Abstract: A method of verifying health insurance coverage eligibility for a patient includes receiving at a host computer system a message from a provider. The message includes a request for an eligibility and coverage information packet. The message identifies at least the patient and the provider. The method also includes using at least a portion of the information in the request to locate a payer associated with the patient and sending a message to a computing system of the payer. The message comprises a request to return to the host computer system the eligibility and coverage information packet. The method also includes receiving the eligibility and coverage information packet from the computing system of the payer and sending the packet to the provider.

Abstract: A method of verifying insurance coverage relating to a member includes receiving at a financial transaction processing computer system a member identifier relating to the member and searching a database to determine if the member identifier is valid. The method also includes transmitting from the financial transaction processing computer system authorization information.