1. A health care provider billing method utilized with a patient who has health insurance provided by a health insurance entity, where the health care provider and health insurance entity have entered into a billing contract whereby the health care provider agrees to bill a patient covered by the health insurance entity at contracted rates which may be lower than full rates established by the health care provider for services given to the patient, and which precludes the health care provider from directly balance billing the patient for the difference between the contracted rates and the full rates, except when a separate payment entity, other than the health insurance entity is liable to the patient for a covered event related to the services, the billing method comprising:
the health care provider entering into a billing contract with a patient, where the billing contract includes a provision that enables the health care provider to effect compensatory invoicing, allowing for collection of monies from a separate payment entity andor the patient, who has received monies from a separate payment entity other than the health insurance entity, the difference between the contracted rates and the full rates;
providing medical services to the patient;
billing the health insurance entity for the services at the contracted rate;
identifying a separate payment entity other than the health insurance entity or patient who may be liable to the patient for payment related to the provided services due to the covered event; and
effecting compensatory invoicing, thereby billing the identified payment entity andor the patient who has received monies from an identified payment entity for the difference between the contracted rates and the full rates.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified payment entity is a first party payment entity and is liable to the patient due to MedPay or Personal Injury Protection.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the need for the provided services arises from a covered event for which a liability insurance product is applicable, and the identified payment entity is a third party payment entity andor liability insurance provider who provides insurance to an entity who caused the covered event.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified payment entity is a Medpay provider for an insurance product of the patient.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified payment entity is a Personal Injury Protection provider for an auto insurance product of the patient.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying an entity comprises monitoring a variety of sources to determine whether the patient has filed a claim with andor against a payment entity, other than the patient’s health insurance entity, relating to services provided to the patient by the health care provider.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying comprises auditing past patient records by comparing them against a monitoring system allowing the health care provider to effect compensatory invoicing, collecting any differences between the full rates and the contracted rates for rendered services if the patient uses the health care provider’s bills for compensation from a payment entity other than the patient’s health insurance entity.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of questioning the patient, prior to, during or after the provision of services, to determine whether there is an entity other than the health care provider or patient who may be liable to the patient for payment related to the provided services;
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring requests for transfer or copies of patient treatment records or bills to identify or flag situations where a separate payment entity other than the patient’s health insurance entity may be liable to the patient for payment relating to the provided services.
10. A computer implemented system for enabling a health care provider to effect compensatory invoicing of a patient who has health insurance provided by a health insurance entity, where the health care provider and health insurance entity have entered into a billing contract whereby the health care provider agrees to bill patients covered by the health insurance entity at contracted rates which may be lower than full rates established by the health care provider for the services and which precludes the health care provider from directly balance billing the patient for the difference between the contracted rates and the full rates except when a separate payment entity, other than the health insurance entity, is liable to the patient for a covered event related to the services, the system comprising:
means for storing in the system an indication that the patient and the health care provider have entered into a billing contract, where the billing contract includes a provision that enables the health care provider to effect compensatory invoicing, collecting from a separate payment entity andor the patient, who has received monies from an identified payment entity other than the health insurance entity, for the difference between the contracted rates and the full rates;
means for billing the health insurance entity at the contracted rate, for the services provided to the patient;
means for identifying a separate payment entity, other than the health care provider or patient, who may be liable to the patient for payment related to the provided services due to the covered event; and
means for billing the identified payment entity andor the patient, who has received monies from an identified payment entity for the difference between the contracted rates and the full rates.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified payment entity is a first party payment entity and is liable to the patient due to MedPay or Personal Injury Protection.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the need for the provided services arises from a covered event for which a third party payment entity andor liability insurance product is applicable, and the identified payment entity is a liability insurance provider who provides insurance to an entity who caused the covered event.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified payment entity is a Medpay provider for an insurance product of the patient.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified payment entity is a Personal Injury Protection provider for an auto insurance product of the patient.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein means for identifying a payment entity comprises means for monitoring a variety of sources to determine whether the patient has filed a claim with andor against a payment entity, other than the patient’s health insurance entity, relating to services provided to the patient by the health care provider.
