Healthcare insurance security system

• US 20060224420A1
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apsrfid LLC
• Original Assignee: Apsrfid LLC
• Inventors: Willis, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US11/099,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224420A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD

Abstract

A system that facilitates verifying insurance coverage of an insured includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) card, a card reader system, and an insurance system. The radio frequency identification card is coupled to a patient and is capable of transmitting card data. The card reader system receives the card data from the RFID card and transmits the card data via a communication platform. The insurance system receives the card data from the card reader system via the communication platform and determines whether the insured has insurance coverage based on the card data. The card reader system further transmits data on the type of service provided to the insured to the insurance system, which verifies whether the insured received service from a provider or the provider provided service to the insured based on the received service data from the card reader system.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates verifying insurance coverage of an insured, the system comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) card that is coupled to a patient and is capable of transmitting card data; and

a card reader system that receives the card data from the RFID card and transmits the card data via a communication platform; and

an insurance system that receives the card data from the card reader system via the communication platform and determines whether the insured has insurance coverage based on the card data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID card is passive that is triggered by the card reader system to transmit the card data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID card is active that transmits card data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID card comprises:

a computing device that stores card data and prescription data;

a transceiver that is electrically coupled to the computing device, the transceiver being capable of receiving data from the computing device and converting the data from digital to analog; and

an antenna that is electrically coupled to the transceiver, the antenna being capable of transmitting data from the computing device to the card reader system and receiving data from the card reader system,

wherein the transceiver receives the data from the card reader system via the antenna, converts the data from analog to digital, and sends the data to the computing device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the RFID card comprises a housing that houses the antenna, transceiver, and computing device, wherein the outside surface of the housing includes one of a picture of the insured;

the name of the insured, the insured insurance identification number, the insured insurance policy number, effective date, and the type of insurance coverage.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the card data contains one of the name of the insured, the insured insurance identification number, the insured insurance policy number, effective date, and the type of insurance coverage.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the card reader system comprises:

a computing device that stores card data and prescription data;

a transceiver that is electrically coupled to the computing device, the transceiver being capable of receiving data from the computing device and converting the data from digital to analog; and

an antenna that is electrically coupled to the transceiver, wherein the transceiver receives the data from the card reader system via the antenna, converts the data from analog to digital, and sends the data to the computing device, the antenna being capable of transmitting and receiving data from the computing device to and from the insurance system and RFID card.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the card reader system is located in a first location, the card reader system being capable of associating the card data to one of a provider, time, and date, and transmitting the card data and associated data to the insurance system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first location is one of a medical clinic and a drugstore.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the insurance system tracks the number of times the insured uses the insurance coverage based on the data received from the RFID card.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the insurance system is located in a second location, the insurance system being capable of associating the card data to one of a time, and date when the insurance system received the card data.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the insurance system transmits signal that the insured has or has no insurance coverage for medical service based on the card data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the card reader system receives the signal that the insured has or has no insurance coverage for medical service and displays the signal on a display device of the card reader system.

14. The system of claim 1, where the insurance system transmits updated signal to RFID card via communication platform.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the card reader system transmits an activating signal to the RFID card instructing the RFID card to transmit the card data.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication platform is one of bi-directional satellite communication, Internet protocol communication, cellular communication, public switched telephone network, and short message network communication.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the card reader system transmits data on the type of service provided to the insured to the insurance system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the insurance system verifies whether the insured received service from a provider or the provider provided service to the insured based on the received service data from the card reader system.

19. A insurance system that facilitates verifying insurance coverage of an insured, the insurance system comprising:

a processing device; and

a memory having an operating system and an insurance manager, the processing device interacting with the memory to facilitate the operating system in controlling the execution of at least the insurance manager,

wherein the insurance manager stored in a computer-readable medium, the manager comprising;

logic configured to receive data from a card reader system and;

logic configured to determine whether the insured is authorized for insurance coverage based on the card data from an RFID card.

20. The insurance system of claim 19, wherein the card data contains one of the name of the insured, the insured insurance identification number, the insured insurance policy number, and the type of insurance coverage.

21. The insurance system of claim 19, wherein the insurance manager further comprises logic configured to track the number of times the insured uses the insurance coverage based on the data received from the RFID card.

22. The insurance system of claim 19, wherein the insurance manager further comprises logic configured to associate the card data to one of a time, and date when the insurance system received the card data.

23. The insurance system of claim 19, wherein the insurance manager further comprises logic configured to transmit signal that the insured has or has no insurance coverage for medical service based on the card data.

24. The insurance system of claim 19, wherein the insurance manager receives data on the type of service provided to the insured from the card reader system.

25. The insurance system of claim 24, wherein the insurance manager verifies whether the insured received service from a provider or the provider provided service to the insured based on the received service data from the card reader system.

26. A card reader system that facilitates verifying insurance coverage of an insured, the card reader system comprising:

a processing device; and

a memory having an operating system and a card reader manager, the processing device interacting with the memory to facilitate the operating system in controlling the execution of at least the card reader manager,

wherein the card reader manager stored in a computer-readable medium, the manager comprising;

logic configured to receive card data from a radio frequency identification (RFID) card;

logic configured to transmit the card data to an insurance system via a communication platform;

logic configured to receive a signal from the insurance system via the communication platform that the insured has or has no insurance coverage for medical service based on the card data; and

logic configured to display the signal from the insurance system on a display device.

27. The card reader system of claim 26, wherein the card data contains one of the name of the insured, the insured insurance identification number, the insured insurance policy number, and the type of insurance coverage.

28. The card reader system of claim 26, wherein the card reader manager further comprises logic configured to associate the card data to one of a provider, time, and date, and transmitting the card data and associated data to the insurance system.

29. The card reader system of claim 26, wherein the card reader manager further comprises logic configured to transmit an activating signal to the RFID card instructing the RFID card to transmit the card data

30. The card reader system of claim 26, wherein the card reader manager further transmits data on the type of service provided to the insured to the insurance system that verifies whether the insured received service from a provider or the provider provided service to the insured based on the received service data from the card reader system.

31. A method for verifying insurance coverage of a insured, the method comprising:

activating radio frequency identification (RFID) card;

transmitting card data from the RFID card;

receiving the card data via a card reader system;

transmitting the card data to an insurance system via a communication platform; and

determining whether the insured is authorized for insurance coverage based on the card data.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising associating the card data to one of a provider, time, date, and room by the card reader system.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising transmitting an activating signal to the RFID card that instructs the RFID card to transmit the card data.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising tracking the number of times the insured uses the insurance coverage based on the card data.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising associating the card data to one of a time, and date when the insurance system received the card data.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising transmitting signal that the insured has or does not have insurance coverage for medical service based on the card data.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising receiving the signal that the insured has or does not have insurance coverage for medical service based on the card data and displaying the signal on a display device of a card reader system.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising receiving data on the type of service provided to the insured.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising verifying whether the insured received service from a provider or the provider provided service to the insured based on the received service data from the card reader system.