Get Killed by the GOP Health Care Bill? There's a Site For That

The American Health Care Act (AHCA), the Republican Congress’ first attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare, passed the House on Thursday, and an enterprising businessman has already found a way to capitalize on the “thousands” who Democrats say will die under the new bill. A new website allows people to sign up, so their ashes will be sent to the GOP after their death.

“Millions of Americans rely on protections and coverage from the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. The Republicans [sic] new bill will gut these protections and many will die,” reads the landing page of Mail Me to the GOP. “They deserve to know it. Fill out our form and we’ll help you get papers in order to send your ashes to a GOP member of Congress if you pass.”

The site’s founder, Zoey Jordan Salsbury, announced the new Internet application on Twitter. “Is #AHCA going to kill you? Mee too. That’s why I make a way to be sure your ashes get sent to a GOP Congressperson: http://www.mailmetothegop.com.”

Is #AHCA going to kill you? Me too. That's why I make a way to be sure your ashes get sent to a GOP Congressperson: https://t.co/XegGboc3sL

— Zoey Jordan Salsbury (@zoeyjsalsbury) May 4, 2017

Salsbury’s Twitter handle identifies her as “Production Assistant at New Blue Interactive, Comms Director at MEANS Database, and Student at American University.”

The website allows people to sign up, and give the “reasons we will die” under the AHCA. The first entry came from a person with “incurable brain cancer,” and “if prices skyrocket and subsidies are hard to maintain it will shorted my already shortened life and put my family in significant financial jeopardy.”

Huh. So didn’t Obamacare hurt her, with its skyrocketing prices? Never mind, it must be the GOP’s fault. As the person with brain cancer explained, “Today, half of Congress made it clear that American lives are meaningless.”

According to MediaIte, the website crashed Thursday because of an influx of visitors.

But the AHCA has only passed the House of Representatives, and it would have to pass the U.S. Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump to become law. No one has been “killed” by the AHCA, and it seems unlikely anyone will be, at least anytime soon. The Senate is likely to heavily amend the bill, and may not even pass it at all.

Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped seemingly all of the Democratic presidential hopefuls for 2020 from declaring the lives AHCA will cost, as NTK Network reported.

“This isn’t football. It’s not about scoring points. #AHCA will devastate Americans’ healthcare. Families will go bankrupt. People will die,” tweeted Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.

This isn’t football. It’s not about scoring points. #AHCA will devastate Americans’ healthcare. Families will go bankrupt. People will die.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 4, 2017

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, a close ally of Hillary Clinton, also predicted that “people will die” if the AHCA becomes law.

Gov. McAuliffe: 'People will die if' Obamacare repeal becomes law – POLITICO https://t.co/WeeV5gL6fP

— Terry McAuliffe (@TerryMcAuliffe) May 5, 2017

Here’s Vermont Senator  and self-identified socialist Bernie Sanders: “Donald Trump and Republicans just celebrated voting to let thousands of Americans die so that billionaires get tax breaks. Think about that.”

Donald Trump and Republicans just celebrated voting to let thousands of Americans die so that billionaires get tax breaks. Think about that. pic.twitter.com/hbOp7k2TQe

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 4, 2017

California Congresswoman Kamala Harris: “The Affordable Care Act saves lives. The GOP health care plan? This plan will destroy lives.”

The Affordable Care Act saves lives. The GOP health care plan? This plan will destroy lives.

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 4, 2017

Again, this is exceedingly premature, but in the age of Trump, Democrats will waste nary a second in condemning anything with a red label. It was just last year that former President Bill Clinton said that Obamacare “doesn’t make any sense.” Now, Democrats will grasp Obama’s health care legacy, kicking and screaming.

Will Americans listen to the politicians who told them they’d be able to keep their doctor and their insurance under Obamacare? Who promised that their premiums will go down? Or will they give change a chance? It seems the answer to that question came last November.