16. The system of claim 10, wherein means for identifying a payment entity comprises means for auditing past patient records by comparing them against a monitoring system to flag situations where the health care provider may effect compensatory invoicing, thereby collecting for any differences between the full rates and the contracted rates for rendered services if the patient uses the health care provider’s bills for compensation from a separate payment entity other than the patient’s health insurance entity.
17. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for storing responses by the patient to a questionnaire determining whether there is a payment entity other than the health insurance entity-which may be liable to the patient for payment related to the provided services;
18. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for monitoring requests for transfer or copies of patient treatment records or bills to identify or flag situations where a separate payment entity other than the patient’s health insurance entity may be liable to the patient for payment relating to the provided services.
19. A method for assisting health care providers in effecting compensatory invoicing of patients who have health insurance provided by a health insurance entity, where for a health care provider and health insurance entity have entered into a billing contract whereby the health care provider agrees to bill patients covered by the health insurance entity at contracted rates which may be lower than full rates established by the health care provider for the services and which precludes the health care provider from directly balance billing the patient for the difference between the contracted rates and the full rates, except when a separate payment entity, other than the health insurance entity, is liable to the patient for a covered event related to the services and where the health care provider has entered into a billing contract with the patient prior to rendering services, where the billing contract includes a provision that enables the health care provider to collect from a separate payment entity andor the patient, who has received monies from a payment entity, other than the health insurance entity, for the difference between the contracted rates and the full rates, the method comprising:
a service provider entering into a contract with one or more health care provider(s) to provide services to assist the one or more health care providers in effecting compensatory invoicing of patients, where appropriate, in exchange for a fee paid by the one or more health care providers to the service provider, wherein the services provided by the service provider include one or more of:
i) identifying when treatmentservices rendered by a health care provider relates to a covered event; ii) identify one or more payment entity other than a health insurance entity that may be liable to the patient for the services due to the covered event; andor iii) effecting, when appropriate, compensatory invoicing of the separate payment entity andor the patient, who has received monies from a separate payment entity other than the health insurance entity, said monies being the difference between the contracted rates and the full rates, on behalf of the relevant health care provider.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the services provided by the service provider include billing, on behalf of the health care provider to a first party payment entity such as MedPay andor Personal Injury Protection policies.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the services provided by the service provider include billing, on behalf of the health care provider to a third party payment entity andor liability insurance provider who provides insurance to an entity who caused the covered event.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein the services provided by the service provider include monitoring a variety of sources to determine whether a patient of the one or more health care providers has filed a claim with andor against a separate payment entity, other than the patient’s health insurance entity, relating to services provided to the patient by the health care provider.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-44. (canceled)
45. A process for making OD-doped synthetic silica glass material capable of being used in the light path of the lithographic irradiation of a lithographic device operating at a wavelength below about 300 nm, comprising the following steps:
(I) providing a plurality of particles comprising silica;
(II) depositing the a plurality of particles on a supportive deposition surface at an elevated temperature such that the particles are consolidated into transparent glass material in situ,
wherein:
either in step (I), the a plurality of particles provided are D-containing andor in step (II), the deposition and consolidation are carried out in a D-containing atmosphere,
such that the obtained silica glass comprises OD and optionally OH, and the ratio of n(OD)(n(OD)+n(OH)) is higher than about 2\xd710\u22124.
46. A process according to claim 45, wherein the obtained silica glass comprise sodium less than about 50 ppb by weight.
47. A process according to claim 45, wherein in step (I), the particles are generated by flame hydrolysis of at least one Si-containing precursor compound.
48. A process according to claim 47, wherein in step (I), the Si-containing precursor compound is selected from organosilicon compounds and silicon halides.
49. A process according to claim 45, wherein in step (II), the deposition is initiated on an essentially planar top surface of a horizontally rotating table.
50. A process according to claim 45, wherein in step (II), the deposition and consolidation are carried out in the presence of D2O.
