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J.J. Abrams says he has a script for Episode IX; here's what that means
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Among the new characters introduced in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" are the birds known as "porgs," one of which is shown here hitching a ride with Chewbacca on the Millennium Falcon. - photo by Herb Scribner
SALT LAKE CITY Returning to a galaxy far, far away isnt so far away after all.

Director/producer J.J. Abrams told Stephen Colbert on The Late Show Thursday night that the script for Star Wars: Episode IX is finished.

We have a script, which is a big deal for me, said Abrams, who added that shooting begins in July.

Abrams, who will direct the film, co-wrote the script with Chris Terrio, who has credits with the Ben Affleck films Argo and Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

According to the tech news website Ars Technica, fans should still temper their expectations about this particular script draft, as scheduling changes and production issues can derail a first script.

Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow was originally slated to direct the space epic, but he was fired by Lucasfilm. Abrams took the helm shortly after.

Abrams previously directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens and served as a producer for last year's Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

The contents of the new script aren't public knowledge. However, writer Brandon Katz of The Observer issued a public plea to Abrams about the films story. He asked Abrams to go all-in on light saber battles, avoid a marketing-based ending and not split up the characters.

And above all, please, please dont try to set up future saga films or spinoffs in Episode IX, Katz wrote. As has been well covered, Disney and Lucasfilm have some enormously ambitious plans for the Star Wars universe moving forward. The worst thing they could do is to use Episode IX as a springboard for those ideas in an attempt to keep fans on the hook for five more years. We saw how backdoor pilots to upcoming projects torpedoed Batman v Superman. Hopefully the studio will allow Abrams concluding entry to stand on its own.

The film is set to be released on Dec. 20, 2019.

In the meantime, Star Wars fans can check out Solo: A Star Wars Story, which will be a prequel film centered around Han Solo's early years. That films opens on May 25.
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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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