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| United States Patent |
3,567,114 |
|
Frees
|
March 2, 1971
|
MEDICARE CALCULATOR
Abstract
A medicare calculator comprising three stacked discs--a middle disc and two
smaller outer discs-- and a U-shaped indicator, all of which are
concentrically rotatably mounted on a rivet at their centers. Numerical
information is printed on the disc such that when an outer disc is
suitably aligned with the middle disc, proper placement of the indicator
reveals the number of days a patient was under medical care, the patient's
cost for the care, the total Medicare cost, and the days on which a
patient is to be reviewed and examined. One side of the calculator is for
calculating Medicare expenses for hospitals and the other side for
calculating Medicare expenses for extended care facilities.
| Inventors: |
Frees; Burke (Clearwater, FL) |
| Appl. No.:
|
04/787,022 |
| Filed:
|
December 26, 1968 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
235/88F ; 235/88R |
| Current International Class: |
G06G 1/00 (20060101); G06c 003/00 () |
| Field of Search: |
235/78,88 116/133
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wilkinson; Richard B.
Assistant Examiner: Wal; Stanley A.
Claims
I claim:
1. A calculator for assisting in calculating Medicare expenses comprising a first and second stacked discs mounted for concentric rotation relative to each other, and indicator mounted
for concentric rotation with said discs, mounting means for rotatably mounting said stacked discs and indicator, said first disc having an upper and lower exposed face and a larger diameter than said second disc, said first disc having on its upper
exposed face along its margin a graduated yearly scale, said second disc having a date of entry mark on its exposed face along its margin, said date of entry mark to be aligned with the date on said first disc when a patient enters a medical care
institution, said second disc having a plurality of arcuate columns of numerical data, said numerical data in the first of said columns calculated to initiate the number of days the patient is under care in said medical institution, the numerical data in
the second of said columns calculated to indicate the number of days the patient is under care in said medical institution, the numerical data in the second of said columns calculated to indicate the patient costs for medical treatment in said
institution, the numerical data in a third or more of said columns calculated to indicate the total Medicare cost for the patient's care at a particular dollar rate per day at said institution, said indicator having an indicating means to read said
yearly scale and said numerical data whereby when the date of entry mark is rotatably aligned with the date on said first disc when said patient enters said institution, and said indicating means on said indicator is then rotatably aligned with the date
on said first disc when said patient is to be released, said indicating means indicates the number of days the patient was in the institution in said first column, the paitnet's cost in said second column, and the total medical cost at a particular
dollar rate in a particular one of said third or more columns.
2. The Medicare calculator of claim 1 wherein said indicating means comprise a window slot particularly located on said indicator for viewing a single row of numerical data in each of said columns and for simultaneously viewing a single date on
said yearly scale.
3. The Medicare calculator of claim 1 further including a third disc mounted for concentric rotation relative to said first disc, said third disc having a smaller diameter than said first disc, said second and third disc mounted in a stacked
relationship with but on opposite sides of said first disc, said first disc having on its lower exposed face along its margin a graduated yearly scale, said third disc having a date of entry mark on its exposed face along its margin, said date of entry
mark on said third disc to be aligned with the date on said lower face of said first disc when a patient enters a medical care institution, said third disc having a plurality of arcuate columns of numerical data, the numerical data in a first of said
columns on said third disc calculated to indicate number of days the patient is under care in said institution, the numerical data in a second of said columns on said third disc calculated to indicate the patient's cost for medical treatment in said
second medical care institution, the numerical data in a third or more of said columns calculated to indicate the total Medicare cost for the patient care at a particular dollar rate per day at said institution, said indicator being U-shaped, said legs
of said indicator extending over said disc and mounted for concentric rotation therewith, mounting means for rotatably mounting said discs and said indicator, said indicator having indicating means to read said yearly scale on the upper and lower exposed
face of said first disc and said columns of numerical data on said second and third discs.
4. The Medicare calculator of claim 3 wherein said indicating means comprises window slots on both legs of said U-shaped indicator, said slots particularly located for viewing on both sides of said calculator a single row of numerical data in
each of said columns and for simultaneously viewing a date on said first disc.
5. The Medicare calculator of claim 4 further defined by said first, second and third discs and said indicator being formed of plastic, and by said mounting means securing said discs and indicator being a fastener extending coaxially
therethrough.
Description
This invention relates to calculators; more particularly, this invention relates to hand-manipulated calculators.
The recent social security amendments of 1965 provided a broad program of health insurance for people 65 and over. This program is commonly known as Medicare. Generally, the Medicare insurance program or plan may be described as follows: for a
patient who enters the hospital and who is covered by the plan. Medicare insurance pays all but the first $40 for the patient's first 60 days in the hospital. For the next 30 days in any one particular spell of illness, it pays all but $10 a day. If
the patient stays longer, Medicare pays all but $20 a day for the next 60 days. In an extended care facility, such as a skilled nursing home or a special part of the hospital, Medicare pays for all services for the first 20 days of care, and all but $5
daily for the next 80 days. A requirement of Medicare is that the patient be examined on so-called examination and review dates to ascertain if he should be retained under care or discharged. The review and examination is normally conducted by a board
of doctors who review the patient's medical history.
