(a) A health care-related tax is a licensing fee, assessment, or other mandatory payment that is related to—

(1) Health care items or services;

(2) The provision of, or the authority to provide, the health care items or services; or

(3) The payment for the health care items or services.

(b) A tax will be considered to be related to health care items or services under paragraph (a)(1) of this section if at least 85 percent of the burden of the tax revenue falls on health care providers.

(c) A tax is considered to be health care related if the tax is not limited to health care items or services, but the treatment of individuals or entities providing or paying for those health care items or services is different than the tax treatment provided to other individuals or entities.

(d) A health care-related tax does not include payment of a criminal or civil fine or penalty, unless the fine or penalty was imposed instead of a tax.

(e) Health care insurance premiums and health maintenance organization premiums paid by an individual or group to ensure coverage or enrollment are not considered to be payments for health care items and services for purposes of determining whether a health care-related tax exists.