When the Cost of His Asthma Inhaler Went Up $500, His Parents Claim He Couldn't Pay. Two Weeks Later He Was Dead at 22

Mar. 15, 2025

Cole Schmidtknecht was 22 when he died of an asthma attack.Photo:legacy.com

legacy.com

A Wisconsin couple is suing their son’s insurance company, Optum Rx, andWalgreenspharmacy for alleged negligence and unspecified damages after their son died of anasthmaattack — less than two weeks after he stopped taking his maintenance inhaler — allegedly due to a $500 price increase.

However, on Jan. 10, 2024, when Cole arrived at his usual Walgreens pharmacy, the suit alleges that he was told his medication was no longer covered and he needed to pay out-of-pocket a total cost of $539.19.

Cole Schmidtknecht was informed his medication was no longer covered at this Walgreens in Appleton, Wisc.Google Maps

Google Maps

According to the lawsuit, Optum Rx says Walgreens should have contacted Cole’s doctor for a covered alternative, but “did not follow these instructions.”

Cole was also allegedly not provided with a “free or discounted” inhaler to use while he reached out to his provider. Instead, the suit alleges Walgreens “further told Cole that there were no cheaper alternatives or generic medications available.”

“Because Cole could not afford this unexpected expense of $539.19, he left the Walgreens without filling his prescription,” the suit claims.

Without his daily inhaler to help control the symptoms of asthma, the suit says Cole’s breathing deteriorated over the next five days, forcing Cole to rely on his rescue inhaler to relieve his symptoms.

Albuterol is commonly called a “rescue” inhaler, used tostop attackswhile they’re happening, and differ from maintenance medication like Advair.

According to the complaint, “On January 15, 2024, five days after visiting the OptumRx-Walgreens pharmacy, Cole had a severe asthma attack and began to asphyxiate.” His roommate drove Cole to the emergency room, but while in the car, Cole became “unresponsive and pulseless.”

In the emergency room, Cole appeared blue, the suit says, and was given emergency treatment but “despite their best efforts, Cole never woke up again.”

After six days on a ventilator, doctors told his parents that he was “beyond help” and on Jan. 21, they withdrew life support. His cause of death was allegedly status asthmaticus, which theNational Library of Medicinedescribes as “an extreme form of asthma exacerbation”

The lawsuit describes the actions of Optum Rx and Walgreens as “grievous and outrageous,” and that both companies were “aware that the result or consequence of serious injury or death was substantially certain to occur when it violated State law and acted in intentional disregard of that serious injury or death.”

Stock image of Advair.advair

advair

Optum Rx’s previous statement continued, “Optum Rx also has available clinically appropriate options and formulary information when a medication is not covered on formulary, including Advair Diskus formulary alternatives with member copays as low as $5.”

“Our goal is to ensure medicines, including those used to treat asthma and other critical conditions, are accessible and affordable for Americans. After rigorous review of this case, we determined that formulary management and communications efforts that impacted this patient’s access to key asthma medication options were handled consistent with industry practice and the patient’s insurance plan design. Any members with questions about their coverage can call the number on their prescription card.”

PEOPLE has reached out to Optum Rx for more information.

A representative for Walgreens told PEOPLE via email, “We can’t comment due to pending litigation.”

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source: people.com