As a parent, I can’t stop thinking about 22-year-old Cole Schmidtknecht — a young man who died from a severe asthma attack, even though a proven, life-saving medication existed.

Why didn’t he have it?

Because Optum Rx, one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers in the U.S., removed Advair Diskus—a critical asthma medication—from its list of covered drugs in 2022.

Cole’s parents have bravely stepped forward to seek justice, filing a lawsuit and demanding accountability for what they believe was a dangerous, profit-driven decision.

They say Cole couldn’t afford the $300 out-of-pocket price tag for his inhaler, and that he was never offered a medically equivalent replacement.

Just 5 days later, he died.

No parent should ever lose a child because a pharmacy benefit manager decided a medication was “too expensive” to cover—even when doctors still prescribe it and patients depend on it.

I’m a parent too, and I’m calling on the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to immediately launch a federal investigation into Optum Rx for its role in restricting access to Advair Diskus.

Hold pharmacy benefit managers accountable for prioritizing profits over patients!
 

Cole should be alive. His parents are fighting so no other family has to suffer the same unimaginable loss.

Please stand with them—and with every parent who simply wants their child to breathe safely.