Systems and methods for consumers to purchase health care and related products
First Claim
1. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
- providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to members for purchases of products through the service provider system and the associated merchants; and
wherein points utilized by members, through the service provider system or associated merchants, are tax free for federal income tax purposes when the points are applied for, (i) health related products and services, (ii) payment of health insurance premiums, (iii) deposit into a Health Savings Account or a similarly approved account, and (iv) purchase of a health care plan.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of purchasing products and services utilizes a service provider system. The service provider system offers products for sale through the service provider system directly, and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system. Members are enrolled in the service provider system. Points are awarded to members for purchases of products through the service provider system and the associated merchants. Points utilized by members, through the service provider system or associated merchants, are tax free for federal income tax purposes when the points are applied for, (i) health related products and services, (ii) payment of health insurance premiums, (iii) deposit into a Health Savings Account or a similarly approved account, and purchase of a (iv)health care plan.
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Citations
111 Claims
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1. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to members for purchases of products through the service provider system and the associated merchants; and
wherein points utilized by members, through the service provider system or associated merchants, are tax free for federal income tax purposes when the points are applied for, (i) health related products and services, (ii) payment of health insurance premiums, (iii) deposit into a Health Savings Account or a similarly approved account, and (iv) purchase of a health care plan. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community; and
wherein points utilized by members, through the service provider system or associated merchants, are tax free for federal income tax purposes when the points are applied for, (i) health related products or services, (ii) payment of health insurance premiums, (iii) deposit into a Health Savings Account or a similarly approved account, and (iv) purchase of a health care plan. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community; and
wherein points utilized by members, through the service provider system or associated merchants, are tax free for federal income tax purposes when the points are applied for, (i) health related products or services, (ii) payment of health insurance premiums, (iii) deposit into a Health Savings Account or a similarly approved account, and (iv) purchase of a health care plan. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
providing members with service provider debit or credit cards;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community; and
wherein points utilized by members, through the service provider system or associated merchants, are tax free for federal income tax purposes when the points are applied for, (i) health related products or services, (ii) payment of health insurance premiums, (iii) deposit into a Health Savings Account or a similarly approved account, and (iv) purchase of a health care plan. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community; and
wherein the points represent an adjustment to purchase price rather than as gross income under Section 61 of the Internal Revenue Code. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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103. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community; and
wherein the points are rebate points that are directly related and limited by the amount of purchases made by a member awarded the points.
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104. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community; and
wherein points awarded by the service provider system and associated merchants are used as an offset against the purchase price of future products and services purchased by the member originally awarded the points.
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105. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community; and
wherein the points are used for purchase price adjustments through the service provider or associated merchants.
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106. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community; and
wherein the service provider system is not required to make information reporting under section 6041A of the Internal Revenue Code for awarding the points.
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107. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system and associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community;
awarding points to members for purchases made with a credit card issued by a merchant, irrespective if the merchant is an associated merchant, that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii); and
wherein points awarded by the service provider system and associated merchants are used as an offset against the purchase price of future products and services purchased through the service provider system or an associated merchant.
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108. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community;
awarding points to members for purchases made with a credit card issued by a merchant, irrespective if the merchant is an associated merchant, that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii); and
wherein the points are used for purchase price adjustments through the service provider or associated merchants.
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109. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community;
awarding points to members for purchases made with a credit card issued by a merchant, irrespective if the merchant is an associated merchant, that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii); and
wherein the points are rebate points that are directly related and limited by the amount of purchases made by a member awarded the points.
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110. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community;
awarding points to members for purchases made with a credit card issued by a merchant, irrespective if the merchant is an associated merchant, that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii); and
wherein the service provider pays to the federal government any federal income tax due that results from awarding the points.
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111. A method of purchasing products and services, comprising:
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providing a service provider system, the service provider system offering products for sale through the service provider system directly and also through associated merchants that are authorized to be associated with the service provider system;
enrolling members in the service provider system;
awarding points to a member for purchases made through the service provider system or associated merchants that are, (i) made by the member itself, (ii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by the member, and (iii) made by members who were referred to the service provider system by members in (ii), wherein members in (i), (ii) and (iii) are collectively a member'"'"'s community; and
wherein the service provider pays to the federal government any federal income tax due that results from awarding the points.
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Specification