Methods for processing data

Abstract

Methods for processing data including receiving data into a graphical user interface (GUI) composed of a set of N identifiable fields to thereby create a set of N filled identifiable fields and generating M files from the set of N filled identifiable fields. Each of the M files generated is composed of a subset NJ of the set of N filled identifiable fields, where J is an integer that ranges from 1 to M. The fields that are included in each of the subsets NJ are determined based at least on identities of the fields in the set of N filled identifiable fields. At least two of the subsets NJ are not equal. Both N and M are integers greater than 1.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer implemented method for processing health insurance claims that require health-insurance-claim attachments, the method comprising:
 receiving an electronic-health-insurance form associated with a health care encounter, wherein the electronic-health-insurance form comprises:
 first information uniquely identifying the health care encounter associated with the electronic-health-insurance form; and 
 second information for accessing electronic-health-insurance-claim-attachment information; 
   accessing the electronic-health-insurance form and obtaining the second information;   on the basis of the second information, obtaining the electronic-health-insurance-claim-attachment information and third information uniquely identifying the health care encounter associated with the electronic-health-insurance-claim-attachment information; and   processing a health insurance claim using the electronic-health-insurance form and the electronic-health-insurance-claim-attachment information if the electronic-health-insurance form and the electronic-health-insurance-claim-attachment information are associated with the same health care encounter.   
     
     
         3 . A computer implemented method for processing health insurance claims that require health-insurance-claim attachments, the method comprising:
 receiving an electronic-health-insurance form associated with a health care encounter between a patient and a healthcare provider, wherein the electronic-health-insurance form comprises:
 first information uniquely identifying the health care encounter that the electronic-health-insurance form is associated with; 
   accessing the electronic-health-insurance form and obtaining the first information;   on the basis of the first information, obtaining at least electronic-health-insurance-claim-attachment information and second information uniquely identifying the health care encounter associated with the electronic-health-insurance-claim-attachment information; and   processing a health insurance claim using the electronic-health-insurance form and the electronic-health-insurance-claim-attachment information if the electronic-health-insurance form and the electronic-health-insurance-claim-attachment information are associated with the same health care encounter.   
     
     
         4 . A system designed to assist in the creation, submission, and processing of health insurance claims that require health-insurance-claim attachments, the system comprising:
 a first computer system for use by a health care provider;   a second computer system for providing value added services between the health care provider and a health care payer;   a clearinghouse computer system operated by a health-insurance-claims clearinghouse; and   a third computer system for use by the health care payer;   wherein the first computer system is configured to generate a user interface for entry of health-insurance-claim data and health-insurance-claim-attachment data, the health-insurance-claim data and health-insurance-claim-attachment data being related to a particular patient/provider health care encounter;   wherein the first computer system, in response in part to entry of the health-insurance-claim data and the health-insurance-claim-attachment data through the user interface, is configured to generate a first file containing at least health-insurance-claim-attachment data, and a second file containing health-insurance-claim data;   wherein the first computer system is configured to transmit the first file to the second computer system and to transmit the second file to the clearinghouse computer system;   wherein the first file and the second file are each associated with a same identification number;   wherein the clearinghouse computer system is configured to transmit a third file to the third computer system, said third file comprising identification-number data derived from the identification number of the second file and information generated as a function of the information in the second file; and   wherein the third computer system is configured to access at least the health-insurance-claim-attachment data of the first file, stored in the second computer system, on the basis of the identification-number data from the third file.   
     
     
         5 . A computer network, which creates, submits, and processes electronic-health-insurance claims and electronic-health-insurance-claim attachments, the network comprising:
 a first computer system for use by a health care provider;   a second computer system for providing value added services between health care providers and health care payers;   a clearinghouse computer system associated with a health-insurance-claims clearinghouse; and   a third computer system for use by a health care payer;   wherein the first computer system is configured to generate a first file containing first data relating to a health care encounter between a patient and the health care provider and a second file containing second data relating to the same health care encounter between the patient and the health care provider, the first data including health-insurance-claim-attachment data and the second data including no health-insurance-claim-attachment data;   wherein the first and second files each contain information that uniquely identifies the corresponding health care encounter;   wherein the first computer system is configured to transmit the first file to the second computer system and to transmit the second file to the clearinghouse computer system;   wherein the clearinghouse computer system is configured to transmit a third file to the third computer system, said third file containing at least some information generated from the information of the second file that uniquely identifies the healthcare encounter; and   wherein the third computer system is configured to access at least the health-insurance-claim-attachment data from the first file, stored in the second computer system, on the basis of the at least some information generated from the information of the second file that uniquely identifies the healthcare encounter, and to display at least some of the third file and at least the health-insurance-claim-attachment data from the first file to a user.