; and (2) by inserting before the period at the end the following: , and any organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code . 9. Leveling the playing field between providers and payers (a) Exemption It shall not be a violation of the antitrust laws for one or more private health insurer issuers or their designated agents to jointly negotiate prices of particular hospital services with a hospital provider with regards to the reimbursement policies of the insurers for those services. (b) Definitions For purposes of this section: (1) Antitrust laws The term antitrust laws has the meaning given it in subsection (a) of the 1st section of the Clayton Act ( 15 U.S.C. 12(a) ), except that such term includes section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 45 ) to the extent such section 5 applies to unfair methods of competition. (2) Health insurance issuer The term health insurance issuer means an insurance company, insurance service, or insurance organization (including a health maintenance organization, as defined in subparagraph (C)) which is licensed to engage in the business of insurance in a State and which is subject to State law which regulates insurance (within the meaning of section 514(b)(2) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ( 29 U.S.C. 1144(b)(2) ). Such term does not include a group health plan. (3) Health maintenance organization The term health maintenance organization means— (A) a federally qualified health maintenance organization (as defined in section 300e(a) of title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations), (B) an organization recognized under State law as a health maintenance organization, or (C) a similar organization regulated under State law for solvency in the same manner and to the same extent as such a health maintenance organization. (c) Effective date This section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act but shall not apply with respect to conduct