Wisconsin 22-Year-Old Dies
22-year-old man has died after being forced to make a fatal decision: walk away from a pharmacy counter without the asthma inhaler he needed to stay alive. His death is now drawing national attention as a devastating example of how gaps in America’s healthcare system are putting lives at risk.
Cole Schmidtknecht, a bright and caring 22-year-old, suffered from chronic asthma throughout his life. Like millions of Americans, he relied on daily medication to manage his condition. His death was not the result of a rare disease, a freak accident, or medical error. Instead, it came down to dollars and coverage—a preventable tragedy rooted in a broken system.
Cole had insurance. But that didn’t protect him from the soaring cost of prescription medication. According to his family, the cost of refilling his prescribed asthma inhaler had suddenly jumped from $70 to more than $500. With no financial means to cover the increase, Cole left the pharmacy with only a cheaper, emergency inhaler.
His father later found that emergency inhaler empty beside his bed.
“He Left With an Emergency Inhaler. It Was Empty When We Found Him.”
In the days leading up to his death, Cole had gone to the pharmacy to refill his regular inhaler—a medication critical to preventing deadly asthma attacks. But to his shock, he discovered it was no longer covered by his insurance. The out-of-pocket cost had ballooned to over $500.
“He didn’t want to stress us about money,” his father said in an interview. “He thought he could make do until his next paycheck. But asthma doesn’t wait.”
Cole opted instead for an emergency inhaler—a short-term rescue tool meant for intermittent use, not as a daily solution. His family believes he tried to stretch its use, hoping to get by until he could afford his next refill.
He never made it. The emergency inhaler was found empty next to his body after what his parents believe was a nighttime asthma attack.
“He did everything we tell our kids to do—he went to the doctor, filled prescriptions, took his meds. But when the system cut him off, it was like nobody cared.”
Asthma: A Manageable Disease With Fatal Consequences
Asthma is a chronic lung condition that affects over 25 million people in the U.S., including one in 13 adults. With proper medication—especially inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators—patients can lead full, active lives. Without it, the disease can quickly become life-threatening.
Dr. Elaine Hutchinson, a pulmonologist and asthma specialist in Boston, says stories like Cole’s are tragically common.
“I’ve seen patients wheezing and gasping for air who tell me they’ve been skipping doses to make their inhalers last,” she said. “Asthma is controllable—but not when patients can’t afford the tools they need to survive.”
The cost of asthma medication has risen dramatically over the last decade. Even patients with insurance, like Cole, are finding that co-pays and formulary changes can suddenly render vital medications unaffordable.
“These are not luxury items,” Dr. Hutchinson added. “This is like charging someone hundreds of dollars to use a seatbelt in their car.”
“The Cost of Denial”: A Series on the Hidden Price of Healthcare
Cole’s death is part of The Cost of Denial, an NBC News investigation into how lapses in healthcare coverage and affordability are impacting real families. Across the country, stories are surfacing of Americans who are skipping medication, delaying treatment, or dying because they simply can’t afford care—even when they have insurance.
Healthcare policy analysts say this crisis is especially acute among young adults, who often fall into insurance gaps after leaving their parents’ coverage. Though the Affordable Care Act allows children to remain on parental plans until age 26, plan design changes, high deductibles, and sudden formulary exclusions leave many without affordable access to medication.
“This is a national disgrace,” said Dr. Maya Greene, a health policy researcher. “We are the richest country in the world, and yet people are dying for lack of a $30 inhaler.”
A Grieving Family Turns to Advocacy
The Schmidtknecht family is now speaking out, hoping their tragedy can prevent others.
“Cole was a good kid. He loved music, wanted to be a teacher, and always looked out for others,” his father said. “But when he needed someone to look out for him, he was alone.”
In the weeks since his death, the family has launched a campaign to raise awareness around asthma care and medication pricing. They are calling for federal legislation that would:
-
Cap the cost of inhalers and other critical medications;
-
Require insurance companies to maintain affordable access to maintenance medications;
-
Ensure continuous, transparent coverage for young adults and workers with part-time or transitional employment.
Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Pramila Jayapal have both expressed support for emergency legislation that would address the spiraling cost of prescription medications, citing Cole’s case as an example of why reform cannot wait.
“This young man should be alive today,” Sanders said in a statement. “He is the face of a broken system that values profit over people’s lives.”
The Human Cost of Policy Failures
For the Schmidtknechts, no amount of advocacy or policy change can bring back their son. But they hope that speaking out will put pressure on lawmakers to act—and save others from the same fate.
“I held my son when he was born,” his father said. “I should not have to bury him because of a price tag.”
The empty inhaler found beside Cole’s bed is now a painful symbol of how healthcare decisions are often dictated by what people can afford—not what they need. As the nation grapples with the complex intersection of medicine, money, and morality, his death stands as a stark reminder of what’s at stake when the cost of care becomes a cost of life.
