstract: A method for providing insurance coverage to a subscriber comprises offering an insurance policy to the subscriber wherein the insurance policy comprises providing allowances to pay for one or more expenses covered by the insurance policy and providing monetary credits to the subscriber for any unused portion of a given allowance where the monetary credits can be used to cover the cost of a subsequent allowed expense. The insurance policy may be a pharmacy benefits plan. The covered expenses may be pharmacy expenses. The allowed expenses may be medical expenses which qualify under Section 213 of the US Internal Revenue Code for payment by an employer without the subscriber having to declare the payment as taxable income.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2012Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Humana Inc.Inventors: Benjamin E. Slen, Cullen L. Reed, Elizabeth D. Bierbower, Maureen M. Kinser, Jonathan T. Lord, Sandra L. Bartel
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Publication number: 20120158427Abstract: A method for providing insurance coverage to a subscriber comprises offering an insurance policy to the subscriber wherein the insurance policy comprises providing allowances to pay for one or more expenses covered by the insurance policy and providing monetary credits to the subscriber for any unused portion of a given allowance where the monetary credits can be used to cover the cost of a subsequent allowed expense. The insurance policy may be a pharmacy benefits plan. The covered expenses may be pharmacy expenses. The allowed expenses may be medical expenses which qualify under Section 213 of the US Internal Revenue Code for payment by an employer without the subscriber having to declare the payment as taxable income.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2012Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: HUMANA INC.Inventors: Benjamin E. Slen, Cullen L. Reed, Elizabeth D. Bierbower, Maureen M. Kinser, Jonathan T. Lord, Sandra L. Bartel
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Patent number: 8126737Abstract: A method for providing insurance coverage to a subscriber comprises offering an insurance policy to the subscriber wherein the insurance policy comprises providing allowances to pay for one or more expenses covered by the insurance policy and providing monetary credits to the subscriber for any unused portion of a given allowance where the monetary credits can be used to cover the cost of a subsequent allowed expense. The insurance policy may be a pharmacy benefits plan. The covered expenses may be pharmacy expenses. The allowed expenses may be medical expenses which qualify under Section 213 of the US Internal Revenue Code for payment by an employer without the subscriber having to declare the payment as taxable income.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2011Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Humana Inc.Inventors: Benjamin E. Slen, Cullen L. Reed, Elizabeth D. Bierbower, Maureen M. Kinser, Jonathan T. Lord, Sandra L. Bartel
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Publication number: 20110173083Abstract: The present invention relates to a real time account control method and system that allows only eligible and authorized items to be purchased using the account. The present invention relates particularly to healthcare spending accounts such as flexible spending accounts and health reimbursement arrangements. The method can comprise the steps of: establishing at least one account, each account having an account holder; identifying at least one item eligible for purchase using one of the accounts; identifying at least one item authorized for purchase using one of the accounts; and, upon request to purchase an item using one of the accounts, authorizing the purchase for an amount not to exceed an available balance in that account only if the item is both an item identified as eligible for purchase and an item authorized for purchase.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2011Publication date: July 14, 2011Inventors: Cullen L. Reed, Richard L. Stephenson, Steven T. Brown, Joanne E. Gruchalski, Henry A. Widenski, JR., Jeffrey Jay Erdmann
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Publication number: 20110153353Abstract: A method for providing insurance coverage to a subscriber comprises offering an insurance policy to the subscriber wherein the insurance policy comprises providing allowances to pay for one or more expenses covered by the insurance policy and providing monetary credits to the subscriber for any unused portion of a given allowance where the monetary credits can be used to cover the cost of a subsequent allowed expense. The insurance policy may be a pharmacy benefits plan. The covered expenses may be pharmacy expenses. The allowed expenses may be medical expenses which qualify under Section 213 of the US Internal Revenue Code for payment by an employer without the subscriber having to declare the payment as taxable income.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2011Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: HUMANA INC.Inventors: Benjamin E. Slen, Cullen L. Reed, Elizabeth D. Bierbower, Maureen M. Kinser, Jonathan T. Lord, Sandra L. Bartel
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Patent number: 7895054Abstract: A method for providing insurance coverage to a subscriber comprises offering an insurance policy to said subscriber wherein said insurance policy comprises providing allowances to pay for one or more expenses covered by said insurance policy and providing monetary credits to said subscriber for any unused portion of a given allowance where said monetary credits can be used to cover the cost of a subsequent allowed expense. The insurance policy may be a pharmacy benefits plan. The covered expenses may be pharmacy expenses. The allowed expenses may be medical expenses which qualify under section 213 of the US Internal Revenue code for payment by an employer without said subscriber having to declare said payment as taxable income.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2005Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Humana Inc.Inventors: Benjamin E. Slen, Cullen L. Reed, Elizabeth D. Bierbower, Maureen M. Kinser, Jonathan T. Lord, Sandra L. Bartel
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Patent number: 7866548Abstract: The present invention relates to a real time account control method and system that allows only eligible and authorized items to be purchased using the account. The present invention relates particularly to healthcare spending accounts such as flexible spending accounts and health reimbursement arrangements. The method can comprise the steps of: establishing at least one account, each account having an account holder; identifying at least on item eligible for purchase using one of the accounts; identifying at least one item authorized for purchase using one of the accounts; and, upon request to purchase an item using one of the accounts, authorizing the purchase for an amount not to exceed an available balance in that account only if the item is both an item identified as eligible for purchase and an item authorized for purchase.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2005Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignees: Metavante Corporation, Humana, Inc.Inventors: Cullen L. Reed, Richard L. Stephenson, Steven T. Brown, Joanne E. Gruchalski, Henry A. Widenski, Jr., Jeffrey Jay Erdmann