Systems and methods for processing benefits

• US 7,865,437 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ACS State & Local Solutions Incorporated (Conduent, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neal, Irma Jean, Schneider, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert; Ella
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shaikh; Mohammad Z
• Application Number:
  US12/826,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20100280967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 188 Days
• Field of Search: 705 39- 42
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1057 Benefits or employee welfare, e.g. insurance, holiday or retirement packages
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing, for example, childcare benefits include: issuing a benefit card to a childcare customer; receiving a start time for childcare service at a childcare provider, the start time recorded by using the benefit card at a terminal located at the children provider at the start of childcare service; receiving an end time for childcare services at the childcare provider, the end time recorded by using the benefit card at a terminal located at the childcare provider at the end of childcare services; computing the childcare benefit eligibility based on the start time, the end time and benefits available for the childcare customer; and paying the childcare provider a payment based on the computed benefit eligibility.

Claims

1. A method for managing benefits, comprising:

providing a web browser based administrative terminal to at least one benefits administrator for managing at least one type of benefit;

creating an account for at least one customer using the web browser based administrative terminal;

issuing a benefit token to the at least one customer for at least one type of service;

receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including at least a start time, an end time, and an amount due for service at a service provider for the at least one customer;

calculating a benefits payment based on the start time, the end time, and the at least one type of benefit; and

determining, by a processor, if there is a discrepancy between the calculated benefits payment and the amount due;

auditing the service provider if there is a discrepancy between the calculated benefits payment and the amount due; and

providing the calculated benefits payment to the service provider based on the service if there is no discrepancy.

2. A method for managing childcare benefits, comprising:

providing a web browser based administrative terminal to at least one benefits administrator for managing at least one type of childcare benefit;

creating an account for at least one customer using the web browser based administrative terminal;

issuing a benefit token to the at least one customer for at least one type of childcare service;

receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including at least a start time, an end time, and an amount due for service at a childcare service provider for the at least one customer;

calculating a childcare benefits payment based on the start time, the end time, and the at least one type of childcare benefit;

determining, by a processor, if there is a discrepancy between the calculated childcare benefits payment and the amount due;

auditing the childcare service provider if there is a discrepancy between the calculated childcare benefits payment and the amount due; and

providing the calculated childcare benefits payment to the childcare service provider based on the service if there is no discrepancy.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

replacing at least one lost or stolen benefit token.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

issuing at least one code corresponding to the benefit token to the at least one customer.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the transaction record regarding the account of the at least one customer for the at least one type of childcare benefit in at least one record log.

6. A system for managing benefits, comprising:

a providing component to provide a web browser based administrative terminal to at least one benefits administrator for managing at least one type of benefit;

a creating component to create an account for at least one customer using the web browser based administrative terminal;

a token issuing component to issue a benefit token to the at least one customer for at least one type of service;

a receiving component to receive a transaction record, the transaction record including at least a start time, an end time, and an amount due for service at a service provider for the at least one customer;

a calculating component to calculate a benefits payment based on the start time, the end time, and the at least one type of benefit;

determining if there is a discrepancy between the calculated benefits payment and the amount due;

an auditing component to audit the service provider if there is a discrepancy between the calculated benefits payment and the amount due; and

a payment component to provide the calculated benefits payment to the service provider based on the service if there is no discrepancy.

7. A system for managing childcare benefits, comprising:

a providing component to provide a web browser based administrative terminal to at least one benefits administrator for managing at least one type of childcare benefit;

a creating component to create an account for at least one customer using the web browser based administrative terminal;

a token issuing component to issue a benefit token to the at least one customer for at least one type of childcare service;

a receiving component to receive a transaction record, the transaction record including at least a start time, an end time, and an amount due for service at a childcare service provider for the at least one customer;

a calculating component to calculate a childcare benefit payment based on the start time, the end time, and the at least one type of childcare benefit;

determining if there is a discrepancy between the calculated childcare benefits payment and the amount due;

an auditing component to audit the childcare service provider if there is a discrepancy between the calculated childcare benefits payment and the amount due; and

a payment component to provide the calculated childcare benefits payment to the childcare service provider based on the service if there is no discrepancy.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a replacing component to replace at least one lost or stolen benefit token.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a code issuing component to issue at least one code corresponding to the benefit token to the at least one customer.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a storing component to store the transaction record regarding the account for the at least one customer for the at least one type of childcare benefit in at least one record log.