51. A process according to claim 45, wherein in step (II), the deposition and consolidation are carried out in the presence of H2O.
52. A process according to claim 51, wherein the Si-containing precursor compound comprises D.
53. A process according to claim 47, wherein the flame is generated by at least one reaction involving a D-containing compound.
54. A process according to claim 45, wherein in step (I), the particles are provided via a soot dispenser.
55. A process according to claim 45, wherein in step (I), the particles are provided via a plasma-assisted process.
56. A process according to claim 45, further comprising the following step:
(III) treating the consolidated glass obtained in step (II) in an atmosphere comprising H2 andor HD andor D2.
57. A process according to claim 56, wherein in step (III), the treatment temperature is lower than about 600\xb0 C.
58. A process according to claim 56, wherein in step (III), the treatment temperature is higher than about 600\xb0 C.
59. A process according to claim 56, wherein in step (III), the ratio of (2n(H2)+n(HD)))2(n(H2)+n(D2)+n(HD)) is higher than or equal to the natural abundance of H.
60. A process according to claim 56, wherein in step (III), the ratio of (2n(D2)+n(HD))2(n(H2)+n(D2)+n(HD)) is higher than or equal to the natural abundance of D.
61. A process according to claim 56, wherein in step (III), the treatment time and temperature is chosen such that the sum total of the concentration of H2, HD and D2 in the treated glass is between about 0.1\xd71016 to about 5\xd71019 moleculescm3.
62. A process according to claim 56, wherein in step (I), particles comprising dopants are provided and mixed with the particles comprising silica.
63. A process according to claim 62, wherein the particles comprising dopants comprise at least one of Cl, TiO2, F and Al2O3.
64. A process according to claim 63, wherein the particles comprising dopants comprise fluorine.
65. A process for making OD-doped synthetic silica glass material capable of being used in the light path of the lithographic irradiation of a lithographic device operating at a wavelength below about 300 nm, comprising the following steps:
(A) providing a particle preform comprising a plurality of particles comprising silica;
(B) optionally purifying andor drying the particle preform;
(C) optionally further doping the particle preform with dopants;
(D) consolidating the particle preform at an elevated temperature to dense glass; and
(E) optionally treating the consolidated glass obtained in step (D) in the presence of H2, HD andor D2,
wherein in at least one of steps (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E), OD is introduced into or formed in the glass such that obtained silica glass comprises OD and optionally OH, and the ratio of n(OD)(n(OD)+n(OH)) is higher than about 2\xd710\u22124.
66. A process according to claim 65, wherein the obtained silica glass comprises less than about 50 ppb by weight of sodium.
67. A process according to claim 66, wherein the soot preform provided in step (A) comprises sodium lower than about 50 ppb by weight.
68. A process according to claim 65, wherein:
the soot preform provided in step (A) comprises sodium higher than about 50 ppb by weight;
step (B) is carried out subsequent to step (A); and
upon completion of step (B), the soot preform comprises sodium less than about 50 ppb by weight.
69. A process according to claim 65, wherein in at least one of steps (A), (B), (C) and (D), OD is introduced into or formed in the glass.
70. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (A) comprises the following steps:
(A1) providing a plurality of particles; and
(A2) depositing the particles on a rotating supporting surface to form the particle preform.
71. A process according to claim 70, wherein in step (A1), the particles are provided by (A1.1) flame hydrolysis of at least one silicon-containing precursor compound, which may be plasma-assisted; or (A1.2) a soot dispenser, which may be plasma assisted; or (A1.3) other plasma-assisted process.
72. A process according to claim 71, wherein in step (A1), the particles are provided by (A1.1), and the particles are essentially not OD-doped.
73. A process according to claim 71, wherein in step (A1), the particles are provided by (A1.1), and the particles provided are OD-doped.
74. A process according to claim 73, wherein in step (A1), the particles are provided by flame hydrolysis in the presence of a D-containing compound.
75. A process according to claim 74, wherein in step (A1), the particles are provided by flame hydrolysis in the presence of D2O.
