OPT-IN COLLECTOR SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20130218595A1
• Filed: 10/03/2012
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WebMD LLC (WebMD Health Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Burkett
• Inventors: BURKETT, KENNETH
• Granted Patent: US 9,076,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• 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 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Systems request and collect an opt-in from a network-connected communications device. The communications device has a unique identifier address. A server computer is connected to the network. A detector connects to a data channel over which the unique identifier address passes, and determines the unique identifier address. A dispatcher connected to and controlled by the server computer creates an opt-in request message directed to the communications device at the unique identifier address. A database is connected to the server computer. A record of the database is created for the communications device, which record includes the opt-in request message and unique identifier address. The server computer communicates the opt-in request to the communications device, and any reply message of the opt-in is received from the communications device and the database record updated accordingly. The opt-in reply message is a HIPAA authorization in a prescription drug benefit system.

Claims

1. A system for requesting and collecting an opt-in from an entity via a communications device of the entity communicatively connected to a communications network, the communications device having a unique identifier address of the communications network, comprising:

a server computer communicatively connected to the communications network;

a data channel for communicating the unique identifier address;

a detector communicatively connected to the data channel to determine the unique identifier address communicated on the data channel;

a dispatcher communicatively connected to and controlled by the server computer;

an opt-in request message created by the dispatcher and directed to the communications device at the unique identifier address of the communications network;

a database communicatively connected to and controlled by the server computer; and

a record of the database created by the database for the communications device of the unique identifier address, the record includes items representing the opt-in request message and unique identifier address;

wherein the server computer communicates the opt-in request message to the communications device over the communications network.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a reply message of the opt-in received by the server computer over the communications network from the communications device having the unique identifier address;

wherein the server computer controls the database to update the record for the communications device to reflect the received reply message of the opt-in from the communications device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the opt-in request message seeks HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the reply message of the opt-in is the HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the entity.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data channel is a switch of a prescription drug benefit system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data channel is an exchange device of a prescription drug benefit system.

6. A method for requesting and collecting an opt-in from an entity via a communications device of the entity communicatively connected to a communications network, the communications device having a unique identifier address of the communications network, comprising the steps of:

detecting the unique identifier address passing through a data channel communicating the unique identifier address;

receiving the unique identifier address from the step of detecting by a server computer;

creating an opt-in request message directed to the unique identifier address;

communicating the opt-in request message over the communications network to the unique identifier address for receipt by the communications device; and

creating a record of a database representing the opt-in request message and the unique identifier address.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a reply message of the opt-in from the communications device over the communications network by the server computer;

updating the record of the database for the communications device and the opt-in request message, to reflect receipt of the reply message of the opt-in from the step of receiving.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the opt-in request message seeks HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the reply message of the opt-in is the HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the entity.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the data channel is a switch of a prescription drug benefit system.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the data channel is an exchange device of a prescription drug benefit system.

11. A system for requesting and collecting an opt-in from an entity via a communications device of the entity communicatively connected to a communications network, the communications device having a unique identifier address of the communications network, comprising:

a server computer communicatively connected to the communications network;

an enrollment form communicatively connected to the server computer, the enrollment form includes the unique identifier address;

a dispatcher communicatively connected to and controlled by the server computer;

an opt-in request message created by the dispatcher and directed to the communications device at the unique identifier address of the communications network;

a database communicatively connected to and controlled by the server computer; and

a record of the database created by the database for the communications device of the unique identifier address, the record includes items representing the opt-in request message and unique identifier address;

wherein the server computer communicates the opt-in request message to the communications device over the communications network.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a reply message of the opt-in received by the server computer over the communications network from the communications device having the unique identifier address;

wherein the server computer controls the database to update the record for the communications device to reflect the received reply message of the opt-in from the communications device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the opt-in request message seeks HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the reply message of the opt-in is the HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the entity.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a provider device communicatively connected to the server computer, capable of input to create the enrollment form;

wherein the enrollment form is communicated to the server computer by the provider device.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

an interactive form served by the server computer to the provider device, the provider device, via input to the interactive form by the provider device, creates the enrollment form for communication to the server computer.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the enrollment form relates to a prescription drug benefit.

