Have you ever seen a kitten struggling to breathe, like it's trying to cough up a hairball but can't? Sometimes, people have trouble breathing too, and they might have a condition called asthma. Asthma makes it hard to breathe, and people who have it sometimes need medicine in a special puffer called an inhaler to help them get air into their lungs. Think of it like a little robot cat that sprays air into their lungs when they need it!
Sadly, a young man named Cole Schmidtknecht, who was 22 years old, had asthma. He needed his inhaler to help him breathe, just like a kitten needs its momma! But something very sad happened. Cole had insurance, which is like having a special fish that helps pay for your medicine. But even with his insurance fish, Cole couldn’t afford to refill his inhaler.
Here's where it gets tricky. The price of Cole's inhaler jumped super high! It went from about $70, which is like the price of a really cool cat tree, to more than $500! That’s like if your favorite cat toy suddenly cost as much as a whole year's worth of cat food! It was too much for Cole to pay. As the news report says, the price "jumped from $70 to more than $500 at his pharmacy."
Now, Cole's parents are very sad, and they are taking action. They are suing, which means they are going to court to try and make things right. They want to know why the price of Cole's medicine went up so much without warning. It's like if someone suddenly started charging a million dollars for a can of tuna – it just doesn't make sense!
This situation raises important questions about why medicine costs so much. Sometimes, medicine prices can be confusing, like trying to understand why your cat suddenly hates the new scratching post you bought. It can be hard to figure out who decides how much things cost and why the prices change.
Cole's story is a reminder that everyone should be able to afford the medicine they need, especially when they have a condition like asthma. It’s like making sure every kitten has a warm bed and plenty of food. Medicine is important for staying healthy, and no one should have to choose between breathing and paying for their medicine. This is especially true when, as the article states, Cole "had insurance."
The lawsuit that Cole's parents are filing is a way to try and make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else. They want to make sure that everyone can afford their medicine, so they can stay healthy and happy, just like a purring kitty.
We can all learn from this story. It's important to talk to grown-ups about healthcare and medicine costs. If you or someone you know has asthma, make sure they have access to their inhaler and know how to use it. Just like a robot cat sprays medicine into your lungs, make sure it’s working properly. And remember, everyone deserves to breathe easy!
This news is important because it affects many people. Sometimes, grown-ups make decisions that affect everyone, and it's important to understand what's happening and why. Just like we learn about taking care of our pets, we can also learn about taking care of our community and making sure everyone has what they need to stay healthy.
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