Parents Sue Walgreens & OptumRX After Son's Asthma Medication Cost Death

The Tragic Loss of Cole Schmidtknecht

• 💔 Cole Schmidtknecht, a vibrant and inquisitive young man, is remembered by his parents for his daily calls and texts filled with silly, goofy, and random facts.
• 💬 His parents, Bil and Shanon, deeply miss his voice and his unique personality, which brought smiles and taught them new things.

Cole's Asthma and Medication Challenges

• 🩺 Cole managed his asthma effectively for years, participating in normal boy activities with the help of health insurance and his parents' guidance.
• ⚠️ He had never experienced issues paying for his asthma medication until the incident that led to his hospitalization and death.
• 💸 The price of his critical asthma medication, Advairus, suddenly increased to $539, a cost he could not afford.

Lawsuit Against Pharmacy Benefit Managers

• ⚖️ The lawsuit filed by the Schmidtknechts targets both OptumRX and Walgreens for corporate responsibility in Cole's death.
• 📢 OptumRX is accused of failing to provide adequate notice about the price increase, preventing Cole from making alternative arrangements with his doctor.
• 🤝 Walgreens is alleged to have not worked with Cole's prescriber to ensure he received an alternative medication when he couldn't afford the original.
• 🌍 Other families nationwide have reached out to the Schmidtknechts, sharing similar heartbreaking stories and prompting investigations into potential cases involving deaths from asthma medication costs.

Seeking Justice and Systemic Reform

• 🎯 Justice for Cole, according to his parents, means reforming Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to be more transparent, less deceptive, and to prioritize patient access to medicine over profits.
• 🌱 The Schmidtknechts are advocating for change through their mission, website, and Cole's appearance in a documentary, hoping to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies.
• 🌟 Their ultimate goal is to see systemic change that ensures patients have true access to life-saving medications.