DataPath, located in Little Rock, Ark., and Atlanta-based RelayHealth have formed a strategic relationship that will establish a new connectivity service to streamline the payment cycle and data exchange needed to expedite consumer payments for health services. Targeted services range from consumer-driven healthcare accounts such as flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, and health reimbursement arrangements.

Providers will receive real-time eligibility verification of an employee's healthcare account and then use the account as a secondary benefit payment method. Automatic payment reduces out-of-pocket expenses from the patient at the time of service and decreases the number of self-pay statements generated later by the healthcare provider.

"The common scenario in healthcare services is to collect payment now and adjust later, or worse yet, to not collect now and end up with uncompensated care," says Jeff Hancock, director of product management for RelayHealth. "With this solution, providers get paid on self-pay balances from funds the consumer has saved for this very purpose. It's no longer necessary to create another bill that might not get paid for weeks, if at all.