Testimony to the Ohio Senate Finance Committee on 5/19/2011rnMy name is Glinda Dames-Fincher, and I have Sickle Cell Disease. I am an example of what happens to many Americans with lifelong chronic illness who fall through the health insurance safety net. In the U.S., there are approximately 100,000 persons with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). More than 2.5 million Americans have the sickle cell trait (carriers). SCD afflicts approximately 1 in 300 newborn African-Americans and 1 in every 1000 Hispanics, with 1 in every 100 Hispanics having the trait.rnWhen you have a lifelong chronic illness like Sickle Cell Disease, you are vulnerable to covert discrimination by employers because they don't want you on their insurance plan, nor use your FMLA benefit. I'm 52 years old, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology. I worked as a Certified Clinical Lab Scientist for two of Ohio's leading hospitals for a total of 26 years, and 10 years part-time in medical/legal analysis. I have always had very good work evaluations in spite of illness my entire working life. In spite of that, I was wrongfully terminated by my last employer, and denied unemployment benefits. I had always maintained an excellent credit rating and had never been late paying my bills, and have always been conservative with my spending. rnMy physicians demanded that I not try to work anymore, and that I must apply for disability (SSD), which I received at the end of 2009. While waiting the 24-months required before I can receive Medicare, I have spent all my retirement savings paying for COBRA medical coverage, which cost me $800 per month premium and $300-$400 per month in copays and coinsurances. I’m now bankrupt from this, and can no longer afford medical insurance. As of February, for the first time in my life I have no insurance. I’m now on Medicaid, which still requires me to spend down $1241.00 each month before it will pay any of my medical costs. When I applied for SSD, I had less than $1000 of credit card debt. I now have over $15,000 of credit card debt from medical expenses, buying groceries, and paying my utilities. This is the only way I have been able to keep paying my mortgage on time. All I have after working sick for 28 years is the equity in my home. Until I reach my eligibility for Medicare, Medicaid spenddown is the only way I can get the medical care I need, which includes monthly blood transfusions, chronic ankle wound treatment, and very expensive medications. . rnI would ask that the Ohio Senate not make cuts to Medicaid, which is already the lowest reimbursing insurance, therefore, causing many providers to refuse to take Medicaid insurance because they cannot afford to keep practices open with such low reimbursement. If proposed cuts are made, this state will see wide spread community health devastation, leading to a public health nightmare. There will be flooding of emergency rooms with even greater numbers of uninsured and underinsured seeking primary care. Flu epidemics, increase in chronic health problems and complications, and other primary care issues will be the result. In the long run this will raise the cost of care greatly, and cause job loss. Please remove proposed cuts to Medicaid from State Operating Budget for FY 2012-2013.rn