The space shuttle analogy nearly made everything come out the other end of my body...:)
With some HMO’s, and maybe even other health insurance providers, colonoscopies are not really offered, in favor of encouraging consumers to have sigmoidoscopies. This is a procedure similar to the colonoscopy, but it only covers only 75% of the intestinal tract, the reasoning being that, statistically, colon cancer tends to occur in that 75% region. Passing a sigmoidoscopy, however, is akin in my mind to being told that folks are 75% sure you don’t have colon cancer. Not likely any doctor would accept that outcome for him/herself, so only one option remains.
It may be necessary to invent a family history of colon cancer in order to get around the policy of restricting colonoscopies to those who have a “good reason” to get one.
Frankly the desire to get a colonoscopy should speak for itself. It makes little sense that we’re all encouraged to get one, only to be told that we can only get 75% of the deal unless we “qualify.” Wonder why that little Catch 22 isn’t highlighted in the ads?