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Bonnie Mitchell rolled her wheelchair into the middle of 100 South on Tuesday, waving multiple American stick flags as she charged a Subaru driver blaring his horn and shouting at her.

The driver kept slowly moving forward. So did Mitchell — chanting "my Medicaid matters" — until her wheelchair was touching the car's front bumper.

She did this again and again and again, even facing down a truck that sped around her.

The 65-year-old Mitchell wasn't scared. She just wanted people to pay attention to her pleas against the Senate Republicans' health care bill.

"This chair cost $20,000," said Mitchell, who has an inherited collagen disease that contributed to her paralysis. "There is no way without [coverage] I would be mobile at all right now."

Mitchell was one of about 150 people protesting the GOP bill at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in downtown Salt Lake City on Tuesday afternoon and calling on U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch to "protect their care." The rally was organized by Utah's Disabled Rights Action Committee after more than 40 disabled activists were arrested June 22 at the U.S. Capitol while demonstrating against the "destructive" measure.

The bill, which Republicans hope to push through the Senate, is estimated to leave 22 million more Americans uninsured in 2026 than under President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act.

"Many will die, many will be institutionalized, and many will lose their life savings and homes if the poorly crafted Senate health care bill, drafted behind closed doors, is passed," the committee's Facebook page states.

Though Mitchell was one of only two individuals charging cars in their wheelchairs, other protesters formed a human wall across State Street at 100 South, blocking traffic for about 30 minutes and hoisting banners that read "Senator Hatch, Don't Kill Us," while eliciting angry shouts, loud horns and crude gestures from drivers.

The demonstrators also chanted and held signs that read "Hatch + Lee + Trumpcare = murder" and "Save people's lives, not taxes for the rich."

Hatch spokesman Matt Whitlock disputed the protesters' message.

"Political engagement is valuable," he said in a statement. "But if activists can't make their point without inflammatory rhetoric accusing the senator, who has passed more lifesaving health care legislation than anyone alive, of murder, they do more damage to the debate than credit to their viewpoint."

Whitlock pointed to Hatch's leading role in passage of the Children's Health Insurance Program for low-income youngsters along with his backing of other medical initiatives.

"Senator Hatch is focused on working in that same spirit to address the undeniable shortcomings of Obamacare," the statement said, "and to finally bring Utahns and all Americans the patient-centered and affordable care they deserve."

Tuesday's protesters doubt the GOP plan will deliver on that score. Margaret Walton's 3-year-old daughter, Charlie, held a sign aloft from her stroller that stated simply, "This is bad."

Earlier this year, Charlie was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, a condition that causes inflammation in blood vessel walls. Charlie spent weeks in the hospital as doctors continued countless tests to determine what was wrong, Walton said, and would have racked up a medical bill of tens of thousands of dollars.

But, thanks to Medicaid, Walton said most of the care was covered.

The Republican proposal would roll back Medicaid expansion and make cuts to the existing program, while also reducing taxes for the wealthy.

"The only people who say health care is a privilege are those who are privileged enough to not have to worry about it," Walton said. "For the rest of us ... it is something that determines our survival and affects our pursuit of happiness."

Mitchell eventually stopped charging cars and joined the line of protesters.

Despite the heat, she said it was important to show Utahns that disabled people were out there and willing to fight for health care.

"In this chair, I can move. Without it, I can't," she said. "I need to have people know I'm not invisible."

Twitter @alexdstuckey