In addition to lines of credit for healthcare and credit card programs, some companies are aligning various incentives with the cards.

Aetna Healthy Living and Bank of America teamed up to provide Aetna members with a credit card that managed healthcare expenses that offers rewards applicable to future spending. Rewards System:

• Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on certain health-related purchases including hospital treatments, doctor and dentist charges, sporting goods stores, fitness and weight loss centers, vitamin stores and more.
• Receive an exclusive 10 percent point redemption discount on dozens of health-related items - gym equipment, spa set, bicycles, blood pressure monitors, etc.
• Redeem points in the form of statement credits that can help pay for medical copayments made with the Aetna Healthy Living credit card.
• Redeem points for cash rewards that can be used to help pay for health care and other expenses, or deposited to a checking account or HSA.

Aequitas Capital Management, a private equity firm in Portland, Ore., provides financing through its CarePayment card to 50,000 patients treated at two dozen hospitals. CarePayment charges no interest on debts repaid within 25 months. However, they offer prompt pay discounts for patients who pay within 1-6 months. Aequitas makes money by buying patient debts for about 80¢ on the dollar and then seeking to recover the full amount.

It’s a potential way for hospitals to offload risk. The hospital gets paid immediately for services and does not have to expend resources on collections. The credit card company generates revenue on interest and/or buying the debt at a discount. Insurance company gets a healthier pool. Patient is better able to manage the medical expense but may be subject to negative terms. The credit card company most likely aligns with an insurance company or a hospital.

Speaks to multiple leverage points.  See also the credit card component template for leverage point ties that are specific to healthcare credit cards.

• Balance of risk sharing at micro and macro level while managing risk at macro level:
• If cardholders actually follow behavior change incentives then improved health outcomes should follow.  And thus the theory that healthcare costs would decrease.  This is both good for the insurer and the patient.
• Healthcare defined as a public good leading to new social contracts:
• With incentives for wellness and prevention in place, we are one step closer to improved health outcomes and to aligning people’s health with public goods.