(b) (1) On or before June 30 of each year, the Commissioner shall assess
each payor a fee for the next fiscal year.

(2) The fee shall be established in accordance with this section and §
19-1515 of the Health - General Article.

(c) (1) For each fiscal year, the total assessment for all payors shall be:

(i) set by a memorandum from the Maryland Health Care Access
and Cost Commission; and

(ii) apportioned equitably by the Maryland Health Care Access and
Cost Commission among the classes of payors described in subsection (a)(3) of this
section as determined by the Maryland Health Care Access and Cost Commission.

(2) Of the total assessment apportioned under paragraph (1) of this
subsection to payors described in subsection (a)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section, the
Commissioner shall assess each payor a fraction:

(i) the numerator of which is the payor's total premiums collected
in the State for health benefit plans for an appropriate prior 12-month period as
determined by the Commissioner; and

(ii) the denominator of which is the total premiums collected in the
State for the same period for health benefit plans of all payors described in subsection
(a)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section.

(3) Of the total assessment apportioned under paragraph (1) of this
subsection to payors described in subsection (a)(3)(iii) of this section, the
Commissioner shall assess each payor a fraction:

(i) the numerator of which is one; and

(ii) the denominator of which is the total number of all payors
described in subsection (a)(3)(iii) of this section.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, the fee
assessed on a third party administrator may not exceed 0.5% of the total
administrative fees for health benefit plans collected in the State by the third party
administrator for the previous calendar year.

(d) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, each payor that is
assessed a fee under this section shall pay the fee to the Commissioner on or before
September 1 of each year.

(2) The Commissioner, in cooperation with the Maryland Health Care
Access and Cost Commission, may provide for partial payments.

(e) The Commissioner shall distribute the fees collected under this section to
the Health Care Access and Cost Fund established under § 19-1515 of the Health -
General Article.]