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Dogs and people arent all that different
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Arianne Brown's son Audi plays with the family's dog Aleven (eleventh member of the family; "Stranger Things" fan; all A's" ... get it?) - photo by Arianne Brown
It was a recent unusually warm winter day, and I looked outside my back window. To my absolute delight, I saw my youngest two playing in the sandbox with the neighbors grandson. Thats not all. Our 3-month-old puppy, a border collie-mini Aussie, was also playing in the sandbox with two other neighbor dogs that had made it to our yard.

For the next several minutes, I watched as the kids threw sand in the air while the dogs ran around digging, also throwing sand in the air. While I was completely aware of the mess that I would soon need to clean up, what I was witnessing was heaven on earth.

I ran to get my camera to take a picture to share with family and friends so I could forever immortalized this moment. When I returned to the window, the kids had moved to the neighbors trampoline, and the dogs were chasing each other below as the kids jumped.

I smiled in delight as I watched children and animals play together joyfully. And then I snapped my picture.

This moment that I captured with my less-than-stellar camera phone represented what we as a family have wanted for so many years.

Just like many parents have experienced, our children have begged us for years to get a dog. And we have wanted to allow that for them because we knew what a dog would bring to our family. It would teach us responsibility. It would give us protection. And more importantly, it would teach us love and compassion for animals.

A couple of years ago, we tried to have a dog, and even rescued one from a shelter. It was hard, and not because of the dog, but because we werent ready. She had some behavioral issues she had learned that we didnt have the time, know-how or money to be able to correct. We also didnt have the home or yard space to give her the life we wanted for her.

When we searched for a new home, it was imperative to find a place that would not only be livable for a dog, but a place that would allow him to thrive. It needed to have space for him to play for hours, and a safe haven for him to return to when he was in need of rest.

And as I look outside my window, watching children and dogs playing joyfully together, it is more than I could have ever wished for. It has given me a glimpse of what happiness really is, and has taught me that animals and people are not all that different.

Just give us space to move around to work and play; give us friends and family, food and water. Give us a comfortable and safe place to call home where we can rest from our worries, and if it comes down to it, a place to take a bath to scrub the buckets of sand out of our hair or beautiful black and white fur.
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New Medicare cards are in the mail and scammers are on the prowl
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun mailing new Medicare Health Insurance ID cards. The program no longer uses Social Security numbers to identify people. - photo by Lois M Collins
The federal government is beginning to send out new ID cards to the 58 million Americans who benefit from Medicare. But since many of the people who will receive them don't know they're coming or why, scammers are already gearing up to take advantage.

An AARP survey shows as many as three-fourths of Americans 65 and older have no idea the cards are coming, so some individuals may be duped with claims that they're supposed to pay a fee or provide personal information that will be used, instead, to defraud them.

The new cards are the first reissue in years, and the most striking part of the redesign is that the cards no longer carry the beneficiary's Social Security number. Congress mandated the removal of that number as an identifier for Medicare beneficiaries by next April. Instead, the card has a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number, an 11-digit combination of numbers and letters.

The new Medicare cards are now being mailed out in batches, starting with the Eastern seaboard and moving west. Most Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards over the next six months, as long as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has their correct mailing address. Once the cards are in hand, people can share the new identification number with their health care providers. During a transition period, either card is valid.

The old cards, which used Social Security numbers as the personal identification number, should be destroyed.

AARP recently launched an education campaign to warn consumers about scams related to the new Medicare cards.

The membership organization's "Fraud Watch" consultant, Frank Abagnale reformed con man, scammer and the subject of the movie and book "Catch Me If You Can" tells senior citizens the only time they need to carry the actual Medicare card is to health care appointments. Otherwise, it should be left in a safe place. If they want to carry one in their wallet or purse, he says, make a copy and black out the first seven numbers.

Since the cards were announced, scammers have already:

  • Called seniors and asked for their bank account information so that money on their old card could be returned. There is no money on the old card and CMS never asks for personal information over the phone.
  • Offered to send the new card after Medicare beneficiaries pay a $25 fee to cover expenses related to the card. The card is free.
  • Said the card will be mailed out as soon as the older person verifies his or her Social Security number, mailing address and other personal information. CMS already knows the beneficiary's Social Security number and it's no longer being used in conjunction with health care.
AARP and the Federal Trade Commission will hold a free online seminar about the cards and the fraud attempts they have spawned on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register at: www.aarp.org/FraudWebinar. CMS also offers a "frequently asked questions" guide to the new cards.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network says consumers can sign up for its Watchdog Alert emails that deliver breaking scam information, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with volunteers trained in fraud counseling. Abagnale also hosts a weekly podcast for AARP, called The Perfect Scam.
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