Methods of providing pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical services

• US 20020069088A1
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bio Partners in Care, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Original Assignee: Bio Partners in Care, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: Berg, Brian F.
• Application Number:
  US09/728,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20020069088A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Methods are provided to dispense pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical services, wherein a pharmaceutical or ancillary device is received from a manufacturer when ordered by a covered entity on behalf of a patient. Further, an accounts receivable associated with the patient is acquired by the manufacturer or in connection with a manufacturer from the covered entity. Moreover, the pharmaceutical or ancillary device is provided to the patient.

Further, a method of dispensing patient prescriptions is provided, such that an identification, an accounts receivable, and a prescription associated with a patient of a covered entity are received by a manufacturer or in connection with a manufacturer. The prescription is ordered using the credit of the covered entity and dispensed to the patient.

Additionally, a method of transacting business with a covered entity, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, and a patient is provided, wherein a prescription is ordered from a manufacturer on behalf of a covered entity and for the benefit of a patient of the covered entity. Also, an account associated with the ordering of the prescription and the patient is acquired by the manufacturer or in connection with a manufacturer from the covered entity, and the delivery of the prescription to the patient is managed.

Claims

1. A method of providing pharmaceutical services, comprising the steps of:

receiving a pharmaceutical or ancillary device resulting from an order received on behalf of a covered entity for the benefit of a patient;

acquiring by a manufacturer or in connection with the manufacturer an accounts receivable of the patient from the covered entity wherein the accounts receivable is associated with the pharmaceutical or the ancillary device;

ensuring the pharmaceutical or the ancillary device is provided to the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

collecting a payment on behalf of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a fee to the covered entity for acquiring the accounts receivable.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a report to the covered entity associated with providing the pharamaceutical or the ancillary device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a report to the covered entity associated with an activity of the accounts receivable.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

managing one or more prescriptions of the patient.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selling the accounts receivable back to the covered entity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pharmaceutical or the ancillary device is associated with hemophilia.

9. A method of providing a patient prescriptions, comprising the steps of:

receiving an identification associated with a patient of a covered entity and a prescription of the patient;

ordering the prescription using a credit of the covered entity;

acquiring by a manufacturer or in connection with the manufacturer an accounts receivable from the covered entity associated with the patient; and

dispensing the ordered prescription to the patient.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

acquiring a payment on behalf of the patient for the prescription.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

providing a prescription consultation upon a request of the patient.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

verifying an insurance coverage associated with the patient to pay for the prescription dispensed the patient.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

providing a fee to the covered entity for acquiring the accounts receivable.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the fee is less than an expense associated with the prescription.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the prescription is associated with a treatment of a Hemophiliac.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the prescription is dispensed to the patient at a patient defined location.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

collecting a payment from the patient for the delivery to offset a debit associated with the account.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

collecting a payment from an insurance of the patient for the delivery to offset a debit associated with the account.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

reporting an activity associated with the account to the covered entity.

17. A method of transacting business with a covered entity, a pharmaceutical manufacturer and a patient comprising the steps of:

ordering a prescription from a pharmaceutical manufacturer on behalf of a covered entity wherein the prescription is for a patient of the covered entity;

acquiring by the manufacturer or in connection with the manufacturer from the covered entity an account associated with the ordering of the prescription and the patient; and

managing a delivery of the prescription to the patient.