Death Drugs Cause Uproar in Oregon: Terminally Ill Denied Drugs for Life, But Can Opt for Suicide

ABC News ^ | 8/6/08 | Susan Donaldson James

[wagglebee]

The news from Barbara Wagner's doctor was bad, but the rejection letter from her insurance company was crushing.

Barbara Wagner

(Paul Carter/Register-Guard)

The 64-year-old Oregon woman, whose lung cancer had been in remission, learned the disease had returned and would likely kill her. Her last hope was a $4,000-a-month drug that her doctor prescribed for her, but the insurance company refused to pay.

What the Oregon Health Plan did agree to cover, however, were drugs for a physician-assisted death. Those drugs would cost about $50.

"It was horrible," Wagner told ABCNews.com. "I got a letter in the mail that basically said if you want to take the pills, we will help you get that from the doctor and we will stand there and watch you die. But we won't give you the medication to live."

Critics of Oregon's decade-old Death With Dignity Law -- the only one of its kind in the nation -- have been up in arms over the indignity of her unsigned rejection letter. Even those who support Oregon's liberal law were upset.

The incident has spilled over the state border into Washington, where advocacy groups are pushing for enactment of Initiative 1000 in November, legalizing a similar assisted-death law.

Opponents say the law presents all involved with an "unacceptable conflict" and the impression that insurance companies see dying as a cost-saving measure. They say it steers those with limited finances toward assisted death.

"News of payment denial is tough enough for a terminally ill person to bear," said Steve Hopcraft, a spokesman for Compassion and Choices, a group that supports coverage of physician-assisted death.

[wagglebee]

Even those who support Oregon's liberal law were upset.

They refused to believe that the "right" would eventually become a "duty." I'm sure that in the late 1930s a lot of Germans were starting to feel the same way about the Nazis.

[wagglebee]

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[wagglebee]

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[proudofthesouth]

The people who are in favor of this obviously don’t believe in God or that suicide is a sin.

[wagglebee]

Ping

[the invisib1e hand]

unintended-but-not-entirely-unforeseen-consequences-alert.

[Man50D]

Oregon's decade-old Death With Dignity Law

So much for Death with Dignity.

[wagglebee]

Nor do they understand that a person who has lived a dignified life WILL have dignity in death no matter what their appearance is.

They seem to think that “death with dignity” comes from a “clean and neat” death at the time and place of the person’s choosing.

By this logic, Adolf Hitler had dignity because he dressed in his finest uniform and put a pistol to his head, but Jesus Christ who was beaten, bloodied, humiliated and nailed to the Cross DID NOT have dignity.

[KantianBurke]

definetly recall several freepers pointing out that this very situation would come to pass.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Oregon execution by insurance carrier ping...

[winodog]

Touche

[CindyDawg]

How insensitive. I realize that every drug a doctor orders may not be covered but basically it seems they told her to just die. Who is the manufacturer of the drug (gonna look in a minute)? Maybe they can give her a discount and charity can pick it up.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

So, now Oregon executes people through their health plan???

No trial?

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Oregon executes people through their state health plan???

[BykrBayb]

The alphabet news is finally covering this?

[wagglebee]

This from a state which has only managed to execute two murderers since 1976.

http://www.oregon.gov/DOC/PUBAFF/cap_punishment/history.shtml

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

"The 64-year-old Oregon woman, whose lung cancer had been in remission, learned the disease had returned and would likely kill her. Her last hope was a $4,000-a-month drug that her doctor prescribed for her, but the insurance company refused to pay.

What the Oregon Health Plan did agree to cover, ..."

This is not an insurance company like the story says, it is a state run agency ordering an execution without a trial...

[Glenn]

or that suicide is a sin

Where is that written?

[wagglebee]

I think they always assumed that the culture of death would be a little more subtle about imposing the “duty” to die.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Oregon is a pathetic state, the only thing that makes it better than California is that Oregon has a lot of water...

[wagglebee]

And it is now almost a certainty that Washington State will adopt a nearly identical law.

[the invisib1e hand]

The incomparable Fr. Rutler's homily in Mass today was about Human Vitae, where Pope Paul VI drew the logical connection from contraception to euthenasia: i.e. the society that embraces the former will embrace the latter.

Of course they said he was "hysterical..."

[CindyDawg]

No idea. I thought only Texas executed people.

Often people can't afford expensive drugs. I believe some of the pharmaceuticals help them out. I think the doc has to request though. Maybe you MDs can clarify. I figure she will get her medicine. The state after their blooper may even make an exception. If I was her daughter though I would sure get her out of Oregon.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

The little part of the US Constitution that says ...

‘nor shall any state deprive a person of life or liberty without due process of law’

And since the Oregon Health Plan is administered by the state, they are depriving her of life without a JURY...

Ghastly fascism...

[freekitty]

I agree. Now they are paying the price of no choice and I believe duty is the correct word.

[CindyDawg]

If it isn’t stopped that may be what is coming. Right now it’s volunteers. In the future though will an ill person’s case be taken to court and the death penalty given...even if the person wants to live.

