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Missing a dose of help

...At his doctor's suggestion, the retired construction worker applied last week.If he qualifies, he'll pay $30 for drugs that would cost $800 a month without insurance."I don't know what I'd do about the bills on my own," he said.

"I used to work, but I can't anymore."The help is especially valuable to older adults like Mr.

Hemphill whose drug expenses would run into the thousands of dollars each year.

Without the subsidy, they'd spend enough to reach the coverage gap in Medicare drug program, where beneficiaries must bear the full cost of their prescriptions.With the subsidy, they avoid it.The low number of applications for extra help comes despite an aggressive outreach campaign by Social Security, Medicare and a nationwide coalition of community organizations.Social Security cast a wide net when it tried to identify seniors who might be eligible for the assistance.

It mailed out 19 million letters last year and followed up with 9 million phone calls.Thousands of groups have also sponsored one-on-one counseling sessions to help older adults fill out the six-page application.The Dallas Area Agency on Aging has sent 22 counselors to almost 200 churches, libraries, retirement communities and senior centers to answer questions and help with paperwork."We're going to them because they aren't coming to us," said benefits counseling coordinator Carolyn Toliver.

"We've planned 130 more...