The following comes from an October 19 Catholic News Agency article:
Stephanie Packer cherishes every moment with her husband and four children. Living with a terminal illness in Orange, California, her goal is “to do everything I can to have one more second with my kids.”
When assisted suicide legislation was officially passed in California in 2016, Packer experienced the ultimate slap in the face: her insurance company denied the coverage of critical chemotherapy treatment that her doctors recommended for her condition.
Her insurance would, however, cover end-of-life drugs for just $1.20.
“It was like someone had just hit me in the gut,” said Packer, who shared her story in the new documentary, Compassion and Choice Denied.
Produced by the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network, the documentary details Packer’s experience of living with a terminal illness in an age where assisted suicide is cheaper than the fight for life.
Particularly concerning: the insurance company had initially suggested that they would cover the chemotherapy drugs. It was one week after assisted suicide was legalized that they sent Packer a letter saying they were denying coverage. Despite multiple appeals, they continued to refuse.
“As soon as this law was passed, patients fighting for a longer life end up getting denied treatment, because this will always be the cheapest option… it’s hard to financially fight,” Packer said in the documentary.
Many prominent Catholic leaders, such as Pope Francis, have spoken out against assisted suicide, calling it “false compassion.” Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez has said that assisted suicide “represents a failure of solidarity” and abandons the most vulnerable in society.
Packer leads support groups for individuals with terminal and chronic illnesses. She said there was a clear morale change in many of the group members when physician-assisted suicide became legalized in her state.
“Normally, we would talk about support and love, and we would be there for each other, and just encourage them that, you know, today is a bad day, tomorrow doesn’t have to be,” she said.
But when assisted suicide was legalized, individuals became more depressed, with some saying that they wanted to end their lives.
“Patients are going to die because of this,” Packer said. “Patients need to know what this means, and the public needs to know that it’s going to kill these patients because they aren’t going to get the treatment they need to extend their life.”
She also said that assisted suicide proponents have twisted the meaning of suicide to make it sound “sweet and pretty,” and have also redefined what it means to live with a terminal illness.
“It makes terminally ill patients feel ‘less than,’ that they are not worthy of that fight, that they’re not worth it,” she said.
Packer believes that end-of-life drugs should never “be supported by physicians or run by the government. That’s not okay… because it affects me negatively and affects my fight and my ability to stay here longer with my children.”
For all those fine, fine Catholic leaders (Hi, Bp. Stephen Blaire, CA Bishop’s Conference Chair of Legislation & Policy, and you too, Bp. PJ McGrath of San Jose, two of many loud episcopal Obamacare advocates), don’t tell us now you are shocked, simply shocked, and dismayed. What theater.
The government beast has no interest in maintaining chronically ill and unproductive citizens—termination is the “natural” option.
Any Bishop who supports Hillary Clinton (or most Democrats), supports the DEMOCRAT Party of DEATH.
In addition to assisted suicide, Clinton and her Party support abortion at any time and for any reason.
And they support the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which would force ALL taxpayers to pay for abortion at any stage and for any reason.
Because of their far leftist political ideals, and their episcopal sponsorship by their superiors—equally far-leftist bishops—it is hard to credit any political opinion either bishop utters. Neither have any particularly impressive academic or intellectual credentials (especially Blaire).
Thanks Obamacare, for helping usher in the era of widespread euthanasia. Cheaper to kill people than to treat them, watch out, you may be next! Hillary and the Culture of Death want you – dead.
It is American Medical Association (AMA) responding to evil Obamacare. If you are not worthwhile you have to go die because the Death Panels say so. They love cheaper medical care, prepare to die at the altar of Barack. Me, I am donating lots to Donald J. Trump, and if Jonah triumphs in the end I will continue donating to conservative conservatives with balls. The GOPe of National Review, Weekly Standard, Paul Ryan, and Lucianne are dead to me. They are now all-out helping Clynton the Nasty. I want Sanctuary Cities defunded as in the Donald Trump governing program.
Why are we surprised?
What’s the name of the insurance company?
Noel
What is the name of the insurance company?
Yes, what’s the name of the insurance company and also that of the insurance broker if one is involved?
Thank you for your comment. The piece was originally published by Catholic News Agency; the link is above the story if you’d like to contact them with questions.
I also searched extensively on Stephanie Packer’s Facebook site for the actual insurer name, but possibly for legal reasons she has not revealed that publicly.
However, as of Jan. 2014 all CA insurers are governed to the minutest detail by Obama care “guidelines”—esp. the Orwellian phrase “end-of-life care”. You can go to the Kaiser Foundation site (KFF.org) and read about how they will counsel you on alternatives to continuation of life treatment. (I am not saying Kaiser is involved in the Packer matter: but you can read their open discussion in “FAQS” on this and related matters and the effect of insurers being under strict cost-control mandates, due to the “ACA”.)
I understand the story was published in 2012. It would have been helpful if the source and timing of the story had been disclosed in your report.
The story was published October 19, 2016.
This news story (which I have also read in other places) is completely and totally UN-AMERICAN! In our country— WE DO NOT DO SUCH THINGS!! HORRIBLE!! Wish the hand of God would work some sort of miracle– and chase Obamacare, the doctors of the AMA who are corrupt, corrupt liberal lawmakers, and all the horrid liberal leftists, out of this country, forever!
Well, Linda, you are right: but Catholic historian Lord Acton’s famous dictum proves true yet again: “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Add to that: An absolutely powerful government is absolutely corrupt, and its citizens are reduced to nothing more than “producers of work” (Marx ), or otherwise useless “parasites” of the State (Trotsky).
Campion, thanks for the excellent quotations!
It’s “Power TENDS to corrupt . . . .” And Catholic citizens TEND to vote their neighbor’s pocketbook. That’s power; that’s corrupt. Absolutely!
Well, yes, Hymie, but also to be accurate, and why the quote has been modified in popular usage: “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts completely.”(Lord Dalberg-Acton)
The second phrase is not conditional but declarative. Our government is well-nigh absolutely powerful now, when some can violate the law with no consequence, others not at all so.
Linda Maria, the “miracle” you speak of is that all those who profess to be Christian wake up and actively LIVE the gospel they profess and vote according to Judeo-Christian principles! No more duplicity!! THAT would be a miracle!!
Well if Barak Obama did not give a damn about a child dying in a sink after a botched abortion, what made anyone think, he cared at all for them. When doctors are made killers, no one is safe — no one.