Over a Dozen Patient Organizations Send Letter to Iowa Legislature Supporting PBM Reform Bill

Groups Urge Legislators to Pass HF 852/SF 383 to Lower Costs, Improve Access to Medications

(Des Moines, IA) – Today, over a dozen patient organizations sent a joint letter urging Iowa legislators to pass HF 852/SF 383 which include reforms to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), middlemen who determine which prescriptions appear on insurance formularies, and how much patients must pay out of pocket.

In the letter, the groups highlight the patient-centered reforms that have the potential to significantly reduce the out-of-pocket costs patients are paying at the pharmacy counter when they fill a prescription.

From the letter: “Patients need reliable access to medications. The provisions included in HF 852/SF 383 would improve accessibility and affordability. Not only will this bill ensure better reimbursement for our local pharmacies, curtailing the loss of these important healthcare providers in rural Iowa, but it will also ensure fairer out-of-pocket costs for patients.”

HF 852/SF 383 have advanced through state House and Senate committees and will move to floor votes.

Read the full letter here.