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This new weather satellite will help forecasters spot wildfires, storms ahead of time
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This satellite image released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Ophelia on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017. The remnants of Ophelia could bring 80 mile an hour (130 kilometer an hour) wind gusts, disruption and damage to Ireland and Britain as the work week gets underway, weather services said Sunday. (NOAA via AP) - photo by Herb Scribner
A new weather satellite will soon help the Western U.S. spot storms and wildfires before they happen.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration launched its new GOESS-S satellite on Thursday from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The satellite will sit about 22,300 miles above Earth and scan different parts of the world, according to The Verge, taking pictures five times faster and at four times the image resolution as previous probes.

This means that the GOESS-S can see features in the atmosphere change every 30 seconds, while previously, the fastest we could do was every five or 15 minutes, The Verge reported.

The satellite will focus its attention on the Western U.S., Hawaii, Alaska and parts of the Pacific Ocean, including New Zealand and Australia, according to Florida Today.

The GOESS-S can scan Earths clouds and storm patterns quickly, offering meteorologists a chance to see different types of clouds, observe temperatures and track lightning strikes.

This will help weather watchers identify forthcoming storms, natural disasters and lightning-caused wildfires.

Tim Walsh, acting GOES-R system program director, told The Verge that the satellite will go under months of testing before it will be fully operational at the end of the year.

The NOAA previously launched the GOES-16, which helped the administration notice wildfires in Texas ahead of time, according to Phys.org. The GOES-16 also helped forecasters spot new wildfires in Kansas, California and Oklahoma.

Specifically, the satellite helped forecasters monitor wildfire smoke in Southern California last year, which led to thousands of evacuations.

The satellite took images at a super fast rate, allowing weather observers a chance to see the difference between smoke and clouds, according to SFGate.com.

"We are using the GOES-16 data in ways we planned and in ways we didn't even imagine," National Weather Service director Louis Uccellini said, according to Phys.org. "GOES-16 has been a game changer for monitoring hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms and lightning. Now that it is operational and the data is incorporated into the forecast process, we will be able to use it across all our service areas, starting with winter storms."
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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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