Wellness program management and integration with payroll vendor systems

• US 8,359,208 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitality Group International, Inc. (Discovery Limited)
• Original Assignee: Discovery Holdings Limited (Prudential PLC)
• Inventors: Slutzky, Stuart, Ungs, Matthew Thomas, Brophy, Christine Mary
• Primary Examiner(s): Morgan, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANAAN, MAROUN P
• Application Number:
  US12/122,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20080255979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3
• 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 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A computer implemented method is disclosed for receiving employee usage information associated with at least one employee'"'"'s usage of a wellness program. A status level associated with the at least one employee for the wellness program is determined based on the employee usage information. A status level indicates a degree of participation in the wellness program. A data set is created comprising at least the status level associated with the at least one employee. The data set is in a format acceptable by a payroll vendor without conversion of the data set. The data set is then sent to an employer of the at least one employee.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing a wellness program, using at least one computer, comprising:

receiving, using the at least one computer, employee usage information associated with at least one employee'"'"'s usage of a wellness program;

determining, using the at least one computer, based on the employee usage information, a status level associated with the at least one employee for the wellness program, wherein a status level indicates a degree of participation in the wellness program;

creating a data set, using the at least one computer, comprising a base pay, information pertaining to an employee health contribution, and a wellness status level corresponding to participation of the at least one employee in the wellness program, wherein the data set is in a format usable by a payroll vendor without a requirement for manually entering the data set; and

sending the data set, using the at least one computer, as instructions to the payroll vendor of an employer of the at least one employee, wherein a pay of the at least one employee is to be changed based upon the created data set, the payroll adjustment amount to be calculated by the payroll vendor corresponding to the wellness status level and a payroll adjustment amount set for each wellness status level.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the employee usage information is received from the employer.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the employee usage information is received from at least one of a wellness program facility and a wellness program service provider.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the employee usage information includes information associated with a plurality of separate and distinct occurrences of wellness program participation by the at least one employee.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein determining a status level associated with the at least one employee for the wellness program further includes:

assigning a given point value to each separate and distinct occurrence of wellness program participation;

determining, using the at least one computer, a total point value based on an accumulation of each given point value assigned to each separate and distinct occurrence of wellness program participation comparing the total point value to a plurality of point ranges, each point range in the plurality of point ranges being associated with a status level;

identifying a point range in the plurality of point ranges corresponding to the total point value; and

assigning a status level associated with the point range that has been identified to the at least one employee.

6. The computer implemented method of claim (1), wherein the payroll vendor

identifies the status level associated with at least the one employee.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data set can be integrated into the payroll data files without a data conversion process.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the payroll adjustment amount is a payout proportional to a degree of participation in the wellness program.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the payroll adjustment amount is a rebate based upon a degree of participation in the wellness program and a total amount of a plurality of health contributions made by the employee, wherein the rebate is proportional to at least one of a degree of participation in the wellness program and a total amount of a plurality of health contributions of the employee.

10. An information processing system for managing a wellness program comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory; and

a wellness program manager communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor, wherein the wellness program manager is adapted to;

receive employee usage information associated with at least one employee'"'"'s usage of a wellness program, wherein the employee usage information includes information associated with a plurality of separate and distinct occurrences of wellness program participation by the at least one employee;

determine, based on the employee usage information, a status level associated with the at least one employee for the wellness program, wherein a status level indicates a degree of participation in the wellness program;

create a data set comprising a base pay, information pertaining to an employee health contribution, and a wellness status level corresponding participation of the at least one employee in the wellness program, wherein the data set is in a format usable by a payroll computer server system; and

send the data set to as instructions to the payroll computer server system whereby a payroll adjustment for the at least one employee may be modified by the payroll vendor corresponding to the wellness status level and a payroll adjustment amount set for each wellness status level.

11. The information processing system of claim 10, wherein the employee usage information is received from the employer.

12. The information processing system of claim 10, wherein the employee usage information is received from at least one of a wellness program facility and a wellness program service provider.

13. The information processing system of claim 10, wherein the wellness program manager is further adapted to determine a status level associated with the at least one employee for the wellness program by:

receiving the employee usage information from an information processing system;

assigning a given point value to each separate and distinct occurrence of wellness program participation;

determining a total point value based on an accumulation of each given point value assigned to each separate and distinct occurrence of wellness program participation comparing the total point value to a plurality of point ranges, each point range in the plurality of point ranges being associated with a status level;

identifying a point range in the plurality of point ranges corresponding to the total point value; and

assigning a status level associated with the point range that has been identified to the at least one employee.

14. The information processing system of claim (10), wherein the payroll vendor:

identifies the status level associated with at least the one employee.

15. A computer implemented method for managing a wellness program, using at least one computer, comprising:

receiving, using the at least one computer, employee usage information associated with at least one employee'"'"'s usage of a wellness program;

creating, using the at least one computer, a payroll data set associated with the at least one employee, the data set including employment base pay information pertaining to an employee health contribution, and a wellness status level corresponding to participation of the at least one employee in the wellness program, wherein the data set is in a format usable by a payroll vendor without a requirement for manually entering the data set;

determining, using the at least one computer and based on the employee participation information, a status level associated with the at least one employee for the wellness program, wherein a status level indicates a degree of participation in the wellness program;

sending the payroll data set, using the at least one computer, to a payroll server system, whereby a payment to the at least one employee may be modified by the payroll vendor corresponding to the wellness status level and a payroll adjustment amount set for each wellness status level.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, based on the status level associated with the at least one employee, a Previously presented health insurance contribution amount associated with the at least one employee; and

updating the payroll data set with at least the status level and the Previously presented health insurance contribution amount.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein the employee usage information includes information associated with a plurality of separate and distinct occurrences of wellness program participation by the at least one employee.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 17, wherein determining a status level associated with the at least one employee for the wellness program further includes:

assigning a given point value to each separate and distinct occurrence of wellness program participation;

determining a total point value based on an accumulation of each given point value assigned to each separate and distinct occurrence of wellness program participation;

comparing the total point value to a plurality of point ranges, each point range in the plurality of point ranges being associated with a status level;

identifying a point range in the plurality of point ranges corresponding to the total point value; and

assigning a status level associated with the point range that has been identified to the at least one employee.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein the employee usage information is received from at least one of:

the employer;

a wellness program facility; and

a wellness program service provider.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein the payroll adjustment is based upon at least one of a monetary amount and a percentage amount associated with at least the one employee based on the status level associated with the at least one employee.