A Wisconsin family’s lawsuit against Walgreens and OptumRx alleges their son’s death resulted from an unaffordable asthma medication price hike.
At a Glance
- Wisconsin couple sues Walgreens and OptumRx over son’s death due to unaffordable medication
- Lawsuit filed in federal court in Milwaukee on January 21, 2025
- Son’s asthma medication cost increased from $66 to $539
- Unable to afford medication, son suffered fatal asthma attack days later
- Lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, accusing companies of prioritizing profits over patient care
Legal Battle Unfolds Over Tragic Death
A Wisconsin couple has initiated a federal lawsuit against pharmacy giant Walgreens and OptumRx, alleging that their son’s untimely death was a direct result of an astronomical price increase in his asthma medication. The legal action, filed in Milwaukee on January 21, 2025, marks the one-year anniversary of 22-year-old Cole Schmidtknecht’s passing.
Cole, who had battled asthma throughout his life, relied on daily doses of Advair Diskus and its generic equivalents to manage his condition. On January 10, 2024, he visited a Walgreens pharmacy to refill his prescription, only to be informed that the cost had skyrocketed from $66 to $539 – a price he couldn’t afford.
Unable to purchase the vital medication, Cole attempted to manage his asthma with a rescue inhaler. Tragically, this proved insufficient, and he suffered a fatal asthma attack just days later. The lawsuit contends that OptumRx violated Wisconsin law by raising the medication price without a valid reason and failing to provide the required 30 days’ notice of the increase.
“The conduct of both OptumRx and Walgreens was deplorable,” Michael Trunk, one of the family’s attorneys, said in a statement. “The evidence in this case will show that both OptumRx and Walgreens put profits first, and are directly responsible for Cole’s death.”
The legal action also alleges that Walgreens staff failed to offer Cole alternatives or contact OptumRx or his doctor for an exception, further compromising his access to life-saving medication.
Corporate Response and Ongoing Controversy
In response to the allegations, OptumRx stated that Cole purchased a different asthma medication, generic Albuterol, for a $5 co-pay on the day he visited the pharmacy. The company defended its actions as “consistent with industry practice and the patient’s insurance plan design.”
However, the family’s attorney clarified that the $5 prescription was for a rescue inhaler, not the daily Advair Diskus inhaler that Cole critically needed. This distinction highlights the complexity of asthma management and the potentially life-threatening consequences of medication inaccessibility.
As of the lawsuit’s filing, Walgreens had not responded to requests for comment, leaving many questions unanswered about their role in this tragic event.
Be safe out there, asthma sufferers…
