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.
The specific preventive services for which cost-sharing does not apply for Medicare patients: 1  the initial preventive physical examination; 2  the annual wellness visit; 3  pneumococcal, influenza, and hepatitis B vaccine and administration; 4  screening mammography; 5  screening Pap smear and screening pelvic exam;