Method for competitive prescription drug and/or bidding service provider selection
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating the delivery of prescription products or services, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a processing unit programmed with a rules engine to carry out the steps of the method;
providing a database for storage and retrieval of information by the processing unit;
providing a plurality of input/output devices for communication;
communicating, from a customer to the processing unit, unfilled prescription information and customer information, wherein the unfilled prescription was provided by a prescriber;
communicating, from the processing unit to the customer, cost information for both the unfilled prescription and for any similar products, the cost information including a price, availability of any discount coupons, a co-pay for any third-party payer benefits, and a final cost to the customer;
the customer comparing the cost information;
the customer selecting a prescription, the select prescription comprising the unfilled prescription or a select similar product;
communicating, from the customer to the processing unit, the select prescription comprisingthe prescriber modifying the unfilled prescription as needed to conform to the select prescription;
communicating the modified unfilled prescription information from the processing unit to a plurality of pre-qualified prescription fulfillment providers;
conducting a reverse auction in which the pre-qualified prescription fulfillment providers communicate to the processing unit interactive and iterative bids to fill the modified unfilled prescription, each fulfillment provider receiving real-time feedback communications from the processing unit regarding the status and placement of their bids in comparison to other fulfillment providers, each fulfillment provider having the option of communicating to the processing unit amended bids that include at least one of new, lower prices and ancillary services in competition with the bids of other fulfillment providers to entice the customer to select their bid;
providing a results communication from the processing unit to the customer, the results communication including details of the final bid of each responding prescription fulfillment provider that made at least one bid to fill the modified unfilled prescription; and
,allowing the customer to select a winning bid by sending an instruction communication to the processing unit,the communications between the customer and the processing unit and the communications between the processing unit and the fulfillment providers being accomplished using input/output devices at each of the customer, processing unit and fulfillment providers.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Unfilled prescriptions are submitted to a registry comprising pre-qualified pharmacies for a “reverse auction” in which the pharmacies bid for the opportunity to fill the prescription. The pharmacies are allowed to bid based on price and/or offering ancillary services. The auction may also be used to bid on supplying specified pharmaceutical cognitive services. The method may also include obtaining cost comparisons with generic substitutes or similar alternative pharmaceutical products. The system may further comprise automatically requesting a review by the prescriber for a list of similar substitutes or prior-authorization for third-party payers. The winner of the reverse auction is selected by the customer.
54 Citations
86 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating the delivery of prescription products or services, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a processing unit programmed with a rules engine to carry out the steps of the method; providing a database for storage and retrieval of information by the processing unit; providing a plurality of input/output devices for communication; communicating, from a customer to the processing unit, unfilled prescription information and customer information, wherein the unfilled prescription was provided by a prescriber; communicating, from the processing unit to the customer, cost information for both the unfilled prescription and for any similar products, the cost information including a price, availability of any discount coupons, a co-pay for any third-party payer benefits, and a final cost to the customer; the customer comparing the cost information; the customer selecting a prescription, the select prescription comprising the unfilled prescription or a select similar product; communicating, from the customer to the processing unit, the select prescription comprising the prescriber modifying the unfilled prescription as needed to conform to the select prescription; communicating the modified unfilled prescription information from the processing unit to a plurality of pre-qualified prescription fulfillment providers; conducting a reverse auction in which the pre-qualified prescription fulfillment providers communicate to the processing unit interactive and iterative bids to fill the modified unfilled prescription, each fulfillment provider receiving real-time feedback communications from the processing unit regarding the status and placement of their bids in comparison to other fulfillment providers, each fulfillment provider having the option of communicating to the processing unit amended bids that include at least one of new, lower prices and ancillary services in competition with the bids of other fulfillment providers to entice the customer to select their bid; providing a results communication from the processing unit to the customer, the results communication including details of the final bid of each responding prescription fulfillment provider that made at least one bid to fill the modified unfilled prescription; and
,allowing the customer to select a winning bid by sending an instruction communication to the processing unit, the communications between the customer and the processing unit and the communications between the processing unit and the fulfillment providers being accomplished using input/output devices at each of the customer, processing unit and fulfillment providers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for facilitating the fulfillment of prescribed products and/or services;
- the system comprising;
at least one first input/output device for a customer to submit customer information and information for at least one unfilled prescription provided by a prescriber and to receive information in connection with the unfilled prescription and similar products; at least one second input/output device for communicating information in connection with the unfilled prescription and similar products to a registry comprising pre-qualified prescription fulfillment providers and for the pre-qualified prescription fulfillment providers to interactively and iteratively submit bids in connection with the unfilled prescription and similar products; and
,a processing unit programmed by a rules engine and coupled to a database, the processing unit being in electronic communication with the first input/output device and the second input/output device, the processing unit providing the customer with cost information for both the unfilled prescription and for any similar products, the cost information including a price, availability of any discount coupons, a co-pay for any third-party payer benefits, and a final cost to the customer, the customer comparing the cost information, the customer selecting a prescription, the select prescription comprising the unfilled prescription or a select similar product, the customer communicating the select prescription to the processing unit, the prescriber modifying the unfilled prescription as needed to conform to the select prescription, the processing unit communicating the modified unfilled prescription to the fulfillment providers for bids from the fulfillment providers, each fulfillment provider receiving real-time feedback from the processing unit regarding the status and placement of their bids to fulfill the modified unfilled prescription in comparison to other fulfillment providers, each fulfillment provider having the option of responding to the processing unit with amended bids that include at least one of new, lower prices and ancillary services in competition with the other fulfillment providers to entice the customer to select their bid. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- the system comprising;
