Payment Programs For Healthcare Plans

• US 20070194109A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Klaboe, Dana, Malnati, Leigh, Harrison, Sarah, Jagatic, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,922,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

The invention is a computer-implemented method and system to facilitate a purchase utilizing a tax-advantaged account. A request for payment for an item is received from a requester. A determination is made whether the item qualifies for pre-tax treatment. If the item qualifies for pre-tax treatment at least a partial payment amount for the item is determined. The tax-advantaged account is debited for at least a portion of the purchasing amount of the item based on the payment authorization; and the at least partial payment amount for the item is transmitted to an account of the requestor.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to facilitate a purchase utilizing a tax-advantaged account, comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a requestor a request for payment for an item;

determining whether said item qualifies for pre-tax treatment; and

if said item qualifies for pre-tax treatment;

(i) determining at least partial payment amount for said item;

(ii) causing the tax-advantaged account to be debited for at least a portion of the purchasing amount of said item based on said payment authorization, and

(iii) transmitting said at least partial payment amount for said item to an account of said requestor.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said at least partial payment amount is transmitted to the requestor account concurrently with the debiting of said tax-advantaged account.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the requestor is a service provider.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the requestor is a retail merchant.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the requestor is a third party intermediary associated with a provider and a financial institution.