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Protesters Demand Better Healthcare

By Tess Koppelman / FOX 4 News

Protests were taking place all over the country Friday night, demanding better health care for all.

The protests stemmed from a Kansas City man's story told in the Michael Moore documentary "Sicko."

Tracy Pierce's story was featured. He died in February of last year after being denied several medical treatments that doctors said could have saved his life.

His widow held a protest in Washington, D.C and five other cities also held candle light vigils, calling for better health care.

A couple dozen people in Kansas City protested outside Pierce's health insurance provider, Coventry, including one woman who's cancer treatment was first turned down by Coventry. After an appeal, she got the treatment and her doctor said she's doing great.

"I have a 16-year-old daughter and I wasn't about to go back there. I want to see her get through high school and go to college and get married and all that good stuff," Julia Slaven said.

Pierce's family did come to the vigil. Coventry has responded to Pierce's story in Sicko by saying a third party administrator reviews cases and Coventry is then bound by those coverage decisions.