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29. A method for facilitating-the delivery of prescription products or services, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing unfilled prescription information and customer information from a customer to a participating bidding service provider, wherein the unfilled prescription is provided by a prescriber; communicating, from the bidding service provider to the customer, cost information relating to both the unfilled prescription and to any similar products, the cost information including a price, availability of any discount coupons, a co-pay for any third-party payer benefits, and a final cost to the customer; the customer comparing the cost information; the customer selecting a prescription, the select prescription comprising the unfilled prescription or a select similar product; communicating, from the customer to the bidding service provider, the select prescription; the prescriber modifying the unfilled prescription as needed to conform to the select prescription; transferring, via electronic means, the modified unfilled prescription information from the bidding service provider to a registry of pre-qualified pharmacies; conducting a reverse auction in which the pre-qualified pharmacies respond to the bidding service provider with interactive and iterative bids to fill the modified unfilled prescription, each pre-qualified pharmacy receiving real-time feedback from the bidding service provider regarding the status and placement of their bids in comparison to other pre-qualified pharmacies, each pre-qualified pharmacy having the option of responding to the bidding service provider with amended bids that include at least one of new, lower prices and ancillary services in competition with the other pre-qualified pharmacies to entice the customer to select their bid; providing the customer with the details of the lowest bid of each responding pharmacy that made at least one bid to fill the prescription; and
,allowing the customer to select the winning bid. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for facilitating the delivery of prescription products, using a processing unit performing the method comprising the steps of:
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providing unfilled prescription information and customer information from a customer to a participating bidding service provider/administrator, the unfilled prescription being provided by a prescriber; communicating, from the bidding service provider/administrator to the customer, cost information relating to both the unfilled prescription and to any alternative medications, the cost information including a price, availability of any discount coupons, a co-pay for any third-party payer benefits, and a final cost to the customer; the customer comparing the cost information; communicating, from the customer to the bidding service provider/administrator, a select prescription comprising the unfilled prescription or a select alternative medication; obtaining authorization from the prescriber modify the unfilled prescription as needed to conform to the select prescription; transferring information for the unfilled prescription, modified as needed to conform to the select prescription, from the bidding service provider to a registry of pre-qualified pharmacies; conducting a reverse auction in which the pre-qualified pharmacies respond with interactive and iterative bids to fill the modified unfilled prescription, each pre-qualified pharmacy receiving real-time feedback from the bidding service provider/administrator regarding the status and placement of their bids in comparison to other pre-qualified pharmacies, each pre-qualified pharmacy having the option of responding to the bidding service provider/administrator with amended bids that include at least one of new, lower prices and ancillary services in competition with the other pre-qualified pharmacies to entice the customer to select their bid; providing the customer with the details of the lowest bid of each responding pharmacy that made at least one bid to fill the prescription; and
;allowing the customer to select the winning bid. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A method for contracting for pharmaceutical cognitive services, using a processor to perform the method comprising:
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submitting a request for specified pharmaceutical cognitive services from a customer to a participating bidding service provider; communicating, from the bidding service provider to the customer, cost information for both the request for specified pharmaceutical cognitive services and for any similar products, the cost information including a price, availability of any discount coupons, a co-pay for any third-party payer benefits, and a final cost to the customer; the customer comparing the cost information; the customer selecting pharmaceutical cognitive services, the select pharmaceutical cognitive services comprising the request for specified pharmaceutical cognitive services or a select similar product; communicating, from the customer to the processing unit, the select pharmaceutical cognitive services or a select similar product; the prescriber modifying the request for specified pharmaceutical cognitive services as needed to conform to the select request;
pharmaceutical cognitive services;transferring the modified request for specified pharmaceutical cognitive services from the bidding service provider to a registry of pre-qualified pharmaceutical service providers; conducting a reverse auction in which the pre-qualified pharmaceutical service providers respond with interactive and iterative bids to fulfill the modified request for specified pharmaceutical cognitive services, each pharmaceutical service provider receiving real-time feedback from the bidding service provider regarding the status and placement of their bids in comparison to other pharmaceutical service providers, each pharmaceutical service provider having the option of responding to the bidding service provider with amended bids that include at least one of new, lower prices and ancillary services in competition with the other pharmaceutical service providers to entice the customer to select their bid; providing the customer with the details of the lowest bid of each responding pharmaceutical service provider that made at least one bid; and
,allowing the customer to select the winning bid. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A system for processing prescriptions;
- the system comprising;
at least one first input/output device for a customer to submit customer information and information for at least one unfilled prescription and to receive information in connection with the unfilled prescription and similar products; at least one second input/output device for communicating information in connection with the unfilled prescription and similar products to a registry comprising pre-qualified pharmacies and for the pre-qualified pharmacies to interactively and iteratively submit bids in connection with the unfilled prescription and similar products in a reverse auction; and
,a processing unit programmed by a rules engine and coupled to a database, the processing unit being in electronic communication with the first input/output device and the second input/output device, the processing unit providing the customer with cost information for both the unfilled prescription and for any similar products, the cost information including a price, availability of any discount coupons, a co-pay for any third-party payer benefits, and a final cost to the customer, the customer comparing the cost information, the customer selecting a prescription, the select prescription comprising the unfilled prescription or a select similar product, the customer communicating the select prescription to the processing unit, the prescriber modifying the unfilled prescription as needed to conform to the select prescription, the processing unit communicating the modified unfilled prescription to the prequalified pharmacies for bids from the pre-qualified pharmacies, each pre-qualified pharmacy receiving real-time feedback from the processing unit regarding the status and placement of their bids to fulfill the modified unfilled prescription in comparison to other pre-qualified pharmacies, each pre-qualified pharmacy having the option of responding to the processing unit with amended bids that include at least one of new, lower prices and ancillary services in competition with the other pre-qualified pharmacies to entice the customer to select their bid. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
- the system comprising;
Specification