A Wisconsin couple sues Walgreens and OptumRx after their son’s death, claiming an astronomical price increase for asthma medication led to his fatal attack.
Quick Takes
- Wisconsin parents file lawsuit against Walgreens and OptumRx over son’s asthma-related death
- Medication price jumped from $66 to $539, making it unaffordable for the 22-year-old
- Lawsuit alleges violation of Wisconsin law and failure to provide alternatives
- Case highlights broader issues of drug pricing and healthcare affordability
Tragic Loss Sparks Legal Action
A Wisconsin couple has taken legal action against Walgreens and OptumRx, a pharmacy benefits manager, following the tragic death of their 22-year-old son, Cole Schmidtknecht. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Milwaukee on January 21, 2025, alleges that an exorbitant price increase in Cole’s asthma medication directly led to his untimely death.
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 discover that the cost had skyrocketed from $66 to $539. Unable to afford this steep increase, Cole left without his medication.
A Deadly Consequence
Attempting to manage his condition with only a rescue inhaler, Cole suffered a fatal asthma attack just days after being unable to obtain his regular medication. The lawsuit contends that OptumRx violated Wisconsin law by dramatically raising the medication price without valid justification and failing to provide the required 30-day notice of the increase.
“The conduct of both OptumRx and Walgreens was deplorable,” one of the family’s attorneys, Michael Trunk, 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 accuses Walgreens staff of failing to offer Cole alternatives or contact OptumRx or his doctor for an exception. This tragic case brings to light the critical role that pharmacy benefits managers play as intermediaries between health insurance companies, drug manufacturers, and pharmacies.
Corporate Response and Ongoing Debate
In response to the allegations, OptumRx stated that Cole had purchased a different asthma medication, generic Albuterol, for a $5 co-pay on the day he visited the pharmacy. The company claimed this action was “consistent with industry practice and the patient’s insurance plan design.” However, the family’s attorney clarified that this $5 prescription was for a rescue inhaler, not the daily Advair Diskus inhaler Cole required.
Walgreens has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit. The case seeks unspecified damages and accuses both OptumRx and Walgreens of prioritizing profits over patient care. This legal battle underscores the urgent need for a reevaluation of drug pricing structures and corporate roles in healthcare affordability.
As this case gains national attention, it raises critical questions about the ethics of medication pricing and the responsibility of healthcare providers to ensure essential treatments remain accessible to those in need. The outcome of this lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for how pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, and benefits managers approach pricing and patient care in the future.
Sources:
- Wisconsin couple sues Walgreens and Optum Rx, saying son died after $500 price rise for asthma meds
- Wisconsin couple sues Walgreens and Optum Rx, saying son died after $500 price rise for asthma meds