11. A system for managing benefits, comprising:

means for providing a web browser based administrative terminal to at least one benefits administrator for managing at least one type of benefit;

means for creating an account for at least one customer using the web browser based administrative terminal;

means for issuing a benefit token to the at least one customer for at least one type of service;

means for receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including at least a start time, an end time, and an amount due for service at a service provider for the at least one customer;

means for calculating a benefits payment based on the start time, the end time, and the at least one type of benefit;

means for determining if there is a discrepancy between the calculated benefits payment and the amount due;

means for auditing the service provider if there is a discrepancy between the calculated benefits payment and the amount due; and

means for providing the calculated benefits payment to the service provider based on the service if there is no discrepancy.

12. A system for managing childcare benefits, comprising:

means for providing a web browser based administrative terminal to at least one benefits administrator for managing at least one type of childcare benefit;

means for creating an account for at least one customer using the web browser based administrative terminal;

means for issuing a benefit token to the at least one customer for at least one type of childcare service;

means for receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including at least a start time, an end time, and an amount due for service at a childcare service provider for the at least one customer;

means for calculating a childcare benefit payment based on the start time, the end time, and the at least one type of childcare benefit;

means for determining if there is a discrepancy between the calculated childcare benefits payment and the amount due;

means for auditing the childcare service provider if there is a discrepancy between the calculated childcare benefits payment and the amount due; and

means for providing the calculated childcare benefits payment to the childcare service provider based on the service if there is no discrepancy.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

means for replacing at least one lost or stolen benefit token.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

means for issuing at least one code corresponding to the benefit token to the at least one customer.

15. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

means for storing the transaction record regarding the account for the at least one customer for the at least one type of childcare benefit in at least one record log.

16. A tangible computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method for managing benefits, the method comprising:

providing a web browser based administrative terminal to at least one benefits administrator for managing at least one type of benefit;

creating an account for at least one customer using the web browser based administrative terminal;

issuing a benefit token to the at least one customer for at least one type of service;

receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including at least a start time, an end time, and an amount due for service at a service provider for the at least one customer;

calculating a benefit payment based on the start time, the end time, and the at least one type of benefit;

determining if there is a discrepancy between the calculated benefit payment and the amount due;

auditing the service provider if there is a discrepancy between the calculated benefit payment and the amount due; and

providing the calculated benefit payment to the service provider based on the service if there is no discrepancy.

17. A tangible computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method for managing childcare benefits, the method comprising:

providing a web browser based administrative terminal to at least one benefits administrator for managing at least one type of childcare benefit;

creating an account for at least one customer using the web browser based administrative terminal;

issuing a benefit token to the at least one customer for at least one type of childcare service;

receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including at least a start time, an end time, and an amount due for service at a childcare service provider for the at least one customer;

calculating a childcare benefit payment based on the start time, the end time, and the at least one type of childcare benefit;

determining if there is a discrepancy between the calculated childcare benefit payment and the amount due;

auditing the childcare service provider if there is a discrepancy between the calculated childcare benefit payment and the amount due; and

providing the calculated childcare benefit payment to the childcare service provider based on the service if there is no discrepancy.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further comprising:

replacing at least one lost or stolen benefit token.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further comprising:

issuing at least one code corresponding to the benefit token to the at least one customer.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further comprising:

storing the transaction record regarding the account for the at least one customer for the at least one type of childcare benefit in at least one record log.

21. A method for tracking and managing benefit services, comprising:

recording a start time and an end time of services provided at each for each service of a plurality of services at a time when each service is provided at a corresponding service provider of a plurality of service providers;

recording a transaction type for each provided service;

recording one or more customer attributes for each customer associated with each provided service;

recording an amount due for each provided service by the corresponding service provider;

computing a payment for each provided service based on at least the start time, the end time, the transaction type, and the one or more customer attributes;

determining, by a processor, if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due for each provided service;

auditing the corresponding service provider if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due;

making the computed payment to the corresponding service provider if there is no discrepancy; and

generating a report based on the auditing if there is a discrepancy or based on the start time and the end time if there is no discrepancy.

22. A method for tracking and managing childcare benefit services, comprising:

recording a start time and an end time for each service of a plurality of services at a time when each service is provided at a corresponding childcare service provider of a plurality of childcare service providers;

recording a transaction type for each provided service;

recording one or more customer attributes for each customer associated with each provided service;

recording an amount due for each provided service by the corresponding childcare service provider;

computing a payment for each provided service based on at least the start time, the end time, the transaction type, and the one or more customer attributes;

determining, by a processor, if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due for each provided service;

auditing the corresponding childcare service provider if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due;

making the computed payment to the corresponding childcare service provider if there is no discrepancy; and

generating a report based on the auditing if there is a discrepancy, or based on the start time and the end time if there is no discrepancy.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein generating the report comprises:

generating at least one of a payment report, a data activity report, and an unusual activity report.

