System and Method for Pre-Paid Services

Abstract

A system and method for payment of services, especially health care services, at fixed prices allows a user to purchase a service card that is accepted by a service provider for full payment of a service. A card manager holds funds from the sale of the card and releases the funds to a service provider when documentation that the service has been provided is received.

1 . A method for operating a pre-paid service providing system that provides a service to a user by a service provider, said method comprising:
 providing a card, said card comprising information specifying the service to be performed, a fixed price for the service, and a unique identifier;   registering the service provider with a card manager, said registering comprising establishment of means for transferring funds from a holding account controlled by the card manager to an account controlled by the service provider;   receiving information on a sale of the card to the user by the card manager, said information comprising the unique identifier;   receiving funds from the sale of the card by the card manager and placing at least a portion of the funds in the holding account;   registering the user of the card with the card manager, said registering comprising the receiving the identity of the user and the unique identifier by the card manager;   registering the user with the service provider, said registering comprising confirming the identity of the user by the service provider;   confirming to the card manager that the service has been provided to the user by the service provider; and   causing the transfer of funds from the holding account to the account controlled by the service provider by the card manager.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising confirming to the card manager that the service provider has confirmed the identity of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said providing the card comprises the sale of the card by a vendor, said vendor communicating the sale of the card to the card manager. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the card comprises information specifying a price of the card. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said service provider is a medical service provider and the service is a medical service or a dental service. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , and further comprising preventing medical information of the user from being transmitted to, or being received by, the card manager. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising producing the card at the direction of the card manager as a part of a plurality of the cards. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the card is a virtual card. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , and further comprising printing a corresponding physical card or a physical card duplicate of the virtual card. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising entering data into the card manager, said data comprising a number of the cards to produce, a price of the card, the service to be provided, provider information, and terms of service. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising receiving information by the card manager from the service provider, said information comprising services provided by the service provider and credentials of employees associated with the service provider. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said confirming the identity of the user by the service provider comprises using an image of an identification card of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising the receipt of data into the card manager from the service provider for establishing an account of the service provider with the card manger. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said data comprises an account password and an account name. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising exchange of information between the card manger and a card vendor, said information comprising an inventory of cards to which the card belongs and a usage status of cards in the inventory. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising printing a receipt upon the sale of the card, said receipt comprising the unique identifier of the card.