Systems and methods for health care credit transactions

• US 8,504,389 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stage 5 Innovation, LLC
• Original Assignee: Stage 5 Innovation, LLC
• Inventors: Saidel, Andrew M., Rosen, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRAN N
• Application Number:
  US13/486,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program media for creating, managing, backing, and transferring health care credits are described. Health care credits may be implemented as freely transferable financial instruments whose initial value is based on costs or savings generated by an individual, or by a health care provider, that are associated with a health-related metric or a health benefiting behavior(s).

Claims

1. A method, implemented using a computing system, comprising:

quantifying a health cost savings for an individual produced by an improvement upon or a maintenance of a health metric, wherein quantifying comprises determining a change in the health metric, and calculating a value associated with the change;

converting, using the computing system, the value into a transferrable non-monetary consideration; and

receiving one or more requests from the individual to access over a network an account containing the transferrable non-monetary consideration and to freely transfer ownership of the non-monetary consideration to an entity other than the individual.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the value into the transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises:

obligating payment of an amount derived from the value to a holder of the transferrable non-monetary consideration.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein obligating payment comprises:

obligating payment by a party benefited by the health cost savings.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the party benefited by the health cost savings is one of a group consisting of:

an entity that sponsors health insurance;

an employer of the individual; and

a government entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-monetary consideration comprises a transferrable financial instrument.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-monetary consideration comprises a tradable commodity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-monetary consideration comprises a freely transferrable health care credit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferrable non-monetary consideration has a value that fluctuates according to market demand for the transferrable non-monetary consideration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning ownership of the transferrable non-monetary consideration to the individual.

10. A method, implemented using a computing system, comprising:

quantifying, using the computing system, a value for a metric of health for an individual or for a behavior affecting the health of an individual;

converting, using the computing system, the value into a freely transferrable non-monetary consideration; and

receiving one or more instructions from the individual that freely transfer ownership of the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration to an entity.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein converting the value into the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises:

obligating payment of an amount derived from the value to an owner of the non-monetary consideration.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein obligating payment comprises:

obligating payment by a party benefited by the health cost savings.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the party benefited by the health cost savings is one of a group consisting of:

an entity that sponsors health insurance;

an employer of the individual; and

a government entity.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a transferrable financial instrument.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a tradable commodity.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a freely transferrable health care credit.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration has a value that fluctuates according to market demand for the transferrable non-monetary consideration.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

assigning ownership of the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration to the individual.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein quantifying the value comprises:

accessing a previously determined value for the metric or the behavior.

20. A method, implemented using a computing system, comprising:

quantifying a health cost savings for an individual associated with an improvement upon or a maintenance of a health metric or a behavior affecting the health of the individual;

embodying, using the computing system, a value derived from the health cost savings into a health care credit, which is a transferrable non-monetary consideration; and

receiving order information from the individual to freely transfer ownership of the health care credit to an entity.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein embodying the value derived from the health cost savings into the health care credit comprises:

obligating payment of an amount derived from the value to an owner of the health care credit.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein obligating payment comprises:

obligating payment by a party benefited by the health cost savings.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the party benefited by the health cost savings is one of a group consisting of:

an entity that sponsors health insurance;

an employer of the individual; and

a government entity.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the health care credit comprises a freely transferrable financial instrument.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the health care credit comprises a tradable commodity.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the health care credit has a value that fluctuates according to market demand for the health care credit.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

assigning ownership of the health care credit to the individual.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein quantifying the health cost savings comprises:

accessing a previously determined value for the health cost savings.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:

quantifying a health cost savings for an individual produced by an improvement upon or a maintenance of a health metric, wherein quantifying comprises determining a change in the health metric, and calculating a value associated with the change;

converting the value into a transferrable non-monetary consideration; and

receiving one or more requests from the individual to access an account containing the transferrable non-monetary consideration and to freely transfer ownership of the non-monetary consideration to an entity other than the individual.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein converting the value into the transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises:

obligating payment of an amount derived from the value to a holder of the transferrable non-monetary consideration.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein obligating payment comprises:

obligating payment by a party benefited by the health cost savings.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the party benefited by the health cost savings is one of a group consisting of:

an entity that sponsors health insurance;

an employer of the individual; and

a government entity.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a transferrable financial instrument.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a tradable commodity.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a freely transferrable health care credit.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the transferrable non-monetary consideration has a value that fluctuates according to market demand for the transferrable non-monetary consideration.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the operations further comprise:

assigning ownership of the transferrable non-monetary consideration to the individual.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:

quantifying a value for a metric of health for an individual or for a behavior affecting the health of an individual;

converting the value into a freely transferrable non-monetary consideration; and

receiving one or more instructions from the individual that freely transfer ownership of the non-monetary consideration to an entity.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein converting the value into the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises:

obligating payment of an amount derived from the value to an owner of the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein obligating payment comprises:

obligating payment by a party benefited by the health cost savings.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the party benefited by the health cost savings is one of a group consisting of:

an entity that sponsors health insurance;

an employer of the individual; and

a government entity.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a transferrable financial instrument.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a tradable commodity.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a freely transferrable health care credit.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration has a value that fluctuates according to market demand for the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the operations further comprise:

assigning ownership of the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration to the individual.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein quantifying the value comprises:

accessing a previously determined value for the metric or the behavior.

48. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:

quantifying a health cost savings for an individual associated with an improvement upon or a maintenance of a health metric or a behavior affecting the health of the individual;

embodying a value derived from the health cost savings into a health care credit, which is a transferrable non-monetary consideration; and

receiving order information from the individual to freely transfer ownership of the health care credit to an entity.

49. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein embodying the value derived from the health cost savings into the health care credit comprises:

obligating payment of an amount derived from the value to an owner of the health care credit.

50. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein obligating payment comprises:

obligating payment by a party benefited by the health cost savings.

51. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the party benefited by the health cost savings is one of a group consisting of:

an entity that sponsors health insurance;

an employer of the individual; and

a government entity.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the health care credit comprises a freely transferrable financial instrument.

53. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the health care credit comprises a tradable commodity.

54. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the health care credit has a value that fluctuates according to market demand for the health care credit.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the operations further comprise:

assigning ownership of the health care credit to the individual.

56. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein quantifying the health cost savings comprises:

accessing a previously determined value for the health cost savings.

57. A system comprising:

a memory containing instructions; and

a processor, operably connected to the memory, that executes the instructions to perform operations comprising;

quantifying a health cost savings for an individual produced by an improvement upon or a maintenance of a health metric, wherein quantifying comprises determining a change in the health metric, and calculating a value associated with the change;

converting the value into a freely transferrable non-monetary consideration; and

receiving one or more requests from the individual to access over a network an account containing the transferrable non-monetary consideration and to freely transfer ownership of the non-monetary consideration to an entity other than the individual.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein converting the value into the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises:

obligating payment of an amount derived from the value to a holder of the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein obligating payment comprises:

obligating payment by a party benefited by the health cost savings.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the party benefited by the health cost savings is one of a group consisting of:

an entity that sponsors health insurance;

an employer of the individual; and

a government entity.

61. The system of claim 57, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a freely transferrable financial instrument.

62. The system of claim 57, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a tradable commodity.

63. The system of claim 57, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a freely transferrable health care credit.

64. The system of claim 57, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration has a value that fluctuates according to market demand for the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration.

65. The system of claim 57, wherein the operations further comprise:

assigning ownership of the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration to the individual.

66. A system comprising:

a memory containing instructions; and

a processor, operably connected to the memory, that executes the instructions to support operations comprising;

quantifying a value for a metric of health for an individual or for a behavior affecting the health of an individual;

converting the value into a freely transferrable non-monetary consideration; and

receiving one or more instructions from the individual to freely transfer ownership of the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration to an entity.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein converting the value into the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises:

obligating payment of an amount derived from the value to an owner of the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein obligating payment comprises:

obligating payment by a party benefited by the health cost savings.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the party benefited by the health cost savings is one of a group consisting of:

an entity that sponsors health insurance;

an employer of the individual; and

a government entity.

70. The system of claim 66, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a transferrable financial instrument.

71. The system of claim 66, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a tradable commodity.

72. The system of claim 66, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration comprises a freely transferrable health care credit.

73. The system of claim 66, wherein the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration has a value that fluctuates according to market demand for the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration.

74. The system of claim 66, wherein the operations further comprise:

assigning ownership of the freely transferrable non-monetary consideration to the individual.

75. The system of claim 66, wherein quantifying the value comprises:

accessing a previously determined value for the metric or the behavior.

76. A system comprising:

a memory containing instructions; and

a processor, operably connected to the memory, that executes the instructions to support operations comprising;

quantifying a health cost savings for an individual associated with an improvement upon or a maintenance of a health metric or a behavior affecting the health of the individual;

embodying a value derived from the health cost savings into a health care credit, which is a freely transferrable non-monetary consideration; and

receiving order information from the individual to freely transfer ownership of the health care credit to an entity.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein embodying the value derived from the health cost savings into the health care credit comprises:

obligating payment of an amount derived from the value to an owner of the health care credit.

78. The system of claim 77, wherein obligating payment comprises:

obligating payment by a party benefited by the health cost savings.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein the party benefited by the health cost savings is one of a group consisting of:

an entity that sponsors health insurance;

an employer of the individual; and

a government entity.

80. The system of claim 76, wherein the health care credit comprises a transferrable financial instrument.

81. The system of claim 76, wherein the health care credit comprises a tradable commodity.

82. The system of claim 76, wherein the health care credit has a value that fluctuates according to market demand for the health care credit.

83. The system of claim 76, wherein the operations further comprise:

assigning ownership of the health care credit to the individual.

84. The system of claim 76, wherein quantifying the health cost savings comprises:

accessing a previously determined value for the health cost savings.