Sec. E-1. 32 MRSA §2599-C is enacted to read:

§2599-C.__Consumer information

Each osteopathic physician in private practice shall post a readable public notice of the average charges and average payment accepted from payors other than Medicare and MaineCare for the most common services and procedures provided in physicians' offices in this State, as specified by the Maine Health Data Organization in accordance with Title 22, section 8711.__This notice must be posted in a public area of the physician's office.

Sec. E-2. 32 MRSA §3299-B is enacted to read:

§3299-B.__Consumer information.

A physician in private practice shall post a readable public notice of the average charges and average payment accepted from payors other than Medicare and MaineCare for the most common services and procedures provided in physicians' offices in this State, as specified by the Maine Health Data Organization in accordance with Title 22, section 8711.__This notice must be posted in a public area of the physician's office.

PART F

Sec. F-1. Voluntary limits to control growth of insurance and health care costs.

1. Purpose. The cost of health care and health care coverage in this State is growing at a rate that is unaffordable or unsustainable for many residents of the State. There is a pressing need to mitigate the rate of increases in these costs in order to avert increases in loss of health care coverage and to protect access to health care services. The purpose of this section is to encourage health care providers and health insurance carriers to voluntarily restrain the rate of increases in costs.

2. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

A. "Health care provider" means any person, entity or facility providing health care services in this State.