Wisconsin man dies after inhaler cost jumps $500, according to family’s lawsuit

A young Wisconsin man died from an asthma attack after the price of his inhaler skyrocketed nearly $500, according to a lawsuit filed by his family.

Cole Schmidtknecht, 22, suffered from asthma, a chronic disease, that he treated with an Advair Diskus inhaler that allegedly cost him no more than $66.

That cost changed last year when OptumRx, a subsidiary of United Health Group, stopped coverage for the inhaler Schidtknecht used for a decade, the lawsuit alleges.

He was given no notice and, the lawsuit said, Walgreens did not offer him a generic alternative “and further told Cole that there were no cheaper alternatives or generic medications available.”

Unable to afford the inhaler, the lawsuit alleges he left the store without it. “Over the next five days, Cole repeatedly struggled to breathe, relying solely on his old ‘rescue’ (emergency) inhaler to limit his symptoms, because he did not have a preventative inhaler designed for daily use,” his family claims in the lawsuit.

On Jan. 15, 2024, Schmidtknecht was driven to an emergency room by his roommate for a severe asthma attack, but “became unresponsive and pulseless in the car,” before reaching the ER according to the lawsuit.

After receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the ER, Schmidtknecht spent days in an intensive care unit and never woke up. He was pronounced dead on Jan. 21 after life-supporting care was stopped, the lawsuit states.

His parents are now suing Walgreens, its parent company Boots Alliance and Optum Rx, the pharmacy benefits manager, for negligence.

“Defendant Optum Rx had a duty to not artificially inflate prescription drug prices for medications such as Advair Diskus for insured patients, including Cole Schmidtknecht, making them so unaffordable that patients could not obtain the medications their physicians prescribed,” the lawsuit said.

In a statement to ABC News, Optum Rx said that Schmidtknecht filled a generic Albuterol prescription, an inhaler used to stop asthma attacks, on Jan. 10, 2024, with a $5 copay, adding that the same drug was previously filled in October 2023 by him.

The prescription service said that it “also has available clinically appropriate options and formulary information” for when medication is not covered by a provider.

In the lawsuit, Schmidtknecht’s family claims “Walgreens Defendants failed to exercise reasonable care in that they knew, or should have known, of the unreasonable risk of harm to asthmatic patients, including Cole Schmidtknecht, that would result from their failing to provide him with Advair Diskus or a medically equivalent alternative medication at an affordable price at the point of service.”

Walgreens declined to comment on the litigation when ABC News reached out for a comment.

Just a few months after Schmidtknecht’s death, the makers of Advair, GSK, announced in March 2024 that starting January 2025 the most people will pay out of pocket for their inhaler is $35 a month.

GSK joined other manufacturers of inhalers in capping the out-of-pocket cost for inhalers, something Sen.Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who chairs the HELP Committee commented on at the time.

“The three largest manufacturers of inhalers in the world have all committed to cap the cost of inhalers in the United States at no more than $35 at the pharmacy counter,” he said.

Dr. Jade Cobern, MD, MPH, who is board-certified in pediatrics and general preventive medicine, recommended individuals who suddenly see an increase in medication cost or can no longer afford it speak to their provider about alternatives, check for current discounts to lower out-of-pocket costs by using an app like GoodRx or reach out to the manufacturer for assistance or possible rebates.

“If you are struggling to breathe it is imperative that you seek medical help immediately through your doctor, by going to the emergency room or by calling 911,” Cobern said.