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A 22-year-old man, Cole Schmidtknecht, died of an asthma attack after being forced to choose between paying his rent and affording his life-saving medication in Wisconsin, US. His family is now suing Walgreens Pharmacy and United Health Group’s OptumRx, alleging their policies and massive spike in price in inhalers led to his tragic death.
According to the lawsuit filed, Schmidtknecht had managed his chronic asthma since infancy with a corticosteroid inhaler. However, in late 2023, OptumRx abruptly removed his prescribed medication, Advair Diskus, from its covered drug list—without notifying patients, a potential violation of Wisconsin law.
As a result, when Schmidtknecht visited his local Walgreens on January 10, 2024, he was told his insurance no longer covered the inhaler. The out-of-pocket price had surged to $539.19—a staggering increase from the $35-$66 he previously paid. Unable to afford the medication, he left the pharmacy empty-handed.
With limited finances and a modest hourly wage from his trucking job, Schmidtknecht had to make a devastating choice: buy his medication or pay rent. He opted for the latter. Relying on his old “emergency” inhaler, his condition deteriorated over the next five days.
On January 15, he suffered a severe asthma attack, struggling to breathe as his roommate rushed him to a hospital in Appleton, Wisconsin, New York Post reported. He lost consciousness in the car. Despite emergency medical interventions—including CPR and two doses of epinephrine—Schmidtknecht remained in a coma for six days before his parents made the heartbreaking decision to remove him from life support. He was pronounced dead on January 21.
Schmidtknecht’s parents blame Walgreens and OptumRx for their son’s death. The lawsuit alleges OptumRx’s decision to drop the inhaler from its formulary list was a calculated move, prioritising profits over lives.
United Health Group, which owns OptumRx, is one of three major pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) controlling over 79% of prescription drug fulfillment in the US. The suit argues that PBMs drive up healthcare costs by pushing customers toward expensive medications, despite cheaper alternatives being available.
Walgreens is also under scrutiny for allegedly failing to assist Schmidtknecht in finding a viable alternative. His parents claim that both companies knew their actions would leave vulnerable patients without essential medication.
The Schmidtknecht family is seeking damages for their son’s lost future earnings, suffering, and funeral expenses. They are also filing for “loss of society and companionship,” a legal claim allowing families to seek compensation for the emotional void left by a wrongful death.
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