Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §8702, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:

1-A.__Carrier.__"Carrier" means an insurance company licensed in accordance with Title 24-A, including a health maintenance organization, a preferred provider organization, a fraternal benefit society or a nonprofit hospital or medical service organization or health plan licensed pursuant to Title 24.__An employer exempted from the applicability of Title 24-A, chapter 56-A under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 29 United State Code, Sections 1001 to 1461 (1988) is not considered a carrier.

Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §8702, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 653, Pt. A, §2 and affected by §7, is amended to read:

2. Clinical data. "Clinical data" includes but is not limited to the data required to be submitted by providers, payors, 3rd-party administrators and carriers that provide only administrative services for a plan sponsor pursuant to sections 8708 and 8711.

Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §8702, sub-§§8-A and 10-A are enacted to read:

8-A.__Plan sponsor.__"Plan sponsor" means any person, other than an insurer, who establishes or maintains a plan covering residents of this State, including, but not limited to, plans established or maintained by 2 or more employers or jointly by one or more employers and one or more employee organizations or the association, committee, joint board of trustees or other similar group of representatives of the parties that establish or maintain the plan.

10-A.__Third-party administrator.__"Third-party administrator" means any person who, on behalf of a plan sponsor, health care service plan, health maintenance organization or insurer, receives or collects charges, contributions or premiums for, or adjusts or settles claims on, residents of this State.

Sec. 4. 22 MRSA §8703, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1999, c. 353, §2, is further amended to read:

1. Objective. The purpose of the organization is to improve the health of Maine citizens through the creation and maintenance of create and maintain a useful, objective, reliable and comprehensive health information database that is used to improve the health of Maine citizens. This database must be publicly accessible while protecting patient confidentiality and