Accelerated Payments for Health Care Plans

摘要

A method for accelerating a payment to a merchant for a healthcare related claim. The method comprises submitting a healthcare related claim for payment from the merchant to a payer; determining at the payer whether the member is eligible for services covered as a part of his or her healthcare plan. If the member is determined to be eligible for payment of claim(s) submitted, then a financial institution is notified of an estimated amount of liability for the claim. At least a portion of the estimated amount of liability for the claim is paid to the merchant by the financial institution. The financial institution thereafter receives a reimbursement/payment from a healthcare finding source for the adjudicated amount of liability for the claim. Once the claim is adjudicated, a healthcare management system reconciles with the merchant for any under or over payment.