Healthcare Card Incentive Program For Multiple Users

• US 20070185801A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Oltine Acquisitions NY LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Sachdev, Sunil, Harrison, Sarah, Jagatic, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/36.T
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system to facilitate a purchase by at least first and second cardmembers using respective transaction instruments associated with a single tax-advantaged account. A request from a merchant to charge a purchase by the first cardmember against the tax-advantaged account for a transaction using the first transaction instrument is received at a host computer. A determination is made whether the first cardmember charge is for a covered tax-advantaged expense. The tax-advantaged account is credited with points associated with the value of the first cardmember charge only if the first cardmember charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense. A request is received from a merchant to charge the second cardmember against the tax-advantaged account for a transaction using the second transaction instrument. A determination is made whether the second cardmember charge is for a covered tax-advantaged expense. The tax-advantaged account is credited with points associated with the value of the second cardmember charge only if the second cardmember charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to facilitate a purchase by at least first and second cardmembers using respective transaction instruments associated with a single tax-advantaged account, comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a merchant to charge a purchase by the first cardmember against the tax-advantaged account for a transaction using the first transaction instrument;

(b) determining whether the first cardmember charge is for a covered tax-advantaged expense;

(c) crediting the tax-advantaged account with points associated with the value of the first cardmember charge only if the first cardmember charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense;

(d) receiving a request from a merchant to charge the second cardmember against the tax-advantaged account for a transaction using the second transaction instrument;

(e) determining whether the second cardmember charge is for a covered tax-advantaged expense; and

(f) crediting the tax-advantaged account with points associated with the value of the second cardmember charge only if the second cardmember charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said tax-advantaged account is a healthcare account.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(g) determining whether the first and/or second charges are for a first type of tax-advantaged expense, and if so, then crediting the tax-advantaged account with a first value of points associated with the value of the charge; and

(h) determining whether the first and/or second charges are for a second type of tax-advantaged expense, and if so, then crediting the tax-advantaged account with a second value of points associated with the value of the charge, wherein the first and second values of points are different.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

(i) if the charges can be automatically determined to be a tax-advantaged expense, then crediting the tax-advantaged account with the first value of points; and

(j) if the charge must be manually determined to be a tax-advantaged expense, then crediting the tax-advantaged account with the second value of points.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first value of points is greater than the second value of points.