As a result of this program, medical care institutions such as hospitals and extended care facilities have encountered additional accounting problems. Not only must the expenses be calculated that Medicare pays, but also the patient's cost and
the days on which the patient is to be examined and reviewed.
Unfortunately, Medicare calculations are presently accomplished by hand calculations which are time consuming and subject to error or by mechanical calculators which are generally unsatisfactory. Hand calculation is unsuitable as frequently the
calculations must be made rapidly by clerks or other personnel who are not particularly skilled in mathematics.
Present mechanical calculators have a number of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the calculations require a series of numbers to be inputted to the calculator in order that a particular answer be derived. This constitutes more time and
is subject to greater error than if the calculations were predetermined and simply read by an appropriate indicator. Present calculators are also not easily portable which is another disadvantage as often the calculators can be used for various parts of
the institutions. Another important disadvantage is that present calculators are too expensive. It is desirable to have a cheaply made, durable made calculator which may be simply operated, yet effectively, to enable doctor, nurse, clerk, administrator
or other personnel of a medical institution, or even a patient, to make rapid Medicare calculations.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a Medicare calculator.
Another object is to provide a Medicare calculator in which the patient's cost may easily be calculated.
Still another object is to provide a Medicare calculator in which the number of days a patient has been in a medical care institution may easily be calculated.
A further object is to provide a Medicare calculator in which the total Medicare cost of the dollar rate per day may easily be calculated for the patient's stay in a medical care institution.
A still further object is to provide a Medicare calculator in which the examination review date for reviewing a patient may easily be calculated.
Another object is to provide a Medicare calculator which is readily understood and simply operated.
Another object is to provide a Medicare calculator which may be utilized for both hospitals and extended care facilities.
Another object is to provide a Medicare calculator which can easily be transported.
Another object is to provide a Medicare calculator which is durable and simply constructed.
Another object is to provide a Medicare calculator which is practical and economically feasible to manufacture.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
In accordance with these objects, the Medicare calculator essentially comprises three stacked discs and a U-shaped indicator, all of which are concentrically mounted on a rivet at their centers. The central disc is the largest of the discs and
has on both sides adjacent its outer edge a graduated calendar of the months and days of the year. One side of the calculator is used to calculate Medicare expenses for hospitals, and the other side to calculate Medicare expenses for extended care
facilities. On the hospital side, the upper disc has a day of entry mark set for the date of entry of the patient into the hospital. Also printed on the upper disc are a series of annular columns containing numerical data. Reading from the outer edge
of the upper disc, a first column represents the number of days the patient is in the hospital, a second column represents the patient's cost for staying in the hospital, and then 19 columns are similarly arranged to represent the total Medicare cost for
a patient's stay in the hospital. Each of these 19 columns is based on a particular dollar rate per day for the patient's stay in the hospital.
The calculator is operated by simply rotating the upper disc until the day of entry mark corresponds to the date on the central disc on which the patient enters or is to enter the hospital. The indicator is then moved until a slotted window on
the indicator is on the date on the central disc corresponding to the date on which the patient is discharged or is to be discharged. With the indicator in this position, the various columns are read through the window. The first numerical column
indicates a number of days on which the patient is in the hospital, the second column indicates the cost which the patient must pay for his treatment, and the total Medicare cost may be read in the appropriate column for the dollar rate per day at which
the patient stayed in the hospital. Numbers on the first column representing the intervals at which the patient is to be examined and reviewed are shaded. By reading the day and month on the central disc which is adjacent the shaded numbers, the
examination and review dates may quickly be ascertained.
The opposite side of the calculator is arranged for extended care facilities. It is essentially the same with the exception that numerical data on the upper disc is arranged for care in an extended care facility rather than a hospital. The
operation of the calculator is identical.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the
claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the top of the calculator of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the calculator.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the calculator taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the top of the calculator.
Similar references characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Referring now to the FIGS. particularly FIGS. 1 and 3, the calculator of the present invention will be seen to include upper and lower discs 12, 14, a larger middle or central disc 16, and a U-shaped indicator 18 disposed in a stacked
relationship and secured for concentric rotation relative to one another by a mounting means consisting of a rivet 20 extending coaxially therethrough. Larger middle disc 16 has printed on both sides along its outer edge and along its margin with discs
12, 14 a graduated calendar 22, 23 showing the months and days of the year.
