Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1832 is enacted to read:

§1832.__Price disclosure

Each hospital, ambulatory surgical facility or other institution of hospitalization licensed under this chapter shall maintain a price list of the most common inpatient services and outpatient procedures rendered.__For inpatient services, the price list must include a per diem bed charge and an average charge for all ancillary charges for the 15 most common services involving inpatient stays.__If the per diem bed charge includes all ancillary charges for a procedure, no further information is required.__For outpatient procedures for which an individual would not incur a bed charge, the price list must include the 20 most common surgical and diagnostic procedures rendered by the licensee.__ The licensee may not be required to publicly post the price list.__The licensee shall post in a conspicuous place a statement about the availability of the price list for the most common services involving inpatient stays and procedures.__ The licensee shall provide its price list to a consumer upon oral or written request by the consumer.__The price list may include a disclaimer regarding changes or other factors that may affect actual charges for services rendered by the licensee.

Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §8702, sub-§9-A is enacted to read:

9-A.__Quality data.__"Quality data" means data submitted by health care providers from which health care service indicators can be developed and reported to the public.

Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §8703, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2001, c. 457, §4, is further amended to read:

1. Objective. The purpose purposes of the organization is are to create and maintain a useful, objective, reliable and comprehensive health information database that is used to improve the health of Maine citizens and to issue periodic reports. This database must be publicly accessible while protecting patient confidentiality and respecting providers of care. The organization shall collect, process, and analyze and report clinical and, financial and quality data as defined in this chapter.

Sec. 4. 22 MRSA §8704, sub-§1, ķA, as amended by PL 2001, c. 457, §7, is further amended to read:

A. The board shall develop and implement data collection policies and procedures for the collection, processing,