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Why every single school in West Virginia is closed again
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Nearly 20,000 teachers and 13,000 school service employees didnt head into work again on Monday or Tuesday, which led to closed schools across 55 counties. - photo by Herb Scribner
West Virginia wont see its teacher strike end on Tuesday.

According to CNN, nearly 20,000 teachers and 13,000 school service employees didnt head into work again this week, which led schools across 55 counties to close their doors.

Tuesday was the fourth day in the ongoing work stoppage, in which teachers and school employees are demanding better pay and benefits.

Christine Campbell, president of the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, which represents teachers and staff, said teachers are ready to head back to the classroom once a deal can be reached.

"We are ready, we are willing. We stand on the right side of public education, by being back here and outside our schools tomorrow," Campbell said.

Teachers and staff are hoping for salary increases, a better health care package and better legislation that will stop attacks on seniority, according to NPR.

Right now, West Virginia ranks 48th in the nation for average teacher pay, according to the National Education Association.

It still remains unclear if a solution will arise. Gov. Jim Justice pledged to offer teachers 2 percent raises next year and 1 percent for the following years. However, the teachers said this isnt enough of an increase, USA Today reported.

Legislation has remained in a freeze, however, as the legislative session is coming to a close.

Lawmakers, such as Senate President Mitch Carmichael and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, said the work stoppage is illegal. According to Vox, it is illegal for teachers to strike in West Virginia. Thats why some schools said they were closed for staff development or the weather.

"This is, in large measure, a county issue. They must decide whether they are going to declare this an illegal strike as that is clear from law that it is or if they're going to just close school for another day on other grounds," Carmichael told reporters on Monday, according to NPR. "So, to the extent that the counties have flexibility in how they manage their school system, the ball is in their court. So, we'll see how each county (proceeds.) We certainly don't want to tell them what to do. We're not doing that by any means."

However, House Speaker Tim Armstead offered a more measured response, saying he hopes the state and teachers can work out a deal.

"We in the House have heard loudly and clearly the message of our teachers, service personnel and state employees, Armstead said Friday in a written statement, and I don't believe it's necessary to continue this strike and keep our kids out of the classroom to draw attention to these issues.

In the meantime, state food banks are helping students who depend on school meals to eat. Child care centers have also been set up to help those children, according to local news reports. Teachers have also handed out free lunches to students.

"Before they made the decision to strike they wanted to make sure their students' needs were taken care of," Jennifer Wood, with the American Federation of Teachers union in West Virginia, told WSMV-TV.
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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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