Update: Protesters occupy lobby at UnitedHealthcare in Warwick, Rhode Island
By Donita Naylor and Thomas J. Morgan WARWICK, R.I. -- A dozen protesters from Mobilization for Healthcare.org occupied the lobby of UnitedHealthcare of New England Wednesday, demanding to know whether the organization would cover the cost of a bone marrow transplant for Robert Darling, one of its members.  Protesters present their list of demands to a public relations official at United Healthcare in Warwick. Watch the video. Darling said he has waited five years for an answer to that question. "I'm here to get arrested," said Darling, 59, of West Warwick. "I've been waiting five years for United Healthcare to call me back" and say whether he was covered. "I've got cancer," he said. Darling said his weight dropped from 180 pounds to 132 pounds three years ago. He got a bone-marrow transplant, he said, but it was under a government-funded program. Debora Spano, director of public relations for UnitedHealthcare, told Darling that they couldn't find his file. She also said that the company officers the protesters wanted to speak with were not available. Among the demands of the group were that United Healthcare stop denying care, stop "stonewalling" health care reform and begin reducing rates. Spano said in a statement that United Healthcare is "committed to ensuring all Americans have access to quality health care, a goal that requires hard work, not publicity stunts." The original version of this story was posted at 1:47 p.m. Video: Protesters gather at UnitedHealthcare offices in Warwick |
