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'The X-Files' returns to FOX Wednesday. Here are 5 facts about the upcoming season
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In addition to giving fans of FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully a season 11 which premieres Wednesday, Jan. 3 the year 2018 also marks the 25th anniversary of the sci-fi dramas premiere. - photo by Lottie Peterson Johnson
"THE X-FILES" FOX, Jan. 3, 7 p.m. MST, TV-14

Its an exciting year for fans of "The X-Files."

In addition to giving fans of FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully a season 11 which premieres Wednesday, Jan. 3 the year 2018 also marks the 25th anniversary of the sci-fi dramas premiere.

And after all these years, the truth is still out there. Before joining Mulder and Scully on their quest for truth, here are five things about the upcoming season to get you prepared.

1. The season 10 cliffhanger is resolved. For this upcoming 11th season, creator Chris Carter has produced 10 episodes four more than the previous season, which premiered January 2016. The finale of that season left fans on a cliffhanger as a deadly contagion threatened humankind and put Mulder (David Duchovny) on the brink of death. Fortunately, this seasons premiere episode picks up where the story left off with some narration from the villainous Cigarette Smoking Man.

2. 'X-Files' fans get 10 new episodes two that are mythology-related and eight that are stand-alone episodes. Of the 10 episodes, both the premiere and finale are mythology episodes, tied to the series overarching story that follows and uncovers glimpses of extraterrestrial life and government conspiracies. For this season, much of the storyline also centers on the search for Mulder and Scullys son, William, who Scully (Gillian Anderson) gave up for adoption 15 years earlier in season nine. The remaining eight episodes in season 11 are stand-alone episodes that show Mulder and Scully navigating a range of paranormal circumstances including deadly doppelgangers although hints of the overarching story do slip in every now and then.

3. The 11th season includes at least one episode of political satire. In addition to giving "X-Files" enthusiasts thrilling interactions with supernatural creatures, at least one of the stand-alone episodes offers a satire of todays political climate, modeling the rare, farcical humor of earlier classic episodes such as Jose Chungs From Outer Space and Bad Blood.

4. Many of the show's main characters even some presumed dead have returned for season 11. Other characters returning to season 11 include the traitorous agent Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish), Mulders half-brother/former agent Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens), who plays a significant role in the William storyline, according to TV Insider, and Mulder and Scullys FBI director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), who appears to have been compromised and will be the primary focus of episode six, TV Insider reported.

5. Season 11 marks the end of Anderson's role as agent Scully. While fans certainly have much to look forward to with the upcoming season, the premiere is also bittersweet as Anderson has confirmed this is her final appearance as Scully.

Ive said from the beginning this is it for me, she told TV Insider. I was a bit surprised by peoples reaction to my announcement because my understanding was that this was a single season.

Lets just hope this means season 11 will offer a tone of finality and bring "X-Files" fans some much-needed closure.
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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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