Donna Bascom

To: House Committee for Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs Re: SB134 For those of you who have never experienced a life transition – be it a divorce, loss of substantial employment, relocation to another state to be closer to aging parents, a major illness resulting in loss of work or the ability to work be it temporary or long term or permanent – I hope my story opens your eyes. In 2004, I was living in Arkansas where I had a farm and had recently gone through a breakup with my partner of 10 years, I made the decision to shut down the farm and move back to Maine where my elderly parents lived and I grew up. While I had the farm, I even worked a part-time job so I could get health insurance, but with the relocation I lost that too. In Maine, I found a part-time job but health insurance was not available. During that time a lump was discovered in my breast. The clinic saw that I got enrolled in Medicaid and luckily the lump was removed and found to be benign. I was also able to seek mental health support during a time of emotional crisis. It was a time of great transition for the next 4 years. I worked several jobs, part-time to full-time, moving several times within Maine to pursue work. Eventually, I landed a job as a soil scientist with the USDA, with full benefits, including health care. I worked for this agency for the next 12 years. Now, had I been constantly challenged to justify receiving Medicare during this time, with work hours all over the map due to constantly changing hours, or job, or relocations - I would have been spending all my time trying to maintain coverage compliance rather than staying on the path to land a REAL job with benefits. Thank God I did not have children!!!! Given the benefits of health care including mental health support, I was able to bring my life back into self-sufficiency and meaningful work. Medicaid is a bridge for people and FAMILIES who despite their BEST efforts are experiencing REAL challenges. This bill is insulting, punishing, and unjust. It’s the essence of UN-AMERICAN. VOTE NO. Donna Shevaugn Doel Bascom