Skyrocketing cost of an asthma inhaler drug leads to tragic American demise

Skyrocketing cost of an asthma inhaler drug leads to tragic American demise

*In the realm of *America, a distressing tale unfolds as parents file a lawsuit over the tragic demise of their son, Cole Schmidtknecht, due to a steep, overnight surge in the price of his asthma medication. This heart-wrenching story is exposed by NBC News.

Cole, a 22-year-old Asthma sufferer, had insurance coverage but found himself grappling with a life-threatening hike in the price of his inhaler prescription - a shocking escalation from $70 to an overwhelming $500. Coupled with the financial obligations of rent, Cole opted to forego the vital medication for staving off attacks, leaving the pharmacy with only an emergency inhaler - a temporary solution insufficient to avert severe assaults. Five days later, Cole succumbed to a merciless asthma attack and passed away.

Blaming the murky system of drug pricing, Cole's distraught parents have launched a lawsuit against Optum Rx, accused of removing the critical inhaler from the insurance coverage list, and Walgreens, questioned for failing to offer viable alternatives or communicate effectively with Cole about his precarious condition. The family, filled with grief, hopes that their legal action may help reform the system and prevent similar tragedies in the future.

To paint a grim picture, a similar heartbreaking incident unfolded in St. Petersburg, involving a young family that refused medication.

The disturbing details reveal that Cole's inhaler, Advair Diskus, underwent a drastic pricing leap from around $66 per month to an astounding $539.19 overnight following Optum Rx's unannounced adjustment of its drug formulary, a move that left Cole bereft of coverage. Optum Rx has since attempted to dismiss the lawsuit, awaiting a court decision.

The lawsuit alleges wrongful death and negligence, contending that Optum Rx failed to provide adequate prior notification of the drug formulary change and that Walgreens fell short in offering suitable aid or effective communication with Schmidtknecht regarding alternative options or the gravity of his predicament.

The case sheds light on the influential role pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) like Optum Rx play in managing prescription drug benefits and the potentially harmful consequences of such practices for patients seeking essential medications.

1. The shocking increase in the price of Advair Diskus, a vital asthma medication, from $70 to $500, is a prime example of the complexities and problems in America's medical-conditions market, as exposed by NBC News.
2. As the number of chronic-diseases continues to rise, the importance of accessible and affordable health-and-wellness resources, including fitness-and-exercise, mental-health therapies-and-treatments, and nutrition, becomes increasingly crucial.
3. The finance sector, including personal-finance and medicare, plays a significant role in determining the cost of essential medications, raising questions about the equity and affordability of these life-saving treatments for all Americans.
4. General-news sources have reported on the lawsuits filed by parents over tragic deaths of their children due to inadequate access to affordable medication or health insurance, highlighting the need for comprehensive health-care reform.
5. The case of the Schmidtknecht family, who lost their son, Cole, due to the sudden removal of his asthma medication from insurance coverage, has sparked discussions about the accountability of pharmacies, such as Walgreens, and pharmacy benefit managers, like Optum Rx, in the pricing and distribution of critical medications.
6. Crime-and-justice experts speculate that the economic strain caused by exorbitant medical bills could lead to an increase in theft or other criminal activities as people struggle to meet their financial obligations.
7. In the aftermath of the Cole Schmidtknecht tragedy, there is growing advocacy for transparency in the pricing and distribution of medications, as well as the need for more effective communication between patients, pharmacies, and insurance providers to prevent similar preventable deaths.

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