I managed to get it working. For anyone else stuck on this, here is what I did step-by-step:
Just downloading Sims via Steam is not enough. You must *in this order*:
1. Completely uninstall ALL Sims content from all sources, make a back up of saves and mods just in case. (If you do not uninstall Sims through EA, it will not work correctly after downloading and launching the Steam version via steam, my 1st hang up)
2. Install base game from Steam
3. Open the EA app and it will see Steam managed Sims base game
4. Now EA will give you the option to download just the packs (If you try to do this before step 2, it will not let you download just the packs and will include base game as well as the packs. This is 2nd hang up I faced)
5. Once all EA packs are installed, you can then launch Sims via Steam and you *should* see and access all of your EA packs. If you have not purchased Steam packs before reading this, I recommend verifying that your EA packs are working correctly when launched through steam before purchasing. Save yourself the stress
EA Support really should be educated on this so they can help instead of saying the same scripted "we have many players facing this same issue, please wait an unknown amount of time for a solution"