76. A process according to claim 70, wherein in step (A2), the deposition involves a process selected from (A2.1) outside vapor deposition; (A2.2) inside vapor deposition; (A2.3) vapor axial deposition; and (A2.4) planar deposition.
77. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (A) comprises the following steps:
(A(i)) forming a sol-gel comprising silica; and
(A(ii)) forming the particle preform from the sol-gel.
78. A process according to claim 77, wherein step (A(i)) is carried out in the presence of or from a D-containing compound.
79. A process according to claim 78, wherein step (A(i)) is carried out in the presence of D2O.
80. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (B) is carried out and such step is carried out in an atmosphere comprising at least one purifyingdrying agent selected from F2, Cl2, Br2, a halogen-containing compound, CO, CO2, and compatible mixtures thereof.
81. A process according to claim 80, wherein the halogen-containing compound is selected from HX, COX2, SOX2, CX4 and SX6, wherein X is selected from F, Cl, Br and combinations thereof.
82. A process according to claim 80, wherein step (B) is carried out in an atmosphere comprising Cl2, Br2 or mixtures thereof, with or without containing CO.
83. A process according to claim 80, wherein immediately after step (B), the particle preform has an OH+OD less than about 50 ppm by weight of the total composition.
84. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (C) is carried out, and such step is carried out in the presence of an atmosphere comprising dopant(s).
85. A process according to claim 84, wherein step (C) is carried out in the presence of a D-containing compound.
86. A process according to claim 84, wherein step (C) is carried out in the presence of D2O, D2 or both.
87. A process according to claim 85, wherein in step (C) exchange of OD for OH is carried out.
88. A process according to claim 87, wherein immediately after step (C), the ratio of n(OD)(n(OD)+n(OH)) in the particle preform is higher than about 0.02.
89. A process according to claim 65, if step (B) or step (C) is carried out, at least one of these two steps is carried out in the presence of a reductive atmosphere.
90. A process according to claim 89, wherein in the reductive atmosphere in which step (B) or step (C) is carried out comprises a gas selected from H2, D2, HD, hydrocarbons, D-containing hydrocarbons, and the like.
91. A process according to claim 89, wherein after step (B) or step (C), if carried out, and whichever is later, an oxidation step (C(A)) is carried out wherein the particle preform is subjected to an oxidative atmosphere in which oxygen-deficient sites in the particle preform can be healed.
92. A process according to claim 91, wherein step (C(A)) is at least part of step (D).
93. A process according to claim 91, wherein the oxidative atmosphere in step (C(A)) comprises H2O, D2O, O2 andor O3.
94. A process according to claim 65, wherein steps (B) and (C) are carried out at least partially simultaneously.
95. A process according to claim 65, wherein steps (C) and (D) are carried out at least partially simultaneously.
96. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (D) is carried out in an atmosphere comprising He.
97. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (U) is carried out in an atmosphere comprising O2.
98. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (D) is carried out in the presence of H2O.
99. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (D) is carried out in the presence of D2O.
100. A process according to claim 99, wherein step (D) is carried out in an atmosphere essentially free of H2O and HDO.
101. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (D) is carried out in the presence of D2, HD or both.
102. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (E) is carried out, and such step (E) is carried out in the presence of H2.
103. A process according to claim 102, wherein step (E) is carried out in an atmosphere essentially devoid of D2 and HD.
104. A process according to claim 103, wherein step (E) is carried out at a temperature lower than about 600\xb0 C.
105. A process according to claim 101, wherein step (E) is carried out at a temperature below about 1000\xb0 C.
106. A process according to claim 65, wherein step (E) is carried out, and such step (F) is carried out in the presence of D2 andor HD.
107. A process according to claim 106, wherein step (E) is carried out in an atmosphere essentially devoid of H2.
108. A process according to claim 107, wherein step (E) is carried out in an atmosphere essentially devoid of HD and H2.
109. A process according to claim 106, wherein step (E) is carried out at a temperature higher than about 600\xb0 C.
110. A process according to claim 65, wherein:
the dense glass resulting from step (D) comprises OH;
step (F) is carried out; and
in step (E), the glass is treated in an atmosphere comprising D2, HD andor H2 to effect HD exchange in the dense glass to obtain the desired OH and OD in the glass.
