A Wisconsin family’s lawsuit against Walgreens and OptumRx exposes a critical flaw in the healthcare system that led to a young man’s death.
Key Insights
- A Wisconsin couple is suing Walgreens and OptumRx over their son’s death due to an unaffordable medication price increase.
- The lawsuit claims OptumRx violated Wisconsin law by raising the medication price without a valid reason and failing to provide 30 days’ notice.
- The case highlights the systemic failings in the pharmaceutical supply chain, where profits often take precedence over patient care.
- The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, accusing both OptumRx and Walgreens of prioritizing profits over patient care.
A Tragic Loss Sparks Legal Action
On January 21, 2025, a Wisconsin couple filed a lawsuit in federal court in Milwaukee against Walgreens and OptumRx. The legal action comes exactly one year after their son, Cole Schmidtknecht, died at the age of 22 due to complications from his lifelong asthma condition. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants’ actions directly contributed to Cole’s untimely death by making his essential medication unaffordable.
Cole had managed his asthma with daily doses of Advair Diskus and its generic equivalents throughout his life. However, on January 10, 2024, he was informed at a Walgreens pharmacy that the cost of his medication had skyrocketed from $66 to $539. Unable to afford this dramatic price increase, Cole left the pharmacy without his crucial medication.
The Fatal Consequences of Unaffordable Healthcare
In the days following his inability to purchase his medication, Cole attempted to manage his asthma using only a rescue inhaler. Tragically, this proved insufficient, and he suffered a fatal asthma attack. The lawsuit contends that the exorbitant price increase, coupled with the alleged failures of both Walgreens and OptumRx, directly led to Cole’s death.
“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.” – Source
Legal Claims and Corporate Responses
The lawsuit alleges that OptumRx violated Wisconsin law by raising the medication price without a valid reason and failing to provide 30 days’ notice of the increase. It also claims that Walgreens staff failed to offer Cole alternatives or contact OptumRx or his doctor for an exception. These actions, the lawsuit argues, prioritized profits over patient care.
In response to the allegations, OptumRx stated that their actions were “consistent with industry practice and the patient’s insurance plan design,” – Source
The company also claimed that Cole had purchased a different asthma medication, generic Albuterol, for a $5 co-pay on the day he visited the pharmacy. However, the family’s attorney clarified that this prescription was for a rescue inhaler, not the daily Advair Diskus inhaler that Cole required for managing his condition. Walgreens has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
A Call for Accountability in Healthcare
This lawsuit sheds light on the complex and often opaque world of pharmacy benefits managers like OptumRx, which act as intermediaries between health insurance companies, drug companies, and pharmacies. The case raises important questions about the responsibilities of these entities in ensuring that life-saving medications remain accessible and affordable to those who need them most.
As this legal battle unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the real-world consequences of our healthcare system’s shortcomings. The tragic loss of Cole Schmidtknecht underscores the urgent need for reform and greater accountability in the pharmaceutical supply chain to prevent similar tragedies 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