[Dante3]

Thanks for the ping.

This is a scenario for a horror film.

[Wonder Warthog]

I note that the “impartial media” fail to name the insurance company that did this. I wonder if said insurance company just “might” be afraid of some kind of boycott.

[Grammy]

This is what happens when one starts basing life’s value on its “quality”. When “quality” is the issue, the bar is easily movable and disputable.

My dad had a terrible “quality” of life for his last two years. He had a stroke and was unable to care for himself and lived in a nursing home. However, I got more love from him during those last two years than I ever had the first 38 years of my life. In my mind it was worth it.

[BlazingArizona]

The 64-year-old Oregon woman, whose lung cancer had been in remission, learned the disease had returned and would likely kill her. Her last hope was a $4,000-a-month drug that her doctor prescribed for her, but the insurance company refused to pay.

What the Oregon Health Plan did agree to cover, however, were drugs for a physician-assisted death. Those drugs would cost about $50.

I love it! Our country's two most evil institutions, health insurance companies and socialized medicine, are combining to produce a greater evil than anyone thought possible.

This is going to result in an unstoppable public clamor for right of personal importation of medicine. If that right is not granted by law, people will seize it for themselves anyway. To put it another way, the TRIPS Agreement is about to go personal.

[HartleyMBaldwin]

Let’s deal with facts instead of emotions here, shall we?

It would be very nice if every sick person could get any sort of treatment or medication without any expense to anyone, but only a raving moonbat would ever believe that to be possible. Given that there is, in fact, not an unlimited amount of money available for medical treatment of everyone who wants it but cannot afford to pay for it, someone has to choose how to allocate the money that is available. (This is not something that I would consider myself qualified to do, nor would ever wish to do. That is why I am not in that line of work.)

Someone has undoubtedly examined the cost/benefit situation here, and decided that $4000.00 per month can be used more effectively in other ways than sustaining life in one terminal cancer patient. $50.00 for assisted suicide, however, is a one-time expense and could spare the woman a great deal of suffering should she decide on that course.

Note that I say “should she decide”. The Oregon Health Plan is not “executing” anyone here, nor even coercing anyone to die in any particular manner. Barbara Wagner is not locked in a cell on Death Row; she has every right to refuse the assisted-suicide option, unlike a condemned prisoner.

But I guess facts don’t amount to much compared to feeeeelings.

[wagglebee]

Let’s deal with facts instead of emotions here, shall we?

Hey newbie, here's a FACT for you:
Free Republic is a CONSERVATIVE, PRO-LIFE forum!

It would be very nice if every sick person could get any sort of treatment or medication without any expense to anyone, but only a raving moonbat would ever believe that to be possible. Given that there is, in fact, not an unlimited amount of money available for medical treatment of everyone who wants it but cannot afford to pay for it, someone has to choose how to allocate the money that is available.

This is an INSURANCE company we are talking about, you pay money into it, they are supposed to pay for your healthcare.

Someone has undoubtedly examined the cost/benefit situation here, and decided that $4000.00 per month can be used more effectively in other ways than sustaining life in one terminal cancer patient.

And what's to stop the insurance company at $4000.00? What about $20.00? This IS NOT "experimental treatment" we are talking about here, this is the NORM.

But I guess facts don’t amount to much compared to feeeeelings.

The only "feeling" I have about your post is the one telling me that you are quite possibly a TROLL.

[LaineyDee]

The Pharm Co. who manufactures the drugs she needs... DID donate what she needed.... when they heard of her plight. Now.... what about all those people who won’t get the drugs they need? This is a huge problem within the Oregon socialized, state-wide program. Coming to your State too... if they pass a nationalized healthcare program.

[Inspectorette]

This is an INSURANCE company we are talking about, you pay money into it, they are supposed to pay for your healthcare.

Actually, OHP (Oregon Health Plan) is Oregon's version of Medicaid - it's for indigent patients. They do not pay for it, however, they have to qualify by being under a certain income. OHP costs have skyrocketed to the point that people are now chosen by lottery.

[NonValueAdded]

Death Drugs Cause Uproar in Oregon: Terminally Ill Denied Drugs for Life, But Can Opt for Suicide

And we didn't think there was a plan to save Medicare!

[wagglebee]

Thanks for the clarification. However, the FACT remains that such medication costs are fairly normal for cancer patients.

[Campion]

The Oregon Health Plan is not "executing" anyone here, nor even coercing anyone to die in any particular manner. Barbara Wagner is not locked in a cell on Death Row; she has every right to refuse the assisted-suicide option, unlike a condemned prisoner.

For now. But we've already seen that state-sanctioned, court-ordered execution can be forced on someone to ill to speak for herself. It happened in Florida.

How long before courts simply declare someone "not competent" to decide to live, and then proceed to order their execution for the crime of being sick or elderly.

You think it can't happen here?

[wagglebee]

You think it can't happen here?

It is a CERTAINTY that once ANY state gets away with something (especially with the media's willful and cheerful cooperation), that ANY other state has the implicit "right" to do the same thing.