28. The system of claim 11, wherein the offer card relates to a prescription drug benefit.

17. A method for requesting and collecting an opt-in from an entity via a communications device of the entity communicatively connected to a communications network, the communications device having a unique identifier address of the communications network, comprising the steps of:

receiving an enrollment form that includes the unique identifier address, by a server computer communicatively connected to the communications network;

creating an opt-in request message based on the enrollment form, directed to the unique identifier address;

communicating the opt-in request message over the communications network to the unique identifier address for receipt by the communications device; and

creating a record of a database representing the opt-in request message and the unique identifier address.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a reply message of the opt-in from the communications device over the communications network by the server computer;

updating the record of the database for the communications device and the opt-in request message, to reflect receipt of the reply message of the opt-in from the step of receiving.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the opt-in request message seeks HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the reply message of the opt-in is the HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the entity.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

delivering an interactive form by the server computer, to a provider device for input to create the enrollment form; and

receiving by the server computer the enrollment form from the provider device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

delivering by the server computer the interactive form, capable of input to create the enrollment form, to the provider device for input.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the enrollment form relates to a prescription drug benefit.

23. A system for requesting and collecting an opt-in from an entity via a communications device of the entity communicatively connected to a communications network, the communications device having a unique identifier address of the communications network, comprising:

a server computer communicatively connected to the communications network;

an offer card including at least a call number and an offer code, the offer code and the unique identifier address received by the server computer via the call number over the communications network from the communications device;

a dispatcher communicatively connected to and controlled by the server computer;

an opt-in request message created by the dispatcher to correspond to the offer code, and directed to the communications device at the unique identifier address of the communications network;

a database communicatively connected to and controlled by the server computer; and

a record of the database created by the database for the communications device of the unique identifier address, the record includes items representing the opt-in request message and unique identifier address;

wherein the server computer communicates the opt-in request message to the communications device over the communications network.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a reply message of the opt-in received by the server computer over the communications network from the communications device having the unique identifier address;

wherein the server computer controls the database to update the record for the communications device to reflect the received reply message of the opt-in from the communications device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the opt-in request message seeks HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the reply message of the opt-in is the HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the entity.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the communications network includes at least a cellular text messaging link.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the communications network includes at least a multimedia messaging service (MMS) messaging link.

29. A method of requesting and collecting an opt-in for HIPAA authorization from an entity via a communications device of the entity communicatively connected to a communications network, the communications device having a unique identifier address of the communications network, the communications network includes a text messaging link to the communications device, comprising:

receiving by a server computer communicatively connected to the communications network, the unique identifier address of the communications device;

creating an opt-in request message directed to the unique identifier address;

communicating the opt-in request message over the communications network by the server computer to the unique identifier address, for receipt by the communications device over the text messaging link; and

creating a record of a database representing the opt-in request message and the unique identifier address.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a reply message of the opt-in from the communications network by the server computer, the reply message of the opt-in sent by the communications device over the text messaging link;

updating the record of the database for the communications device and the opt-in request message, to reflect receipt of the reply message of the opt-in from the step of receiving.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the opt-in request message seeks HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the reply message of the opt-in is the HIPAA authorization of the communications device and the entity.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of communicating includes a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message as the opt-in request message.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of receiving the reply message includes a simple messaging service (SMS) message as the reply message of the opt-in.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of receiving regards a prescription drug benefit.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of receiving regards a prescription drug benefit.

36. A method of delivering a prescription drug discount via a cellular message on a cellular carrier network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a message artifact of a prescription token by a server computer at the destination address, the prescription token comprises at least data representing one instructor, including a prescription drug identity, a prescription drug patient identity, a cell phone number related to the prescription drug patient identity, and at least one destination locator for a server computer communicatively connected to the cellular carrier network;

parsing the message artifact by the server computer;

generating the prescription token by the server computer after the step of parsing;

looking-up at least a portion of the prescription token in an eligibility database connected to the server computer, the eligibility database comprises at least one eligibility record related to the at least the portion of the prescription token;

retrieving the at least one eligibility record from the step of looking-up at least a portion of the prescription token;

looking-up at least a portion of the at least one eligibility record in a discount database, the discount database comprises at least one discount artifact related to the prescription drug identity of the at least one instructor;

retrieving the at least one discount artifact of the discount database from the step of looking-up the at least a portion of the at least one eligibility record;

