Incentive Programs For Healthcare Cards
A computer-implemented method and system to facilitate a purchase by a cardmember using a transaction instrument associated with a tax-advantaged account, wherein the tax-advantaged account is associated with a healthcare plan. A request is received from a merchant to charge the tax-advantaged account for a transaction associated with the transaction instrument. A determination is made whether the charge is for a covered tax-advantaged expense The tax-advantaged account is credited with healthcare plan related points associated with the value of the charge only if the charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense. The tax-advantaged account is also credited with transaction instrument related points associated with the value of the charge only if the charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense.
1 . A computer-implemented method to facilitate a purchase by a cardmember using a transaction instrument associated with a tax-advantaged account, wherein the tax-advantaged account is associated with a healthcare plan, comprising:
(a) receiving a request from a merchant to charge the tax-advantaged account for a transaction associated with the transaction instrument;
(b) determining whether the charge is for a covered tax-advantaged expense; and
(c) crediting the tax-advantaged account with healthcare plan related points associated with the value of the charge only if the charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense; and
(d) crediting the tax-advantaged account with second issuer points associated with the value of the charge only if the charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second issuer is the merchant requesting the charge.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second issuer is a transaction instrument issuer.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second points issuer comprises a manufacturer of an item purchased.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second points issuer comprises an employer associated with the tax-advantaged account to be charged.
6 . A computer-implemented method to facilitate the use by a cardmember of a tax-advantaged account, wherein the tax-advantaged account is associated with a healthcare plan, comprising:
(a) receiving a request from the cardmember to deposit funds into the tax-advantaged account for a transaction associated with the transaction instrument; and
(b) crediting the tax-advantaged account with healthcare plan related points associated with the value of the funds deposited into the tax-advantaged account.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the points are credited to the tax-advantaged account by an employer of the cardmember.
8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the points are credited to the tax-advantaged account by a transaction instrument issuer.
9 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
(c) receiving a request from a merchant to charge the tax-advantaged account for a transaction;
(d) determining whether the charge is for a covered tax-advantaged expense; and
(e) crediting the tax-advantaged account with healthcare plan related points associated with the value of the charge only if the charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
(f) crediting the tax-advantaged account with second issuer points associated with the value of the charge only if the charge is determined to be for a covered tax-advantaged expense.
11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the second issuer is the merchant requesting the charge.
12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the second issuer is a transaction instrument issuer.
13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the second points issuer comprises a manufacturer of an item purchased.