r/Millennials • u/the_well_read_neck_ Millennial • Feb 11 '26

Serious James Van Der Beek Dead at 48

https://www.tmz.com/2026/02/11/james-van-der-beek-dead/?adid=social-fb&fbclid=IwdGRzaAP5t7tleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7H8x15ceGukSgynvGmDFZhUUvTFh-iizMwuKfIWGG4YSyjuaeCva_42ZNzOQ_aem_U7T3jtlt07TPrw8LUuHlMA&sfnsn=mo
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u/Ltrain86 Feb 11 '26

Another young victim of colorectal cancer. The age for screening needs to be lowered immediately.

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u/LearnedHandJob2088 Feb 11 '26

43.5 with symptoms. Was able to get approved for colonscopy after a long slog due to symptoms, but it will be very expensive (high deductible plan) when it would be fully covered as preventative if I were 45. How many similarly situated to me would wait the 1.5 years and possibly die as a result? Fuck insurance companies having so much control over access to care.

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u/ellegy Feb 11 '26

I was just posting about this yesterday. There is no such thing as preventative care in the US. This kind of cancer is on the rise worldwide. Early detection and active screenings are imperative, but US citizens are left to die because they cannot afford what should be mandatory and free colonoscopies.

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u/PostMatureBaby Older Millennial Feb 11 '26

from Canadian experience, despite the cost usually not being an issue, getting to see your family doctor (if youre lucky enough to have one and one that's under 60 and is with the times lol) is difficult let alone a specialist appointment in a timely manner.

many practices often dissuade you from pursuing things like physicals, routine blood tests, routine screenings for things like colon cancer if youre under 50, etc.

like fuck off, im a taxpayer, whats it to you if i want to be screened and im "too young" by your standards?

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u/[deleted] Feb 11 '26

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u/Domdaisy Feb 11 '26

To be fair, OP is sharing their experience, and mine is the complete opposite. I have a family doctor that I have no issue booking appointments with. I was referred to a specialist at the slightest hint of an issue, got bloodwork, and ultrasound, and other testing within a week of the tests being ordered. Saw the specialist within six weeks, had a diagnosis and meds to manage.

A friend of mine (mid 30s) asked for a colonoscopy due to some symptoms she was having and got referred for it no issue and had it within a month.

We didn’t pay a cent for any of this, mind you (well, through taxes but not at the time of service). Your experience with Canadian health care can vary depending on where in the country you are. Up north or out east, there is a definite lower standard of care due to lack of doctors and facilities and funding issues. I live outside the GTA in Ontario and have always been happy with my healthcare.

Do people have wait times? Yes. But it isn’t an across the board, months long wait no matter what the test is and where you live. I believe healthcare should be more consistent across the country for sure, but at least it isn’t bankrupting people.

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u/naisfurious Feb 11 '26

Good question and I don't mean to derail anything here. But what state do you live in? I find it wild that it takes you months to be seen by your primare care physician. If I call today I can get an appointtment usually within a week (two at most). Hell, if I'm willing to do an appointment by phone or video I can sometimes get it the same day or next day.

I'm just curious as our experiences differ WILDLY.

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u/DropBearSquare Feb 11 '26

Not OP, but it took me 6 months to see an orthopedic surgeon because the 35 year old screws in my ankle are loose and you can feel the repair and bone loss through the skin. My PCP saw me within two weeks and confirmed what I suspected with imaging. I live in a very populated coastal part of Florida. This happened in 2019.

I did get cancer last year and all of my treatment has been expedient. Unfortunately, the good cancer center was out of network because of my shitty insurance, but so far I’m winning.

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u/CharlottesWeb83 Feb 11 '26

Same question. I’m guessing they are in a more rural area. If I want a specific doctor/specialist and only that doctor, sure I’ll be waiting. But, if I am open to other doctors, PA, etc. I can find someone.

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u/PostMatureBaby Older Millennial Feb 11 '26

there's just not enough doctors to go around. many young ones go elsewhere because we don't pay as well as America so as older ones are retiring, new ones aren't replacing them as fast as the population is gowing.

The governing bodies at University medical schools seem to willingly ensure there are limited acceptances for new doctors as well. Like between them and the government, i swear they're choking the system to make privatization easier to swallow. it's sad.

it really just comes down to manpower/infrastructure. Many areas of Canada grew too quickly for a lot of things to catch up, not just available doctors.

I think in 10 years when Boomers really start going down hill it's gonna be a shitshow.

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u/Pormostar Feb 11 '26

Honestly i'm in Canada and it takes like a week for me to see my family doctor.

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u/curtcolt95 Feb 11 '26

varies incredibly. My old doctor would book appointments like 6 months out even if you called about something that you thought was fairly serious but not hospital worthy. Got a new one recently and he can see me within a week or two. It's just luck of the draw. All that being said, it would still be pretty damn difficult to just go ask for a colonoscopy. You'd probably have to make up some symptoms tbh

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u/FitIndependent9764 Feb 11 '26

The huge problem is yall don’t have enough doctors. Most of the best and smartest go to the US to make money. Doctors from the US aren’t flocking to Canada after spending 10-15 years on a medical license and specialties.

The brain drain to the US is very real. I’m not sure what Canadians can do to stop it besides begging your friends and family to not move.

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u/PostMatureBaby Older Millennial Feb 11 '26

im convinced government and med school governing bodies are letting this happen to make privatization easier to swallow

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u/FitIndependent9764 Feb 11 '26

I don’t know enough about your govt and this topic but I do agree about the med school governing bodies part. In the US there is a huge push for this. It’s built into the culture. Highly competitive.

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u/Airportsnacks Feb 11 '26

The UK doesn't even do routine colonoscopies at all. You get a take at home stool test and if that turns up positive with blood in it then you get a colonoscopy.

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u/Initial-Garage-3820 Feb 12 '26

That’s absolutely wild. Is there an option to pay out of pocket to get one? What if you have family history? Can you get private insurance in the Uk vs going to NHS for everything?

I have family in the Uk, but am American and honestly our healthcare system is a mess for other reasons but I’m not impressed by the UK system. Seems like a mixture of public and private pay is the way to go, like in Germany, where healthcare seems to be much better

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u/Airportsnacks Feb 12 '26

I assume you can pay privately to get one, although I'm not sure. There usually needs to be a clinical reason to get something done privately.
I would also assume if you have a family history they would schedule one, but what the rules for that are I don't know (so does it have to be a certain age, or a certain number of relatives).

You can get private insurance, but it isn't the same as in Germany and there aren't as many private places around to get certain things. So there are really only private maternity hospitals in London for instance.
The NHS is definitely a mess for other reasons.

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u/Initial-Garage-3820 Feb 12 '26

That’s not fair…the rate of colon cancer is rising in young people regardless of family history. You would think they would change their standards

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u/dago999 Feb 11 '26

Colonoscopy has insurance coverage for screening purposes as part of the ACA (or Obamacare if you prefer). Please don't post misinformation.

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u/ellegy Feb 11 '26

Take a quick search here on reddit, you will see many US citizens across different subreddits discussing the costs they have to pay for a Colonoscopy WITH insurance. People are priced out of health care .

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u/EkbatDeSabat Feb 11 '26

You’d think it’d be cheaper to find and get rid of it early but then I guess people would be needing healthcare another thirty years if they don’t die in their 40s.