processing the at least one discount artifact by the server computer to generate a discount coupon;

sending the discount coupon by the server computer for receipt by a cellular communication device over a cellular carrier network;

receiving the discount coupon, together with a drug prescription per the prescription drug identity of the at least one instructor, by a pharmacy gateway by the cellular communication device;

communicating the drug prescription, together with the prescription drug patient identity of the at least one instructor, to a benefit processor by the server computer;

determining a coverage benefit by the benefit processor based on the drug prescription and the prescription drug patient identity;

communicating the coverage benefit to the pharmacy gateway;

communicating an eligibility update notification to the server computer by the benefit processor, after the step of communicating the coverage benefit to the pharmacy gateway;

receiving the eligibility update notification by the server computer;

updating the at least one eligibility record of the eligibility database via the server computer, in response to the eligibility update notification;

processing the eligibility update notification to derive a prescription refill date related to the at least one eligibility record; and

storing the prescription refill date in the eligibility record.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

if the step of looking-up the at least a portion of the prescription token fails because the at least one eligibility record is not in the eligibility database, prior to the step of retrieving the at least one eligibility record, generating at least one eligibility record by the eligibility database based on the prescription token.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of updating comprises the step of processing the eligibility update notification by the benefit processor to revise the eligibility record.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the coverage benefit is selected from the group consisting of:

an insured coverage and a non-insured coverage; and

further comprising the steps of;

if an insured coverage is the coverage benefit, determining by the pharmacy gateway a first discount per the coverage benefit and the discount coupon, for the drug prescription; and

if a non-insured coverage is the coverage benefit, determining by the pharmacy gateway a second discount per solely the discount coupon, for the drug prescription.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising the steps of:

wherein the eligibility database comprises a plurality of eligibility records, and each of the eligibility records of the plurality, respectively, comprise the prescription drug identity, the drug patient identity, the prescription refill date, and the cell number relationally linked to the drug patient identity;

filtering the plurality of the eligibility records of the eligibility database at a date in time, based on the date in time and relation to the prescription refill date of each of the eligibility records;

retrieving a subset of the plurality, each of the eligibility records of the subset, respectively, comprise the prescription drug identity, the prescription refill date relative to the date in time, and the cell number relationally linked to the respective drug patient identity and the prescription drug identity;

looking-up the prescription drug identity of the subset in the discount database to obtain a discount coupon for each respective one of the prescription drug identity of the subset;

retrieving a respective one of the discount coupon for each respective one of the prescription drug identity of the subset;

sending the respective one of the discount coupon to the cell number relationally linked to the respective drug patient identity and the respective drug identity in the subset of the eligibility records;

repeating the step of sending the respective one of the discount coupon for respective ones of the cell number of each of the eligibility records of the subset;

repeating, for all of the respective ones of the prescription drug identity, the steps of retrieving a subset, looking-up the prescription drug identity, retrieving the discount coupon, and sending the discount coupon.

41. A system for delivering a prescription drug discount to a cell phone via a cellular message of a carrier network, the prescription drug discount relates to a prescription script, comprising:

a server computer communicatively connected to the cell phone via the carrier network;

a prescription token related to the prescription script, received by the server computer;

an eligibility database and a discount database of the server computer, the server computer controls the eligibility database and the discount database in response to receiving the prescription token;

a discount coupon of the discount database, communicated by the server computer to the cell phone at the phone number via the carrier network, in response to receiving the prescription token;

a pharmacy gateway communicatively connected to the cell phone, to receive the discount coupon from the cell phone and the prescription script;

a benefit processor communicatively connected to the pharmacy gateway and the server computer, comprising;

a database;

a benefit artifact of the database relationally associated to the discount coupon and the prescription script;

a first communicator connected to the benefit artifact, for communicating the benefit artifact to the pharmacy gateway; and

a second communicator connected to the benefit artifact, for communicating the benefit artifact to the server computer;

wherein the server computer updates the eligibility database in response to receiving the benefit artifact from the second communicator of the benefit processor.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising:

a follow-up coupon of the discount database, communicated by the server computer to the cell phone at the phone number via the carrier network, in response to receiving the prescription token.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising:

a memory of the cell phone connected to the radio and the processor;

wherein the follow-up coupon is stored in the memory in response to receiving the follow-up coupon by the cell phone.