24. A system for tracking and managing services, comprising:

a recording component to record a start time and an end time for each service of a plurality of services at a time when each service is provided at a corresponding service provider of a plurality of service providers, record a transaction type for each provided service,

record one or more customer attributes for each customer associated with each provided service, and record an amount due for each provided service by the corresponding service provider;

a computing component to compute a payment for each provided service based on at least the start time, the end time, the transaction type, and the one or more customer attributes;

a determining component to determine if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due for each provided service;

an auditing component to audit the corresponding service provider if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due;

a payment component to make the computed payment to the corresponding service provider if there is no discrepancy; and

a report generating component to generate a report based on the auditing if there is a discrepancy, or based on the start time and the end time if there is no discrepancy.

25. A system for tracking and managing childcare services, comprising:

a recording component to record a start time and an end time for each service of a plurality of services at a time when each service is provided at a corresponding childcare service provider of a plurality of childcare service providers, record a transaction type for each provided service, record one or more customer attributes for each customer associated with each provided service, and record an amount due for each provided service by the corresponding childcare service provider;

a computing component to compute a payment for each provided service based on at least the start time, the end time, the transaction type, and the one or more customer attributes;

a determining component to determine if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due for each provided service;

an auditing component to audit the corresponding childcare service provider if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due;

a payment component to make the computed payment to the corresponding childcare service provider if there is no discrepancy; and

a report generating component to generate a report based on the auditing if there is a discrepancy, or based on the start time and the end time if there is no discrepancy.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the report generating component comprises:

a payment report generating component for generating a payment report;

a data activity report component for generating a data activity report; and

an unusual activity report component for generating an unusual activity report.

27. A system for tracking and managing benefit services, comprising:

means for electronically recording a start time and an end time for each service of a plurality of services at a time when each service is provided at a corresponding service provider of a plurality of service providers;

means for electronically recording a transaction type for each provided service;

means for electronically recording one or more customer attributes for each customer associated with each provided service;

means for electronically recording an amount due for each provided service by the corresponding service provider;

means for computing a payment for each provided service based on at least the start time, the end time, the transaction type, and the one or more customer attributes;

means for determining if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due for each provided service;

means for auditing the corresponding service provider if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due;

means for making the computed payment to the corresponding service provider if there is no discrepancy; and

means for generating a report based on the auditing if there is a discrepancy, or based on the start time and the end time if there is no discrepancy.

28. A system for tracking and managing childcare benefit services, comprising:

means for electronically recording a start time and an end time for each service of a plurality of services at a time when each service is provided at a corresponding childcare service provider of a plurality of childcare service providers;

means for electronically recording a transaction type for each provided service;

means for electronically recording one or more customer attributes for each customer associated with each provided service;

means for electronically recording an amount due for each provided service by the corresponding childcare service provider;

means for computing a payment for each provided service based on at least the start time, the end time, the transaction type, and the one or more customer attributes;

means for determining if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due for each provided service;

means for auditing the corresponding childcare service provider if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due;

means for making the computed payment to the corresponding childcare service provider if there is no discrepancy; and

means for generating a report based on the auditing if there is a discrepancy, or based on the start time and the end time if there is no discrepancy.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for generating the report comprises:

means for generating at least one of a payment report, a data activity report, and an unusual activity report.

30. A tangible computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method for tracking and managing benefit services, the method comprising:

electronically recording a start time and an end time for each service of a plurality of services at a time when each service is provided at a corresponding service provider of a plurality of service providers;

electronically recording a transaction type for each provided service;

electronically recording one or more customer attributes for each customer associated with each provided service;

electronically recording an amount due for each es provided service by the corresponding service provider;

computing a payment for each provided service based on at least the start time, the end time, the transaction type, and the one or more customer attributes;

determining if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due for each provided service;

auditing the corresponding service provider if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due;

making the computed payment to the corresponding service provider if there is no discrepancy; and

generating a report based on the auditing if there is a discrepancy, or based on the start time and the end time if there is no discrepancy.

31. A tangible computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method for tracking and managing childcare benefit services, the method comprising:

electronically recording a start time and an end time of service for each service of a plurality of services at a time when each service is provided at a corresponding childcare service provider of a plurality of childcare service providers;

electronically recording a transaction type for each provided service;

electronically recording one or more customer attributes for each customer associated with each provided service;

electronically recording an amount due for each provided service by the corresponding childcare service provider;

computing a payment for each provided service based on at least the start time, the end time, the transaction type, and the one or more customer attributes;

determining if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due for each provided service;

auditing the corresponding childcare service provider if there is a discrepancy between the computed payment and the amount due;

making the computed payment to the corresponding childcare service provider if there is no discrepancy; and

generating a report based on the auditing if there is a discrepancy, or based on the start time and the end time if there is no discrepancy.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein generating the report further comprises:

generating at least one of a payment report, a data activity report, and an unusual activity report.