Granted Patent B2

US 12,682,329 · App. 18/806,180 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Inventor: William C. Short (Dallas, TX)

Assignee: ACCRESA HEALTH LLC

G06Q20/102G06Q20/105G06Q20/40G06Q30/04G16H10/60G16H40/20

Abstract

Claims (69)

1 . An apparatus for settling a plurality of bundled healthcare invoices by routing packet data, the apparatus comprising:

a communications interface;

memory for storing instructions; and

a processor coupled to the communications interface and the memory, the processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the processor to:

create a custom group instance comprising a plurality of payees and a plurality of payors, wherein the plurality of payees and the plurality of payors are based on parameters comprising a plurality of healthcare plans;

store the custom group instance in the memory;

receive, over the communications interface, inputs from one or more of the plurality of payees or the plurality of payors in the custom group instance;

extract data from the inputs;

alter the custom group instance based on the data;

automatically generate and transmit, over the communications interface, a notification to one or more devices associated with the custom group instance in response to altering the custom group instance;

receive, over the communications interface, a bundled invoice from each payee of the plurality of payees in the custom group instance, wherein each bundled invoice comprises a charge for each medical service provided to a patient during a medical visit;

create a data packet for each bundled invoice;

bundle the data packets addressed to common payors within the custom group instance;

identify, based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans, each payor responsible for paying at least a portion of a charge listed in any of the bundled invoices;

generate a plurality of separate invoices for each identified payor in the custom group instance, wherein generating the plurality of separate invoices comprises dividing the data packets, and wherein each divided data packet comprises an amount owed to one or more of the plurality of payees based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans;

transmit, over the communications interface, the plurality of separate invoices to each identified payor in the custom group instance;

receive, over the communications interface, funds from one or more of the identified payors in the custom group instance; and

distribute, over the communications interface, the funds to one or more of the plurality of payees based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans, wherein bundling the data packets reduces a number of data transmissions over the communications interface.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to cause the processor to, after receiving the funds, group the funds owed to each payee in the custom group instance.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to cause the processor to distribute the funds after receiving all funds owed to each payee in the custom group instance.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least two payors in the custom group instance are responsible for paying for a charge listed in one of the plurality of bundled invoices.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least two payees in the custom group instance contributed to providing a medical service.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the funds are distributed when a total amount for the medical services is received.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the funds are distributed to each payee in the custom group instance.

8 . An apparatus for bundling healthcare invoices to generate a single invoice for a payor, the apparatus comprising:

a communications interface;

memory for storing instructions;

a processor connected to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the processor to:

create a custom group instance comprising a plurality of payees and a plurality of payors, wherein the plurality of payees and the plurality of payors are based on parameters comprising a plurality of healthcare plans;

store the custom group instance in the memory;

receive, over the communications interface, inputs from one or more of the plurality of payees or the plurality of payors in the custom group instance;

extract data from the inputs;

alter the custom group instance based on the data;

automatically generate and transmit, over the communications interface, a notification to one or more devices associated with the custom group instance in response to altering the custom group instance;

receive, over the communications interface, a bundled invoice from each payee of the plurality of payees in the custom group instance, wherein each bundled invoice comprises a charge for each medical service provided to a patient during a medical visit;

create a data packet for each bundled invoice;

bundle the data packets addressed to common payors within the custom group instance;

identify, based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans, each payor responsible for paying at least a portion of a charge listed in any of the bundled invoices, wherein at least two payors in the custom group instance are responsible for paying for a charge listed in at least one of the plurality of bundled invoices;

generate a plurality of separate invoices for each identified payor in the custom group instance, wherein generating the plurality of separate invoices comprises dividing the data packets, and wherein each divided data packet comprises an amount owed to one or more of the plurality of payees based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans;

transmit, over the communications interface, the plurality of separate invoices to each identified payor in the custom group instance;

receive, over the communications interface, funds from one or more of the identified payors in the custom group instance; and

distribute, over the communications interface, the funds to one or more of the plurality of payees based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans, wherein bundling the data packets reduces a number of data transmissions over the communications interface.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to cause the processor to, after receiving the funds, group the funds owed to each payee in the custom group instance.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to cause the processor to distribute the funds after receiving all funds owed to each payee in the custom group instance.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least two payees in the custom group instance contributed to providing a medical service.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the funds are distributed when a total amount for the medical services is received.

13 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the funds are distributed to each payee in the custom group instance.

14 . A system for bundling healthcare invoices to generate a single invoice for a payor, the system comprising:

a server in communication with a plurality of payee terminals, a plurality of payor terminals, and a database via a network, wherein the server is configured to:

create a custom group instance comprising at least a portion of the plurality of payee terminals and at least a portion of the plurality of payor terminals, wherein the portion of the plurality of payee terminals and the portion of the plurality of payor terminals are based on parameters comprising a plurality of healthcare plans stored in the database;

store the custom group instance in the database;

receive inputs from one or more of the plurality of payee terminals in the custom group instance or one or more of the plurality of payor terminals in the custom group instance;

extract data from the inputs;

alter the custom group instance based on the data;

automatically generate and transmit, via the network, a notification to one or more of the plurality of payee terminals or the plurality of payor terminals in the custom group instance in response to altering the custom group instance;

receive, from one or more of the plurality of payee terminals in the custom group instance, a bundled invoice from each payee of a plurality of payees, wherein each bundled invoice comprises a charge for each medical service provided to a patient during a medical visit;

create a data packet for each bundled invoice;

bundle the data packets addressed to common payor terminals within the custom group instance;

identify, based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans, each payor terminal responsible for paying at least a portion of a charge listed in any of the bundled invoices;

generate a plurality of separate invoices for each identified payor terminal in the custom group instance, wherein generating the plurality of separate invoices comprises dividing the data packets, and wherein each divided data packet comprises an amount owed to one or more of the plurality of payees based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans;

transmit, to each identified payor terminal in the custom group instance, the plurality of separate invoices;

receive, from one or more of the identified payors, funds; and

distribute, to one or more of the plurality of payees terminals based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans, the funds, wherein bundling the data packets reduces a number of data transmissions via the network.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the server is further configured to, after receiving the funds, group the funds owed to each payee terminal in the custom group instance.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the server is further configured to distribute the funds after receiving all funds owed to each payee terminal in the custom group instance.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein at least two payor terminals in the custom group instance are responsible for paying for a charge listed in one of the plurality of bundled invoices.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein at least two payee terminals in the custom group instance are associated with providing a medical service.

19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the funds are distributed when a total amount for the medical services is received.

20 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the funds are distributed to the plurality of payee terminals based on the custom group instance and one or more of the plurality of healthcare plans.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (101)