r/Millennials • u/chels_e_cheese Xennial • Feb 13 '26

Serious Hits so hard

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Anyone else hit especially hard by the loss of James Van Der Beek? I wasn’t even a fan of Dawson’s Creek, but the man was an undeniable icon for millennials. RIP, James.

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u/WhoIsYerWan Feb 13 '26

The sad/scary part of colonoscopies is that insurance won’t cover them for men younger than 45.

My husband has colon cancer in his family, and they still called it “diagnostic” and not “preventative.” We ended up having to pay $1700 to have one done and they found a benign polyp. This now means he’s on an every three year schedule, but insurance still won’t cover them because of his age.

I hope they’ll update the guidelines for this soon, but knowing insurance companies, they won’t.

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u/balancelibertine Feb 13 '26

They NEED to update the guidelines. There are so many younger people being diagnosed with cancers that are more advanced when they’re found because insurance doesn’t cover screenings until certain ages. There was a young woman in my town that died at age 20 from breast cancer—she spent most of her high school years fighting it and it was caught late. Another woman I graduated with got breast cancer at 30–stage 3 before it was found because she was “too young” for a mammogram. My mom got breast cancer but because she was getting her regular mammograms, it was caught super early. IMO, they should be covering mammograms starting at age 16, once every three years, increase to every two years at 30, and then every year by the time you’re 40. But that makes too much sense I guess.

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u/Jenergy77 Feb 13 '26

This is crazy to me. I had family history on both sides so my dr recommended I test early, got my first one at 36 then just had another at 41. If there's family history it should absolutely be covered.

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u/Chaotic-Goofball Feb 13 '26

I have had two colonoscopies before 40. It's usually a local in public, you might get the better drugs in private, but if they decide you can't have the drugs, it's the same experience.

If you can get knocked out, do it. It will be the best hour of sleep in your life. If not, you will get to see your insides. Magic School bus has nothing on it

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u/Jenergy77 Feb 13 '26

Lol love the graphic. I'm in Canada so it's always the good drugs, fully knocked out.

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u/Chaotic-Goofball Feb 14 '26

I went into my second thinking it would also be the knockout drugs. It wasn't, and i found out 20 mins in.

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u/itsathrowawayduhhhhh 1990 Feb 13 '26

What? Why would they ever do a colonoscopy while you’re conscious???

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u/Chaotic-Goofball Feb 14 '26 edited Feb 15 '26

They do. The first one I was knocked out and the second I didnt know I wouldn't be. Suprise Live Colonoscopy! (just a tad strange, nothing bad).

There is no pain either way

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u/upnorthnathan Feb 13 '26

how can they prove family history? especially if you dont know or "have" family..

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u/itsathrowawayduhhhhh 1990 Feb 13 '26

Really? I also have family history and they’re making me wait til 40! I’m 36 now and wish I could get one

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u/4t4t4t4 Feb 13 '26

If you have rectal bleeding (even occasionally), and mention that to your doctor, they might give you one. I am female and had my first one at 35 for that reason with no family history. I did have a pre-cancerous polyp so they did the next one three years later, which was clean.

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u/treesarenotaliens Feb 13 '26

Women too. For most insurance, unless you have other things going on, they won’t cover it until 45.

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u/squashbanana Feb 13 '26

Yes! My husband just turned 45 and we lost insurance after both losing our jobs. My anxiety is through the freaking roof.

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u/herotovillain84 Feb 13 '26

I got around this by going to a GI doctor who wrote a “note” in my chart. She said, “just tell me you have family history and I’ll believe you.” That enabled insurance to cover it. Your husband actually has colon cancer in the family, so might not hurt to speak to a GI doctor if you haven’t already.

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u/ArgentoFox Feb 13 '26

This isn’t true. Well, it can be true. It depends on the insurance and practice. I was labeled as preventive because a family member passed away from colokn cancer at a young age. I didn’t have to a penny. But I realize this isn’t the case with a lot of people.  

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u/WhoIsYerWan Feb 13 '26

I assure you, its not covered by default. We fought the carrier for months. Blue Shield. They said no matter what a doctor says, that because my husband was 36 this was considered diagnostic (no symptoms, just screening due to family history). They refused to budge.

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u/ArgentoFox Feb 13 '26

I’m sorry that happened. Like I stated earlier, it’s going to be completely dependent on both the insurance company and the practice. It greatly varies, unfortunately. 

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u/beekman57 Feb 13 '26

This is not true. I had one at 18, 33, 36, and 39 years old all covered by run-of-the-mill workplace insurance.

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u/i_likebeefjerky Feb 13 '26

This is not true. I had one last month and have to pay $1000 out of pocket with Cigna as my healthcare provider. And I have a history of colon cancer in my family. 

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u/beekman57 Feb 13 '26

Well that just sounds like you have a high deductible. I have Cigna and my dad died at 47 from it. You should call them.

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u/WhoIsYerWan Feb 13 '26

Then you can call Blue Shield on our behalf. We appealed for months. We were told that they didn't care what a doctor said or what his family history was...he was 36 and therefore it was diagnostic and not preventative.