PART A

Sec. A-1. 22 MRSA §8701, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 653, Pt. A, §2 and affected by §7, is amended to read:

§8701. Declaration of purpose

It is the intent of the Legislature that uniform systems of reporting health care information be established; that all providers and payors who are required to file reports do so in a manner consistent with these systems; and that, using the least restrictive means practicable for the protection of privileged health care information, public access to those reports be ensured and health care information be provided to the department for the purposes of comprehensive health planning, in accordance with chapter 101.

Sec. A-2. 22 MRSA §8704, sub-§1, ¶F is enacted to read:

F.__The organization shall make data available as requested by the department for the purposes of comprehensive health planning pursuant to section 253.

Sec. A-3. 22 MRSA §8704, sub-§12 is enacted to read:

12.__Uniform billing forms.__The board shall adopt rules establishing a uniform billing form for use by all health care providers.__In establishing the uniform billing form the board shall consider the requirements of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Public Law 104-191 and the trend toward the electronic transfer of health care billing information.__The rule must take effect July 1, 2002.__ Beginning with all services, procedures and products provided on July 1, 2002, to consumers of health care services, all health care providers must bill for services using and all 3rd-party payors must accept and issue payment based on the uniform billing form.__Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A.

Sec. A-4. Reinvestment of savings. Beginning on the effective date of the establishment of the uniform billing form adopted pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 8704, subsection 12, any savings realized by the Department of Corrections, Department of Education, Department of Human Services and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, as a result of use of the uniform