PART A

Sec. A-1. 24-A MRSA §1951, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1997, c. 616, §1, is further amended to read:

2. Private purchasing alliance. "Private purchasing alliance" or "alliance" means a corporation licensed pursuant to this section established under Title 13-A or Title 13-B to provide health insurance to its members through multiple unaffiliated one or more participating carriers.

Sec. A-2. 24-A MRSA §1954, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1997, c. 370, Pt. A, §§1 and 2, is repealed.

Sec. A-3. 24-A MRSA §2736-C, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 477, Pt. C, §1 and affected by Pt. F, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

B.__"Community rate" means a carrier's average rate for a given benefit package for a given family status such as individual, couple or family.__The average must be based on the anticipated mix of business during the rating period.

Sec. A-4. 24-A MRSA §2736-C, sub-§1, ¶B-1 is enacted to read:

B-1.__"Adjusted rate" means a carrier's rate for a given benefit plan, family status, age and geographic area before any variation based on health status, smoking status or healthy lifestyle.

Sec. A-5. 24-A MRSA §2736-C, sub-§2, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 477, Pt. C, §1 and affected by Pt. F, §1, is amended to read:

B. A carrier may not vary the premium rate due to the gender, health status occupation or industry, claims experience or policy duration of the individual.

Sec. A-6. 24-A MRSA §2736-C, sub-§2, ¶D, as amended by PL 1995, c. 177, §1, is further amended to read:

D. A carrier may vary the premium rate due to age, smoking status, occupation or industry, and geographic area only under the following schedule and within the listed percentage bands.