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LIBBY — Instead of saying thanks, some residents rebuked Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Sen. Max Baucus on Monday for the very law that could help potentially thousands of asbestos victims here.
The health care reform law passed last year expands Medicare coverage for the sick residents of Libby, where years of asbestos pollution from a vermiculite mine made this the nation's deadliest Superfund site.
About 400 Libby residents have signed up for the new coverage as of this week, Sebelius said.
But many of those from this northwestern Montana town of 3,000 who came to listen to the town hall meeting appeared to be less concerned about how the new law helps those with asbestos illnesses than with the legislation itself.
One woman asked Baucus where it says in the Constitution that people should be required to purchase health care. Another, retired nurse Judy Mattot, demanded to know whether Sebelius and Baucus had read the entire bill.
"How can you pass something that you don't know what's in it?" Mattot said.
The questions seemed to put Baucus off guard. The Montana Democrat who played an instrumental role in the bill's passage said the new law was not perfect but it's a good start in getting rid of waste in the health care industry.
"Mark my words, several years from now, you're going to look back and say, 'Well, that wasn't so bad after all,'" Baucus said.
Asbestos pollution from the now-defunct W.R. Grace vermiculite mine has killed more than 400 people from Libby. Another 1,500 locals and others who were exposed have X-rays revealing the asbestos scarring.
After the meeting, Mattot acknowledged that there was a conflict between her overall feelings toward the bill and the aid that it provides her neighbors.
"Yes, Libby does have a problem. But with the amount of cleanup going on, Libby should be one of the cleanest places in the United States," she said.
The Environmental Protection Agency last year declared a health emergency in the town, nearly a decade after saying it would take about two years and $5.6 million to clean it up. Ten years later, the cost is more than $333 million, as asbestos keeps showing up in schools, businesses and houses.
Sebelius herself didn't address the criticism of the health care bill. She told the attendants that she was there to listen and to see whether there have been any glitches in implementing the Medicare expansion.
"I'm here to make sure the program on the ground is working the way it's supposed to work," she said.
Some residents expressed gratitude for the new coverage, calling it a major milestone in Libby's recovery. Gayla Benefield, one of the original advocates who helped bring Libby into the national spotlight, said this was one of the dreams that she's had.
The Medicare coverage — which includes screenings and treatment — gives residents an alternative to W.R. Grace's health program and exceeds the company's coverage, she said.
"To me this is one of the dreams that I had, that medical care would be available to future generations. W.R. Grace has provided our medical care since 2002, but they could stop that medical anytime. So it's been a very uncomfortable situation," Benefield said.
More still needs to be done, Baucus said. Libby needs more doctors, the cleanup has further to go and more people need to be screened. But now, more people are eligible for coverage and the progress is obvious, he said.
"It's good to see justice after injustice for so many years," Baucus said.
