Abstract: A method for accelerating a payment to a merchant for a healthcare related claim. The method comprises submitting a healthcare related claim for payment from the merchant to a payer; determining at the payer whether the member is eligible for services covered as a part of his or her healthcare plan. If the member is determined to be eligible for payment of claim(s) submitted, then a financial institution is notified of an estimated amount of liability for the claim. At least a portion of the estimated amount of liability for the claim is paid to the merchant by the financial institution. The financial institution thereafter receives a reimbursement/payment from a healthcare finding source for the adjudicated amount of liability for the claim. Once the claim is adjudicated, a healthcare management system reconciles with the merchant for any under or over payment.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for integrating verification of eligibility information of a card member enrolled in a health plan with a payment account required to pay for the services used according to the health plan is described. The present invention integrates card member information to a method which provides payment capabilities for services used by the card member. The invention encodes basic patient eligibility information onto a card magnetic stripe. This helps in overcoming any manual data entry errors that can resulted from a paper-based or paperless electronic process. The invention provides the ability to complete a transaction involving a medical service provider, a patient and a payer in a single swipe of card.

Abstract: A system and computer program product for integrating verification of eligibility information of a card member enrolled in a health plan with a payment account required to pay for the services used according to the health plan is described. The present invention integrates card member information to a Practice Management System which provides payment capabilities for services used by the card member. The invention encodes basic patient eligibility information onto a card magnetic stripe. This helps in overcoming any manual data entry errors that can result from a paper-based or paperless electronic process. The invention provides the ability to complete a transaction involving a medical service provider, a patient and a payer in a single swipe of card.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system to facilitate a purchase. A request for payment for a charge by a provider to a customer having a plurality of accounts is received at a host computer. At least one of the accounts qualifies for pre-tax treatment and at least one account does not qualify for pre-tax treatment. A hold is placed on funds in one or more of the plurality of accounts sufficient to cover the charge. The host determines whether the charge qualifies for pre-tax treatment. If the charge qualifies for pre-tax treatment, then at least the account qualifying for pre-tax treatment is debited for some or all of the charge.

Abstract: A method comprises the steps of: receiving, at a host computer, a request from a provider for payment for a charge incurred by a purchaser; identifying a plurality of funding sources of the purchaser from which to draw funds for payment of the charge; and causing at least one of the plurality of funding sources to be debited for at least a portion of the purchasing amount of said item based on said payment authorization.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method to facilitate a purchase comprising: receiving, at a first host computer, a request from a provider for payment authorization for a charge to a purchaser; examining a database coupled to the first host computer for information concerning the purchaser; providing the information concerning the purchaser to a second host computer associated with the provider; receiving at the first host computer information from a third host computer concerning a negotiated amount of the charge to the purchaser; tendering payment of the negotiated charge to the provider; and withdrawing an amount no greater than the negotiated amount of the charge from an account of the purchaser.

Abstract: A method comprises the steps of: receiving, at a host computer, a request from a purchaser for payment authorization for a charge for an item; determining whether said item qualifies for payment of a discounted amount of the item charge; receiving at the host computer a request from a provider for payment of the item charge; identifying a funding source of the purchaser from which to draw funds for payment of the item charge; and causing the funding source to be debited for at least a portion of the discounted amount of the item charge based on the payment authorization.