System and method for supporting delivery of health care

United States Patent [w]

Freeman, Jr. et al.

US006012035A [ii] Patent Number: [45] Date of Patent:

6,012,035 Jan. 4, 2000

[21] Appl. No.: 08/951,818 [22] Filed: Oct. 13, 1997

Related U.S. Application Data

[63] Continuation of application No. 08/423,523, Apr. 17, 1995, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 08/088,932, Jul. 8, 1993, abandoned.

[51] Int. C I. G06F 17/60

[52] U.S. CI 705/2; 235/379; 235/380;

705/40; 705/41; 705/44

[58] Field of Search 705/3, 2, 4, 1,

705/7, 39, 40, 41^14; 235/379, 380, 376

[56] References Cited

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"Financial Data Organizations Seek Piece of Health Care Pie", Electronic Claims Processing Report., Feb. 21, 1994, v. 2, No. 4, Published by Phillips Business Info. "The EDI Coalition Buys Translation Software From Med-Link Technologies" Automated Medical Payment News (Faulkner & Gray, Inc., publisher) vol. 3, No. 7, Jul. 6, 1994.

Primary Examiner—-Joseph Thomas

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—E. C. Hancock; F. A. Sirr; Holland & Hart LLP

[57] ABSTRACT

Effectuation of a health care provision agency cooperative function is established through a communication network linking all the various entities of the cooperative. The entities include the third party payor members, the health providing individuals, clinics, or the like, along with secondary providers including pharmacies and laboratories, health care facilities such as hospitals, and the several entities associated with management of the cooperative and appropriate funds transfer functions. A coordinating interface system maintains data storage of the necessary information, and manages the entity intercommunications in accordance with the basic structure of the active and eligible elements of the agency cooperative.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets