Cerner, partners offer HSA-driven payment card

Medical IT giant Cerner has launched a new card which will make health savings account (HSA) money immediately accessible at the point of care. Known as a "Healthe," the card will not only serve as a health plan ID, but will also allow consumers to debit HSAs. Healthe cards will also offer consumers the option of linking the card to a line of credit. Cerner is launching the Healthe card in partnership with Greenwood Village, CO-based First Data Healthcare Services and Kansas City-based UMB Healthcare Services. UMB Healthcare is a subsidiary of UMB Financial, which holds more than $80 million in HSA deposits.

This is not just a medical banking initiative, however: Cerner seems to be looking at an even bigger picture. Cerner's Healthe products include the Healthe Hub, an interoperability solution for RHIOs, and Healthe Connect, which allows RHIO participants to message consumers and providers securely, as well as enabling e-prescribing transactions. Cerner has been testing the card concept in-house, at its worksite-based Healthe Clinic. The Healthe Clinic has drawn the attention of at least one Fortune 100 company, which has asked Cerner to build one on its premises.

To get background on the effort:
- read this piece from The Kansas City Star

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