The farm bill was created as a temporary hand out to farmers created during the Depression, but now it's practically a permanent legislative fixture â a massive spending bill Congress passes every five years. Farm bill spending reached record levels in 2000, paying out $24.7 billion in subsidies.
Medicare contracted with the Omaha, Neb.-based StrategicHealthSolutions to serve as a Medicare supplemental medical review contractor (SMRC) in 2012 to âidentify and employ more efficient methods of medical review, such as data extrapolationâ and lower improper payments for fee-for-service claims, according to its website.
Beginning in calendar year (CY) 2015, Medicare applies the Value Modifier to payment under the Medicare PFS for physicians in groups of 100 or more EPs. CY 2013 was the performance period for the Value Modifier that is applied in CY 2015.