PBM Accountability Project of Iowa Applauds Passage of PBM Reform Legislation

SF 383 Signed into Law to Help Iowa Patients Access and Afford Medications

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 13, 2025

Des Moines, IA – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed SF 383 into law on this week, to lower out-of-pocket costs for patients and level the playing field for Iowa’s independent pharmacies. The new law provides relief to local independent pharmacies by preventing pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from steering patients toward their own PBM-owned chain pharmacies or mail order services. The law also requires PBMs to count third party coupons or payments toward a patient’s out-of-pocket costs, which will lower those costs at the pharmacy counter.

“As advocates for patients we are thrilled that the final step has been taken to make these critical reforms law,” said Jeanne Burmeister, executive director of Prevent Blindness Iowa. “PBMs have been incentivized to drive up patient costs and steer patients away from their local pharmacies – even putting some of those trusted resources out of business. This law marks a huge step in the right direction – putting patients before PBMs.”

“Our rural communities suffer when independent pharmacies struggle,” said Dwight Baldwin from the Iowa State Grange. “Rural communities can breathe a sigh of relief now that this bill has become law. It will provide protections for local pharmacies and the rural patients that depend on them. We must continue to build on this momentum and address the many ways PBMs are driving up our costs and limiting access to the medicines we need.”

To learn more about how PBMs drive up costs, and proven legislative solutions, visit pbmaccountabilityia.org.