111. A process according to claim 110, wherein:
the dense glass resulting from step (D) is essentially not OD-doped; and
in step (E), the glass is treated in an atmosphere comprising D2 to effect HD exchange in the dense glass to obtain the desired OH and OD in the glass.
112. A process according to claim 111, wherein:
in step (E), the glass is treated in an atmosphere comprising D2 to effect HD exchange such that at the end of the step (E), the glass has a ratio of n(OD)(n(OD)+n(OH)) of at least 0.5.
113. A process according to claim 112, wherein:
at the end of step (E), the glass has a ratio of n(OD)(n(OD)+n(OH)) of at least 0.9.
114. A process according to claim 110, wherein step (E) is carried out at a temperature of at least 600\xb0 C.
115. A process according to claim 114, wherein step (E) is carried out at a temperature of at least 800\xb0 C.
116. A process for making OD-doped synthetic silica glass capable of being used in the light path of the lithographic irradiation of a lithographic device operating at a wavelength below about 300 nm, comprising the following steps:
(a) providing a plurality of OD-doped particles comprising silica; and
(b) melting the particles at an elevated temperature to obtain a transparent glass.
117. A process according to claim 116, wherein step (a) comprise the following steps:
(a1) generating a plurality of particles comprising silica;
(a2) optionally purifying andor drying the particles;
(a3) optionally doping the particles in an atmosphere comprising at least one D-containing compound, and
(a4) optionally treating the particles in an oxidative atmosphere to at least partly heal oxygen-deficient sites in the particles.
118. A process according to claim 117, wherein in step (a3), the at least one D-containing compound comprises D2O.
119. A process according to claim 116, wherein step (a) involves flame hydrolysis of a Si-containing precursor compound.
120. A process according to claim 116, wherein step (a) involves a sol-gel process of a Si-containing compound.
121. A process according to claim 116, wherein in step (b), the melted glass is also homogenized.
122. A process according to claim 116, further comprising the following step (c) after step (b):
(c) treating the glass in an atmosphere comprising H2, D2 andor HD.
123-124. (canceled)
125. A process for making OD-doped synthetic silica glass capable of being used in the light path of the lithographic irradiation of a lithographic device operating at a wavelength below about 300 nm, comprising the following steps:
(a) providing at least one consolidated OD-doped silica glass;
(b) melting the OD-doped silica glass and homogenizing it at an elevated temperature to obtain a glass having an essentially uniformly distributed OD andor OH therein.
126. A process according to claim 125, wherein:
in step (a), at least two OD-doped silica glasses having differing OD are provided; and
in step (b), the at least two silica glasses are mixed and homogenized.
127. A process for making OD-doped synthetic silica glass capable of being used in the light path of the lithographic irradiation of a lithographic device operating at a wavelength below about 300 nm, comprising the following steps:
(a) providing a consolidated silica glass comprising OH;
(b) treating the consolidated glass in an atmosphere comprising D2, H2, andor HD to effect HD exchange to the desired OH and OD in the glass.
128. A process according to claim 127, wherein:
the dense glass provided in step (a) is essentially not OD-doped; and
in step (b), the glass is treated in an atmosphere comprising D2 to effect HD exchange in the dense glass to obtain the desired OH and OD in the glass.
129. A process according to claim 128, wherein:
in step (b), the glass is treated in an atmosphere comprising D2 to effect HD exchange such that at the end of the step (b), the glass has a ratio of n(OD)(n(OD)+n(OH)) of at least 0.5.
130. A process according to claim 129, wherein:
at the end of step (b), the glass has a ratio of n(OD)(n(OD)+n(OH)) of at least 0.9.
131. A process according to claim 127, wherein step (b) is carried out at a temperature of at least 600\xb0 C.
132. A process according to claim 131, wherein step (b) is carried out at a temperature of at least 800\xb0 C.