"It took me by complete surprise. I fell down like I was drunk," said the 59-year-old divorcé, who has since undergone two rounds of chemotherapy, slipping in and out of remission. Notwithstanding his diabetes and high blood pressure, he is healthy now.

But the disease cost him his job and savings. Without Medicaid, it could cost him his life.

"It killed me not being able to work. Work was all I knew. You kind of feel useless," said Griffin who, per doctor's orders, quit his 22-year cab driving career to work as chief of security at a computer company. The job was less physically demanding, but didn't pay enough for him to keep up with his share of rising insurance premiums, specialty care and expensive drugs.

So after five years "working sick as a dog," Griffin joined the 70 percent of Americans with disabilities who are unemployed and the 25,409 disabled Utahns on Medicaid - one of the neediest populations with the most to lose should Medicaid be cut.

Medicaid has allowed Griffin to establish a trusting relationship with an oncologist and stay leukemia-free.

"In my condition and with my education, there is some work I can do. I would like to find a four-hour-a-day, minimum-wage job," he said. But low-paying jobs don't come with health benefits, leaving Griffin little incentive to seek employment.

"Without Medicaid I'm sunk," he says. "So I volunteer. That gives me a sense of purpose and maybe I can help someone else along the way."