HELENA – Sen. Max Baucus says asbestos-sickened residents in Libby will soon be able to apply for Medicare benefits.
Baucus’ office said Thursday that Social Security Administration staff will be in Libby starting May 17 to help residents file Medicare applications.
Baucus said in a statement that the help for residents comes after more than 30 years of deadly asbestos poisoning and nearly a decade of bureaucratic red tape.
Libby is a decade into a massive cleanup of an asbestos problem blamed on vermiculite mining. Nearly 300 deaths have been recorded and hundreds more have been sickened.