HEALTH CARE ANALYSIS SYSTEM AND METHODS

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing health care information about one or more health care providers to a health care consumer. A database stores health care information, including the costs charged by multiple health care providers for identical health care services. A consumer search module retrieves the cost information from the database based upon a health care service identification code and insurance plan input by the consumer. The search module then displays the costs charged by one or more health care providers for the health care service. The system also generates a good faith estimate of the costs associated with one or more health care services.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a computer network for use in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a representation of an interface allowing access to consumer section modules in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a representation of an interface for entering consumer profile information in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 a is a representation of an interface for searching health care information by specialty in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 b is a representation of an interface for searching health care information about one or more providers in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a representation of an interface for searching health care information by health service description and/or service code in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a representation of an interface displaying results from a search of health care information in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a representation of an interface for entering employer profile information in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a representation of an interface for adding members to an employer profile in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a representation of an interface for viewing the payment status of an employer-member in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a representation of an interface allowing access to provider section modules in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a representation of an interface for viewing the account status of a provider-member in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a representation of an interface for entering provider profile information in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a representation of an interface for entering cost information into the provider profile in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a representation of an interface allowing provider advisory members to edit market baskets in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a representation of an interface allowing provider advisory members to add procedure bundles in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a representation of an interface allowing access to several features for generating a good faith estimate in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a representation of an interface displaying an electronic form for generating a good faith estimate in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a representation of a good faith estimate generated in some embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of providing health care information, the method comprising: maintaining a database storing health care information, the health care information comprising cost information;receiving one or more health care service inputs, each health care service input associated with a health care service;receiving two or more provider inputs, each provider input associated with a health care provider;retrieving from the database retrieved cost information associated with the one or more health care service inputs and the two or more provider inputs; andproviding the retrieved cost information to a health care consumer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the two or more provider inputs comprises receiving the two or more provider inputs simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved cost information comprises a provider amount associated with the one or more health care service inputs and each of the two or more provider inputs.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the retrieved cost information to the health care consumer comprises providing each provider amount simultaneously.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more health care service inputs comprises an identification code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an insurance input and wherein the retrieved cost information is associated with the insurance input.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising verifying the insurance input.

8. A system for providing health care information, the system comprising: a database module adapted to maintain a database storing health care information, wherein the health care information comprises cost information; anda consumer search module adapted to receive at least one health care service input identifying a health care service,receive at least two provider inputs identifying respective health care providers,retrieve from the database retrieved cost information associated with the at least one health care service input and the at least two provider inputs, andprovide the retrieved cost information to a health care consumer.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the consumer search module is adapted to receive the at least two provider inputs simultaneously.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the retrieved cost information comprises a provider amount associated with the at least one health care service input and each of the at least two provider inputs.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the consumer search module is adapted to provide each provider amount simultaneously.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the one or more health care service inputs comprises an identification code.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the consumer search module is further adapted to receive an insurance input and wherein the retrieved cost information is associated with the insurance input.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the insurance input is a verified insurance input.

15. A system for providing health care information, the system comprising: a database module adapted to maintain a database storing health care information, wherein the health care information comprises cost information;a consumer search module adapted to receive at least one provider input identifying a health care provider and a request for a good faith estimate; anda good faith estimate module adapted to receive at least one health care service input identifying a health care service;retrieve from the database retrieved cost information associated with the at least one health care service input; andgenerate a good faith estimate based upon the retrieved cost information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one health care service input comprises an identification code.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the good faith estimate module is further adapted to receive an insurance input, and wherein the retrieved cost information is associated with the insurance input.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one health care service input comprises a procedure bundle, wherein the procedure bundle comprises a plurality of identification codes associated with a plurality of health care services.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein receiving the at least one health care service input comprises receiving the at least one health care service input through an electronic form viewable in a Web browser.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein providing the good faith estimate to a health care consumer comprises making the good faith estimate available for viewing in a Web browser.

21. A method of providing health care information, the method comprising: maintaining a database storing health care information, the health care information comprising cost information associated with a plurality of insurance plans;receiving an insurance input associated with one of the plurality of insurance plans;verifying a health care consumer's participation in the one of the plurality of insurance plans;receiving at least one health care service input associated with a health care service;receiving at least one provider input associated with a health care provider;retrieving from the database retrieved cost information associated with the insurance input, the at least one health care service input, and the at least one provider input; andproviding the retrieved cost information to the health care consumer.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein verifying the health care consumer's participation in the one of the plurality of insurance plans comprises receiving a verification from an employer of the health care consumer.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein verifying the health care consumer's participation in the one of the plurality of insurance plans comprises verifying participation through a third party intermediary.