A health care practitioner, as defined in section 2502, subsection 1-A, who directly bills for health care services must use the current standardized claim form for professional services approved by the Federal Government and, after October 16, 2003, must submit claims in electronic data format to a carrier, as defined in Title 24-A, section 4301-A, subsection 3, that accepts claims in an electronic format. A health care practitioner or group of health care practitioners with fewer than 10 full-time-equivalent health care practitioners and other employees is exempt from the requirement to submit claims in electronic data format until October 16, 2005. Beginning October 16, 2005, a health care practitioner or group of health care practitioners with fewer than 10 full-time-equivalent health care practitioners and other employees may apply to the Superintendent of Insurance for a continued exemption from the requirement to submit claims in electronic data format based upon hardship. The Superintendent of Insurance shall adopt rules relating to the process for a hardship exemption and the standard for determining whether a practitioner has demonstrated hardship. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. [PL 2003, c. 469, Pt. D, §2 (RPR); PL 2003, c. 469, Pt. D, §9 (AFF).]