Satori Integrated Health & Financial Benefits System and Method

Abstract

A shared medical savings system and method are provided that allow a patient to participate in the savings generated by selecting to have a medical procedure performed overseas. The system has one or more computing devices, a link that is capable of connecting the one or more computing devices to a medical shared savings unit that is capable of interacting with the computing devices. An employer uses the computing device to elect to participate in a medical savings plan using a Health Reimbursement Account, a patient using the computing device to select an overseas medical procedure that is part of the medical savings plan so that the savings for the overseas medical procedure is divided between the employer and the patient utilizing a medical savings plan.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical shared savings system, comprising:
 a data store that stores medical plan information for a medical plan associated with a patient, and that stores pricing data for a medical procedure under a medical savings plan, the pricing data including a cost of the medical procedure at each of a plurality of health care service providers according to the medical plan; and   a medical shared savings unit that interacts with one or more computing devices and the data store via a communications network, the medical shared savings unit receiving a selection from one of the one or more computing devices to select the medical procedure from a patient-selected health care service provider from the plurality of health care service providers as part of the medical savings plan, the medical shared savings unit calculating a savings based on the selection, and dividing the savings based on a medical savings plan model when the patient undergoes the medical procedure in the patient-selected health care service provider, the medical savings plan model designating a portion of the savings for the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the designating includes using one of a tax-exempt account and a direct cash payment to the patient the pricing. 
     
     
         3 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the medical shared savings unit further divides the savings with the patient and an employer of the patient based on the medical savings plan model. 
     
     
         4 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the pricing data includes costs for post-operative services related to the medical procedure. 
     
     
         5 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the pricing data includes costs for ongoing prescriptions related to the medical procedure. 
     
     
         6 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing devices includes a payor computing device associated with a payor of the medical plan and of the savings. 
     
     
         7 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing devices includes a patient computing device associated with the patient, and configured to receive and transmit the selection to the medical shared savings unit. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 storing, in a data store, medical plan information for a medical plan associated with a patient, the medical plan information including pricing data for a medical procedure for each of a plurality of medical providers in a medical plan network associated with the medical plan;   receiving, by a computer via a communications network, a selection from a computing device of a patient-selected medical provider of the plurality of medical providers as part of a medical savings plan associated with the medical plan;   accessing, by the computer, the medical plan information from the data store;   calculating, by the computer, a savings based on a difference between a cost of the medical procedure performed by the patient-selected medical provider and a cost of the medical procedure associated with the medical plan network;   dividing, by the computer, the savings when the patient undergoes the medical procedure at the patient-selected medical provider; and   designating a portion of the divided savings for the patient.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the computing device is one of a mobile device or computer. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the pricing data includes travel costs. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the computing device is operated by the patient. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the pricing data includes costs for post-operative services related to the medical procedure. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the pricing data includes costs for ongoing prescriptions related to the medical procedure. 
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented system, comprising:
 a data store that stores medical plan information for a medical plan associated with a patient, and that stores pricing data for a medical procedure under a medical savings plan, the pricing data including a cost of the medical procedure for each of a plurality of medical providers; and   a medical shared savings unit that interacts with one or more computing devices and the data store via a communications network, the medical shared savings unit receiving a selection from one of the one or more computing devices to select the medical procedure from a patient-selected medical provider from the plurality of medical providers as part of the medical savings plan, the medical shared savings unit calculating a savings based on the selection, and dividing the savings based on a medical savings plan model when the patient undergoes the medical procedure in the patient-selected medical provider, the medical savings plan model designating a portion of the savings for the patient.   
     
     
         15 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the savings includes waiving one or more of a co-payment, a deductible, and co-insurance associated with the medical plan. 
     
     
         16 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the medical shared savings unit further divides the savings with the patient based on the medical savings plan model. 
     
     
         17 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the pricing data includes costs for post-operative services related to the medical procedure. 
     
     
         18 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the pricing data includes costs for ongoing prescriptions related to the medical procedure. 
     
     
         19 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the one or more computing devices includes a payor computing device associated with a payor of the medical plan and of the savings. 
     
     
         20 . The medical shared savings system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the one or more computing devices includes a patient computing device associated with the patient, and configured to receive and transmit the selection to the medical shared savings unit.