Wisconsin
Wisconsin couple sues Optum Rx and Walgreens for son’s asthma death
(FOX 9) – A Wisconsin couple has filed a lawsuit against Minnesota-based Optum Rx and Walgreens for their son’s asthma-related death one year ago.
Lawsuit filed in asthma death
The backstory:
Shanon and William Schmidtknecht of Poynett, Wis. lost their 22-year-old son Cole in January 2024. He stopped at a Walgreens in Appleton and was told that the price of his inhaler had jumped from $66 to $539 out of pocket. He left the pharmacy without the medication and tried to manage his condition with a rescue inhaler.
He suffered a fatal asthma attack days later. Cole had suffered from asthma his entire life and managed it with daily inhaler doses of the medication Advair Diskus and generic equivalents.
The lawsuit:
Optum Rx is a Pharmacy Benefit Manager that manages the prescription drug plan for Cole’s insurance plan through his employer.
The family alleges that Optum Rx violated Wisconsin law by raising the cost of the medication without a valid medical reason and failed to notify Cole so that he could talk to his doctor about alternatives.
The lawsuit also alleges that Walgreens failed to offer Cole a workaround, a generic or an emergency supply so that he could reach out to his doctor and insurance company.
Optum Rx is a Pharmacy Benefit Manager that negotiates drug prices for insurance plans. The industry has been under scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission because just three companies control pricing for 80 percent of prescription drug pricing in the United States.
Those three companies are also in ownership chains with insurance companies and pharmacies, like mail order. The FTC has recently stated that it found PBMs to be artificially inflating generic drug prices for their own profits.
Response to the lawsuit
What they’re saying:
Optum Rx provided this statement to Fox 47 in Madison when the station covered Cole’s death in April of 2024:
“Optum Rx also has available clinically appropriate options and formulary information when a medication is not covered on formulary, including Advair Diskus formulary alternatives with member copays as low as $5.
“Our goal is to ensure medicines, including those used to treat asthma and other critical conditions, are accessible and affordable for Americans. After rigorous review of this case, we determined that formulary management and communications efforts that impacted this patient’s access to key asthma medication options were handled consistent with industry practice and the patient’s insurance plan design. Any members with questions about their coverage can call the number on their prescription card.”
Pharmacy Benefit Managers reporting
Dig deeper:
You can see more of Fox 9’s investigations into drug pricing by clicking below.
The backstory:
You can read the entire FTC staff report here.
- Showers will be most likely for areas along and south of the I-94 corridor
- Dry and pleasant conditions for Monday and Tuesday
- Showers and thunderstorms will return Tuesday night and into the day Wednesday
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – We are starting the day with some sunshine, but high-level clouds will continue to move in out ahead of a weather system to the southwest. This area of low pressure will move eastward across Illinois and Indiana today, bringing an increase in cloud cover as well as the chance for rain in southern Wisconsin. There is still some uncertainty with exactly how far north the rain will extend, but there is a higher confidence in the presence and coverage of showers along and south of the I-94 corridor this afternoon and evening. Activity will likely be much more hit-or-miss in areas farther north, with some spots potentially not seeing any rain at all.
The cloud cover and rain combined will work to limit temperatures today, with highs only ranging from the upper 60s (in southern Wisconsin) to the low 70s (further north where the sun may linger longer, and it will be drier). We are not expecting a heavy rain, nor are we expecting storms. In areas closer to the state line, rainfall accumulations may be around a half inch. Tonight, rain will end as the system moves east.
What’s Coming Up…
Monday will be dry and pleasant with highs into the mid-70s and some sunshine. This trend continues Tuesday, with highs in the upper 70s. Rain and thunderstorms are then likely to return Tuesday night and Wednesday, with a chance for some stronger storms Wednesday afternoon. Additional showers may linger into Thursday.
Looking Ahead…
Friday looks mostly dry before more chances for showers and thunderstorms return next weekend as temperatures warm up a bit closer to normal for this time of the year.
Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.
Copyright 2022 WMTV. All rights reserved.
MILWAUKEE (WLUK) — Four Northeast Wisconsin garage bands took to the Aurora Pavilion Stage at Summerfest Friday in hopes of winning the 2026 edition of ‘Rockonsin.’
The bands include:
- “Mania” composed of students from East De Pere High School
- “The Danios” composed of students from Mayville High School
- “The Doorknobs” composed of students from Sheboygan North High School and Étude High School
- “Krusher” composed of students from Campbellsport High School
The local bands and six others were the finalists selected from 54 middle and high schools across across Wisconsin for the 2026 contest.
All of them performed 20 minute showcases for an audience, including a trio of music industry panel judges. The bands were judged on technique, rhythm and vocals, primary beats, and synergy among other aspects.
Rockonsin announced “Krusher” won the grand prize Saturday night. Winning the contest nets the band a 12 hour recording session at Blast House Studios in Madison. The runner up band is “Candy Cigarette” from Oconomowoc High School, which wins a shorter 8 hour recording session at Blast House Studios.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
The contest is in its 22nd year.
LAKE MILLS, Wis. (WFRV) – The City of Lake Mills Police Department alerted the public that they are looking for a missing endangered person early Saturday morning.
Police say that 24-year-old Alfred, “Al,” Pellatt of Lake Mills was last seen at approximately 2:45 a.m. on Friday, June 19. It was detailed that Pellatt left a bar in the 100 block of N. Main Street in Lake Mills heading north on foot. At around 2:43 a.m., Pellatt was viewed on foot in the 500 block of N. Main Street.
It was noted that Pellatt has special needs and is on medication, but does not have it with him.
Police describe Pellatt as a 6’0″ white male, weighing 215 pounds. He was last seen wearing a floral dress.
Lake Mills is located west of Milwaukee in Jefferson County.
Any information pertaining to Pellatt’s whereabouts should be shared with the City of Lake Mills Police Department.
-
Minnesota3 minutes agoMinnesota bans crypto ATMs after scam surge
-
Mississippi6 minutes agoIconic Mississippi foods and top US foodie states
-
Missouri11 minutes agoMan shot, killed after argument spills out of south Kansas City home
-
Montana18 minutes agoPhotos: Montana East-West Shrine Game
-
Nebraska21 minutes agoDeadline looms for filing Nebraska Homestead Exemption applications
-
Nevada26 minutes agoThe nation’s data center debate has reached Southern Nevada
-
New Hampshire33 minutes ago'New Hampshire Outright' creates open, safe spaces for LGBTQ+ families
-
New Jersey36 minutes agoGun shots fired in Greenwich Township NJ, police investigating