[Nervous Tick]

The Oregon Health Plan is not “executing” anyone here, nor even coercing anyone to die in any particular manner.

Not for now, anyway. Hide and watch.

[Osage Orange]

How long before courts simply declare someone "not competent" to decide to live and then proceed to order their execution

I'd vote for that in a heartbeat....but only for politicians.

[Nervous Tick]

>> By this logic, Adolf Hitler had dignity because he dressed in his finest uniform and put a pistol to his head, but Jesus Christ who was beaten, bloodied, humiliated and nailed to the Cross DID NOT have dignity.

Well and truly said. A thought-provoking point.

[MHGinTN]

Allow me to illustrate the proper course of action with the n00b (I've been wanting to use this since stealing from big ol' freeper):

[wagglebee]

And I would certainly say that telling someone that they would pay for them to die, while refusing to pay for standard treatment, is coercion.

[wagglebee]

Now THAT is a keeper!

[LaineyDee]

It would be very nice if every sick person could get any sort of treatment or medication without any expense to anyone, but only a raving moonbat would ever believe that to be possible.

Ummm.... she PAID for her plan expecting to have coverage to assist her in a crisis...

Given that there is, in fact, not an unlimited amount of money available for medical treatment of everyone who wants it but cannot afford to pay for it, someone has to choose how to allocate the money that is available.

Someone has to choose how to allocate the money? How long have you been playing that game of "Lifeboat"? There is more than enough money being paid into the system to cover meds for a legitimate treatment... by the ones who haven't gotten sick yet.

Unfortunately, Administrators and managers get greedy when they have a bonus structure based on how many people get denied expensive drugs or healthcare.

she has every right to refuse the assisted-suicide option, unlike a condemned prisoner.

Yes....she has that "right"...BUT.... she also had the "right" to be told of what that invisible small print says at the bottom of her insurance policy.

People need to wise up to this "buy one get all free" campaign for nationalized healthcare. It sounds real good until........you end up like Barbara.

[wagglebee]

Someone has to choose how to allocate the money? How long have you been playing that game of "Lifeboat"? There is more than enough money being paid into the system to cover meds for a legitimate treatment... by the ones who haven't gotten sick yet.

Every year or so there is a horrible mining accident in America where it is THOUGHT that one or more miners MIGHT be alive IF they can be rescued in time. Without a moment's thought the local, state and federal government put every necessary resource at the disposal of the rescue team. Cost isn't even a consideration, why should ANY other life be any different.

[BlazingArizona]

It would be very nice if every sick person could get any sort of treatment or medication without any expense to anyone, but only a raving moonbat would ever believe that to be possible. Given that there is, in fact, not an unlimited amount of money available for medical treatment of everyone who wants it but cannot afford to pay for it, someone has to choose how to allocate the money that is available.

Liberals vote in these socialized medicine schemes precisely because they expect that the sick will get "free" medicine for any condition that befalls them. But what they are actually doing is replacing those many little insurance companies-that-have-power-of-life-or-death-over-you with one big state insurance company that has the same power. What they don't understand is that the medical monopoly itself is what's evil, and needs to be smashed. Medications and hospital stays cost ridiculous amounts because the companies involved are not acting in a real private market, but have lobbied to get laws written in their favor. Their power over the patient derives from governmental boards that limit the supply of every kind of medical service and from government-enforced intellectual property fiefdoms that keep prices far above what the market will bear.

Wagglebee's point is that now that a state-run socialized insurance system is already starting to decide that executing some cancer patients is cheaper than curing them, where else are patients going to go? Right at the moment, of course, such patients could still just leave Oregon. But what happens when Obamacare replaces those state insurance monopolies with one big nationwide monopoly?

[HartleyMBaldwin]

Ah yes, “newbie” and “troll”, the usual epithets to hurl at anyone who registered even a day later than you and with whom you don’t agree.

Sorry, but I am indeed conservative and pro-life. I also am able to perceive facts, such as that when demand for something exceeds supply, prices will rise, and if prices increase to unpayable levels, then either only the very rich will be able to afford it, or rationing will be imposed by those who control the commodity. This works for health care as for any other product. As Inspectorette pointed out, the Oregon Health Plan is not an insurance company, but is controlled by the State of Oregon. As LaineyDee pointed out, this sort of rationing of health care is inevitable under a system of socialized medicine, whether a particular treatment is or is not “the norm”.

And finally, what’s up with bringing in all these other folks (8mmMauser and a lot of others) when your reply is to my post? Can’t deal with it by yourself?

[Dante3]

It is common on FR to ping those who have a special interest in a topic. Strange that you appear to have an objection to this.

[Centurion2000]

Her last hope was a $4,000-a-month drug that her doctor prescribed for her, but the insurance company refused to pay.

How exactly did they come to this conclusion? We can't deny life saving treatment to freeloading illegal aliens but an insurance company thinks it can get away with this crap?

This lady's children are going to own that insurance company in a few years. What complete and utter bean counting bastards.