The upper disc 12 is utilized in calculating hospital Medicare expenses and has on its margin a day of entry mark 24 to be aligned on a date of calendar 22 on which a patient enters the hospital. Also printed on upper disc 12 are a series of
annular columns depicting numerical data. A first column 26, designated a number of days column and containing the numbers 1 through 150, represents the number of days the patient is under care or stays in the hospital. A second column 28 is a patient
cost column and represents the cost which the patient himself must pay for the hospital expenses. This column is blank for an equivalent of 60 days as it is to be understood that the patient pays the first $40 during this time. The next 30 days from
day 61 through day 90 inclusive, the patient pays an addition $10 per day and the column so indicates. From day 91 to day 150 the patient pays increments of $20 a day, and this is also so indicated in the column. Also located on upper disc 12 are 19
columns relating to a particular dollar rate per day at which the patient stays in the hospital. These columns are as follows: 30A is for $1 a day, 30B is for $2 a day 30C is for $3 a day, 30D is for $4 a day, 30E is for $5 a day, 30F is for $6 a day,
30G is for $7 a day, 30H is for $8 a day, 30I is for $9 a day, 30J is for $10 a day, 30K is for $20 a day, 30L is for $30 a day, 30M is for $40 a day, 30N is for $50 a day, 30-O is for $60 a day, 30P is for $70 a day, 30Q is for $80 a day, 30R is for $90
a day and 30S is for $100 a day. These dollar rate columns extend upwardly to the 150 day limit in rate multiples. The FIGS. in all of these column are spaced and appropriately aligned to correspond with the dates of calendar 22. The intervals at
which a patient is to be reviewed and examined are appropriately shaded in column 26.
The opposite, or lower disc 14, is utilized in calculating Medicare expenses for extended care facilities, It is essentially the same as disc 12. That is, it has printed thereon similar columns of numerical data and a date of entry mark 32. The
only differences are that in the number of days column 34 the days only extend up to 100 days instead of 150 as this is the maximum number of days which Medcicare covers for treatment in extended care facilities; and a second difference being in the
patient cost column 35. For extended care facilities, patient cost is blank for the first 20 days and then extend upwardly in $5 multiple increments for the next 80 days.
The indicating means or indicator 18 is a U-shaped member having on each arm a pair of aligned slotted windows 38 and 40 lying over columns of numerical data on disc 12 and upper face of disc 16 and a similar pair of aligned slotted windows 41
and 42 lying over the columns of numerical data on disc 14 and lower face of disc 16. The windows have a particular width to read only one line of the figure in the arcuate columns. To indicate the nature of each particular column the indicator is
printed with informative data as shown.
The operation of the calculator will now be described for calculating hospital Medicare expenses. First, upper disc 12 is rotated relative to middle disc 16 until the date of entry mark 24 is aligned with the date on calendar 22 on which the
patient enters the hospital. As shown in FIG. 4, for example, the 10th of Mar. Indicator 18 is then moved until it window column is aligned with the date on calendar 22 on which the patient is to be released or is released from the hospital. In FIG.
4, this is shown as Mar. 30. Simply reading the appropriate columns indicate through the windows in the indicator, one can ascertain various Medicare calculations. For example, by reading number of days column 26, it can readily be determined that the
patient was in the hospital for 21 days. In second column 28, the patient basic cost column, the patient's cost is indicated as $40 by the blanks space since the patient was not in the hospital for over 60 days. Assuming that the patient was in a room
for $20 a day, column 30K indicates the total medical cost for the patient's stay in the hospital would be $420. Columns 30 may be interpolated to indicate other rates not calculated directly in the basic rate columns. For example, assuming the patient
stayed in the hospital at a dollar rate per day of $23. Column 30K would be read indicating a cost of $420. at a rate of $20 per day, and this would be added to column 30C which indicates the cost of $63 for $3 a day. Combined costs of these two
columns is $483, or the total medical cost. The days on which the patient is to be reviewed and examined are easily determined by matching the shaded areas on column 26 with the calendar date; for example, the first certification would be on Mar. 23.
It should be obvious that calculations for extended care facility are calculated in precisely the same manner. Therefore, to avoid redundancy, it is not believed necessary to literally describe this operation.
It should also be obvious that figures in the columns may be suitably changed in the advent of the change of Medicare costs. For example, assuming that the patient cost is increased 10 percent the calculator would be printed with the figures in
patient cost column 26 increased 10 percent accordingly.
The calculator is preferably made of plastic, but can be made of just about any fibrous material or metal. It should be understood that a suitable magnifying lense may be included with the calculator by adhering it over the slotted windows of
the indicator to facilitate reading the numerical data.
From the above description it should now be evident that a unique Medicare calculator has been invented. The calculator may be simply operated by a few fundamental movements. The number of days a patient stays in the hospital, his costs, the
total Medicare cost, and the examination review dates may be readily read by noting appropriate columns on the calculator through windows in the indicator. The calculator is durable, easily portable and being a simple instrument, it is practical and
economically feasible to manufacturer. This in turn makes the calculator inexpensive to the purchaser.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceeding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the
invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be
said to fall therebetween.
Now that the invention has been described:
* * * * *
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