In several countries, states, provinces over the world, assisted-dying laws have been adopted and implemented. Those resisting the adoption of these laws often warned that the availability of the option of euthanasia / assisted-dying would put pressure on those who are terminally ill to choose this option.
This appears to be happening now in a number of jurisdictions where euthanasia is allowed. Recently there were two stories of people who were denied coverage for treatments or other forms of help and were offered assisted-dying medication instead. These people did not want to die, but were looking for treatment or just wanted help so that they could spend the end of their life in the comfort of their own home.
One story is about a woman in California, who was promised by her insurance company that the costs for chemo treatment would be covered, but soon after California adopted the assisted dying law in 2015/2016, this insurance company had a change of heart and informed her that her request for coverage was going to be denied. Only after extensive negative media coverage this company relaxed and did cover the costs. Here is an article in the Washington Times of two years ago about this issue. Another article about this case was published recently, after a judge overturned this assisted suicide law of California as being unconstitutional.
A second case is taking place in Ontario (Canada), where a chronically ill man’s lawyer now calls for a moratorium on assisted deaths in Canada, because the present situation leads to his client being denied the necessary care to be able to live at home. Now his choice is either get help with suicide or receive sub-standard care. An article about this, published on 16 May 2018, can be found here.
In Western Australia, the Joint select committee on End of Life Choices recently finished its hearings and is now considering the evidence provided. Some of the evidence was provided by ARPA Australia by Mr Laurence Van der Plas (Research Officer, Association for Reformed Political Action) and Mr Robert Van der Linde (Chairman, Association for Reformed Political Action) and can be found on the website of the state parliament of WA . Also Mr Paul Byl and Mrs Lisa Byl, members of one of the Free Reformed Churches, can be found on the website. Many more written submissions as well as transcripts of hearings can be found on this website as well.