Managing the business of a medical scheme

A method for managing a wellness incentive program for the benefit of at least one participant, on an information processing system used by the wellness program, comprising:

• downloading onto the information processing system used by the wellness program, from at least one business entity providing wellness activities selected from the group consisting of exercise, weight loss, and smoking cessation, the business entity associated with the wellness program, the business providing in-person wellness facilities or services directed to the selected activity to the at least one participant, monitored and recorded usage information associated with the at least one participant's usage of the facilities or services of said business entity as monitored and recorded by said business entity;
• allocating, using the information processing system, based on the monitored and recorded usage information, a credit value to an account associated with the at least one participant;
• determining that a given threshold of time has expired;
• accumulating, using the information processing system, a total credit value associated with the at least one participant for the given threshold of time;
• and
• determining, using the information processing system, a reward benefit for the at least one participant based at least in part on the total credit accumulated.

A method for managing a wellness incentive program of a wellness program for the health of at least one participant, on an information processing system used by the wellness program, comprising:

• downloading onto the information processing system used by the wellness program, from at least one health-related facility providing wellness activities selected from the group consisting of exercise, weight loss, and smoking cessation, the at least one health-related facility associated with the wellness incentive program, the wellness program offering and the at least one health-related facility providing a wellness facility directed to the selected activity to the at least one participant, monitored and recorded usage information associated with the at least one participant's usage of the at least one health-related facility as monitored and recorded, during visits by the at least one participant at said at least one health-related facility, by said at least one health-related facility, wherein usage information is managed and maintained by at least one wellness program management entity that communicates the managed usage information to the wellness incentive program on behalf of the at least one health-related facility;
• allocating, using the information processing system, based on the usage information, a credit value to an account associated with the at least one participant;
• determining that a given threshold of time has expired;
• accumulating, using the information processing system, a total credit value associated with the at least one participant for the given threshold of time;
• determining, using the information processing system, a reward benefit for the at least one participant based at least in part on the total credit value that has been accumulated and a number of health related claims filed by the at least one participant and contributed to by the at least one other business entity;
• and
• awarding the reward benefit to the at least one participant after a given time period has expired.

A method for managing a wellness program for a wellness program entity, for the benefit of participants under the wellness program, using an information processing system, comprising:

• electronically connecting at least one computing system of a health-related facility to the information processing system of the wellness program entity, the health-related facility providing facilities or services requiring physical in-person participation by at least one participant of the wellness program relating to at least one of exercise, weight loss, and smoking cessation;
• electronically receiving, by the information processing system of the wellness program entity, information collected by the health-related facility pertaining to the therapeutic use of the selected facility or service by the at least one participant of the wellness program , the therapeutic use ensured by the health-related facility;
• allocating, using the information processing system, based on the received information, a credit value to an account associated with the at least one insured;
• determining that a given threshold of time has expired relating to the insured;
• accumulating, using the information processing system, a total credit value associated with the at least one insured, for the given threshold of time;
• determining, using the information processing system, a reward benefit for the at least one insured, based at least in part on the total credit value that has been accumulated;
• and
• causing payment to the at least one participant, at least one of at least a portion of expenses pertaining to use of the selected facility or service by the at least one insured, or a return of a portion of premiums paid by the at least one insured relating to the total credit value, based upon one of an amount of use by the at least one insured of the selected facility or service or an amount of claims for payment of covered health losses by the at least one insured.