any State and each political subdivision thereof which during any calendar quarter employed an average number of employees of not less than 25, as a condition of payment to the State of funds under section 247b, 247c, or 300a of this title,

If a health benefits plan offered by an employer or a State or political subdivision includes contributions for services offered under the plan, the employer or State or political subdivision shall make a contribution under the plan for services offered by a qualified health maintenance organization in an amount which does not financially discriminate against an employee who enrolls in such organization. For purposes of the preceding sentence, an employer’s or a State’s or political subdivision’s contribution does not financially discriminate if the employer’s or State’s or political subdivision’s method of determining the contributions on behalf of all employees is reasonable and is designed to assure employees a fair choice among health benefits plans.

Each employer or State or political subdivision which provides payroll deductions as a means of paying employees’ contributions for health benefits or which provides a health benefits plan to which an employee contribution is not required shall, with the consent of an employee who exercises option of membership in a qualified health maintenance organization, arrange for the employee’s contribution for membership in the organization to be paid through payroll deductions.

No employer or State or political subdivision shall be required to pay more for health benefits as a result of the application of this subsection than would otherwise be required by any prevailing collective bargaining agreement or other legally enforceable contract for the provision of health benefits between the employer or State or political subdivision and its employees.

Any employer who knowingly does not comply with one or more of the requirements of paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b) shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $10,000. If such noncompliance continues, a civil penalty may be assessed and collected under this subsection for each thirty-day period such noncompliance continues. Such penalty may be assessed by the Secretary and collected in a civil action brought by the United States in a United States district court.

In any proceeding by the Secretary to assess a civil penalty under this subsection, no penalty shall be assessed until the employer charged shall have been given notice and an opportunity to present its views on such charge. In determining the amount of the penalty, or the amount agreed upon in compromise, the Secretary shall consider the gravity of the noncompliance and the demonstrated good faith of the employer charged in attempting to achieve rapid compliance after notification by the Secretary of a noncompliance.

In any civil action brought to review the assessment of a civil penalty assessed under this subsection, the court shall, at the request of any party to such action, hold a trial de novo on the assessment of such civil penalty and in any civil action to collect such a civil penalty, the court shall, at the request of any party to such action, hold a trial de novo on the assessment of such civil penalty unless in a prior civil action to review the assessment of such penalty the court held a trial de novo on such assessment.