Incentive Programs for Healthcare Cards

• US 20060167720A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Jagatic, Jason S., Harrison, Sarah E., Klaboe, Dana J., Malnati, Leigh Reynolds
• Application Number:
  US11/275,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167720A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

A computer-implemented method to facilitate a purchase by a cardmember using a transaction instrument, comprising: receiving, at a host computer, a request from a provider for payment authorization for a charge to the cardmember using the transaction instrument; determining whether the charge is for a covered healthcare expense; if the charge is determined to be for a covered healthcare expense, then crediting an account of the cardmember with points associated with the value of the charge; and if the charge is determined to be for a non-covered expense, then not crediting the cardmember'"'"'s account with any points associated with the value of the charge.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to facilitate a purchase by a cardmember using a transaction instrument, comprising:

receiving, at a host computer, a request from a provider for payment authorization for a charge to the cardmember using the transaction instrument;

determining whether the charge is for a covered healthcare expense;

if the charge is determined to be for a covered healthcare expense, then crediting an account of the cardmember with points associated with the value of the charge; and

if the charge is determined to be for a non-covered expense, then not crediting the cardmember'"'"'s account with any points associated with the value of the charge.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the charge is for a first type of covered healthcare expense, and if so, then crediting the cardmember'"'"'s account with a first value of points associated with the value of the charge; and

determining whether the charge is for a second type of covered healthcare expense, and if so, then crediting the cardmember'"'"'s account with a second value of points associated with the value of the charge, wherein the first and second values of points are different.