Ch. 341

1995 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(ii)    The principal diagnosis;

(iii)   The procedure performed;

(iv)    The date and location of where the procedure was performed;

(v)     The charge for the procedure;

(vi) If the bill for the procedure was submitted on an assigned or
nonassigned basis; and

(vii) If applicable, a health care practitioner's universal identification
number;

(2)     Collect appropriate information relating to prescription drugs for each
type of patient encounter with a pharmacist designated by the Commission; and

(3)     Collect appropriate information relating to health care costs, utilization,
or resources from payors and governmental agencies.

(c)     (1) The Commission shall adopt regulations governing the access and
retrieval of all medical claims data and other information collected and stored in the
medical care data base and any claims clearinghouse licensed by the Commission and may
set reasonable fees covering the costs of accessing and retrieving the stored data.

(2)     These regulations shall ensure that confidential or privileged patient
information is kept confidential.

(3)     Records or information protected by the privilege between a health care
practitioner and a patient, or otherwise required by law to be held confidential, shall be
filed in a manner that does not disclose the identity of the person protected.

(d)     (1) To the extent practicable, when collecting the data required under
subsection (b) of this section, the Commission shall utilize any standardized claim form or
electronic transfer system being used by health care practitioners, office facilities, and
payors.

(2) The Commission shall develop appropriate methods for collecting the
data required under subsection (b) of this section on subscribers or enrollees of health
maintenance organizations.

(e)     Until the provisions of § 19-1508 of this subtitle are fully implemented [but
no later than July 1, 1995], where appropriate, the Commission may limit the data
collection under this section [to a representative sample for a health care service
provided by a health care practitioner or office facility].

(f)      By October 1, 1995 and each year thereafter, the Commission shall publish an
annual report on those health care services selected by the Commission that:

(1) Describes the variation in fees charged by health care practitioners and
office facilities on a statewide basis and in each health service area for those health care
services; and

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