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US5956690A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Bundled billing accounting computer systems

Assignee: VHS of Michigan Inc
•
Filing: 1997-09-03
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Granted: 1999-09-21
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Expires: 2017-09-03
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus and method for altering billing and accounts payable invoice deliveries. A bundled billing computer application sends messages indicating when billing and invoicing is to occur based upon a predetermined bill drop criteria. The computer application clusters billing information resulting from multiple patients activities that occur over a predetermined period of time. The bills and invoices related to the multiple patient events are generated once over that period of time according to the bill drop criteria.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michelle Marie Haggerson
  • 👤 Glenn Joseph Engman
  • 👤 James Vincent Estes

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 11:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/04; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 162 words
A computer-implemented method for aperiodically processing patient accounting data in a periodic hospital accounting database, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving patient profile data which establishes activity criteria for grouping activities by a patient; (b) associating said patient profile data with a predetetermined bill drop criteria; (c) receiving a plurality of accounting data that is indicative of activities by a patient; (d) performing steps (e)-(f) for the accounting data that satisfies said activity criteria of said patient profile data: (e) associating said satisfied accounting data with said patient profile data; (f) generating bill stay flags associated with said satisfied accounting data on said periodic hospital accounting database; (g) determining whether said bill drop criteria of said patient profile data is satisfied; (h) performing steps (i)-(j) when said bill drop criteria of said patient profile data is satisfied: (i) retrieving the patient accounting data that is associated with said patient profile data; (j) generating financial data based upon said retrieved patient accounting data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 162 words
A computer-implemented method for aperiodically processing patient accounting data in a periodic hospital accounting database, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving patient profile data which establishes activity criteria for grouping activities by a patient; (b) associating said patient profile data with a predetetermined bill drop criteria; (c) receiving a plurality of accounting data that is indicative of activities by a patient; (d) performing steps (e)-(f) for the accounting data that satisfies said activity criteria of said patient profile data: (e) associating said satisfied accounting data with said patient profile data; (f) generating bill stay flags associated with said satisfied accounting data on said periodic hospital accounting database; (g) determining whether said bill drop criteria of said patient profile data is satisfied; (h) performing steps (i)-(j) when said bill drop criteria of said patient profile data is satisfied: (i) retrieving the patient accounting data that is associated with said patient profile data; (j) generating financial data based upon said retrieved patient accounting data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said patient profile data includes a payor identifier code and a patient identifier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said bill drop criteria includes coverage date periods.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said accounting data includes financial data, service description data, and service provider data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said financial data includes data being selected from the group consisting of billing data, accounts payable data, and combinations thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said patient profile data includes a payor identifier code, said method further comprising the step of: electronically delivering said generated financial data to a payor identified by said payor identifier code.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 37 words
The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of: generating bill drop flags on said periodic hospital accounting database for the accounting data associated with said satisfied bill drop criteria of said patient profile data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of: remotely receiving a plurality of accounting data via a remote computer data connection.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 47 words
The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: clustering said accounting data associated with said satisfied bill drop criteria of said patient profile data, said clustering being performed based upon said patient profile data; and assigning a cluster identifier to said clustered accounting data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 171 words
A computer-implemented apparatus for aperiodically processing patient accounting data in a periodic hospital accounting database, comprising: (a) means for receiving patient profile data which establishes activity criteria for grouping activities by a patient; (b) means for associating said patient profile data with a predetermined bill drop criteria; (c) means for receiving a plurality of accounting data that is indicative of activities by a patient; (d) means for performing steps (e)-(f) for the accounting data that satisfies said activity criteria of said patient profile data: (e) associating said satisfied accounting data with said patient profile data; (f) generating bill stay flags associated with said satisfied accounting data on said periodic hospital accounting database; (g) means for determining whether said bill drop criteria of said patient profile data is satisfied; (h) means for performing steps (i)-(j) when said bill drop criteria of said patient profile data is satisfied: (i) retrieving the patient accounting data that is associated with said patient profile data; (j) generating financial data based upon said retrieved patient accounting data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 171 words
A computer-implemented apparatus for aperiodically processing patient accounting data in a periodic hospital accounting database, comprising: (a) means for receiving patient profile data which establishes activity criteria for grouping activities by a patient; (b) means for associating said patient profile data with a predetermined bill drop criteria; (c) means for receiving a plurality of accounting data that is indicative of activities by a patient; (d) means for performing steps (e)-(f) for the accounting data that satisfies said activity criteria of said patient profile data: (e) associating said satisfied accounting data with said patient profile data; (f) generating bill stay flags associated with said satisfied accounting data on said periodic hospital accounting database; (g) means for determining whether said bill drop criteria of said patient profile data is satisfied; (h) means for performing steps (i)-(j) when said bill drop criteria of said patient profile data is satisfied: (i) retrieving the patient accounting data that is associated with said patient profile data; (j) generating financial data based upon said retrieved patient accounting data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said patient profile data includes a payor identifier code and a patient identifier.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 15 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said bill drop criteria includes coverage date periods.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said accounting data includes financial data, service description data, and service provider data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 27 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said financial data includes data being selected from the group consisting of billing data, accounts payable data, and combinations thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 37 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said patient profile data includes a payor identifier code, said apparatus further comprising: means for electronically delivering said generated financial data to a payor identified by said payor identifier code.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 36 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising; means for generating bill drop flags on said periodic hospital accounting database for the accounting data associated with said satisfied bill drop criteria of said patient profile data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 22 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 further: means for remotely receiving a plurality of accounting date via a remote computer data connection.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 51 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising means means for clustering said accounting data associated with said satisfied bill drop criteria of said patient profile data, said means for clustering being performed based upon said patient profile data; and means for assigning a cluster identifier to said clustered accounting data.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-09-20 2003-03-22 2003-09-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-09-20 2007-03-22 2007-09-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-09-20 2011-03-22 2011-09-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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