Wisconsin couple Shanon and William Schmidtknecht file a lawsuit against Walgreens and pharmacy benefits management company OptumRX, alleging that their son, Cole, died due to not being able to afford a sudden $500 spike in his asthma medication. Cole, who suffered from asthma, was informed of the price increase at a Walgreens pharmacy in Appleton, and unable to afford it, left without his medication. He later suffered a fatal asthma attack.
The lawsuit claims OptumRX violated Wisconsin law by raising the cost of the medication without proper notice. The family’s attorney, Michael Trunk, accuses both companies of prioritizing profits over patient well-being.
OptumRx states that Cole did purchase a $5 generic asthma medication on the day of the incident, but the family’s attorney clarifies that it was a rescue inhaler, not the daily medication Cole needed.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, while Walgreens and OptumRx have not yet provided comments on the case.
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