Nevada doctor: Insurance companies are denying treatment to patients and offering to pay for assisted suicide.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

According to an article by Bradford Richardson that was published in the Washington Times on May 31, 2017, a Nevada physician is reporting that in states where assisted suicide is legal, insurance companies are denying treatment for patients but offering to pay for assisted suicide. Youtube video of Brian Callister telling his story.

The Washington Times article stated:

Brian Callister, associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Nevada, said he tried to transfer two patients to California and Oregon for procedures not performed at his hospital. Representatives from two different insurance companies denied those transfer requests by phone, he said. 

“And in both cases, the insurance medical director said to me, ‘Brian, we’re not going to cover that procedure or the transfer, but would you consider assisted suicide?’ ” Dr. Callister told The Washington Times. 

The phone calls took place last year within the span of a month, Dr. Callister said. He said he did nothing to prompt the suggestion in either case.
The patients were not terminal, but “would have become terminal without the procedures.” 

“It was estimated that their chance for cure — cure, not just adding time — of about 50 percent in one case and 70 percent in the other case,” Dr. Callister said.

Several years ago Oregon residents Barbara Wagner and Randy Stroup were denied medical treatment but offered assisted suicide.

Legalizing assisted suicide is not about patient choice or autonomy, but rather it gives physicians and others the right in law to be directly involved with causing your death.