Struck = removed from the bill ·
added = the amendment's new text.
SSenate TFile A383 TH-1324 EAmend OSenate FFile I383, Oas Wamended, Apassed, Kand Ireprinted Mby Rthe ESenate, Yas Nfollows: O L D S G O V E R N O R June11,2025 The Honorable Paul Pate SecretaryofStateofIowa StateCapitolBuilding L O C A L DearMr.Secretary, IherebytransmitSenateFile383,anactrelatingtopharmacybenefitsmanagers,pharmacies, prescriptiondrugs,andpharmacyservicesadministrativeorganizations,andincluding applicabilityprovisions.
As1. Governorofthisgreatstate,Ihaveworkedtirelesslytotransformlegacysystemsoftaxation, regulation,education,healthcare,workforce,andeconomicdevelopmentinanefforttoprovide lowanswiththebestpossiblereturnontheirinvestmentandcontinuetomovethisstateforward.
AfterextensiveresearchandthoughtfulconversationswithemployersandstakeholdersonallBy sidesofthiscomplexissue,ImadethedecisiontosignSF383inanefforttocontinueimprovingstriking ourhealthcaresystembybringinggreateraccountabilitytotheroleofPharmacyBenefiteverything Managers(PBMs).Inenactingthisbillintolaw,IowajoinsTexas,Georgia,IndianaandMontanaafter thatthisyearpassedsimilarlegislationtoaddressthisimportantissuealongwithseveralotherthe statesthathavedonesopreviously,bringingthetotalto32states.enacting clause and inserting:
PBMs<DIVISION playacentralroleinthepharmaceuticalsupplychain,negotiatingdrugpricesandaccessI formillionsofAmericans.Overtime,consolidationhasledtothreemajorPBMsPHARMACY controllingBENEFITS 80%MANAGERS ofthemarketandacloseaffiliationwithbothinsurersandpharmacies.ThisverticalSection integrationgivesthemoutsizedpoweroverwhich1. medicationspatientsreceiveandwhatthey pay—oftenresultinginunaffordabledrugcosts,difficultchoicesforfamilies,andreimbursement belowpharmacy acquisitioncost.
ThenewSection billtakesstepstowardaddressingthesechallengesbytargetingPBM510B.1, practicesthatCode harmbothpatientsandindependentpharmacies.Localpharmacies,especiallyinruralareas,are2025, vitaltocommunityis healthandlocalhospitalsbutarebeingdrivenoutbyamended opaque,one-sidedby contracts—evidencedbytheclosureof34ruralpharmaciesinIowalastyear.Additionally,thisadding legislationamplifiestheruralhealthcarebillwethe passedthissessionandisameaningfulstepfollowing towardafairer,moretransparent,andaccessiblehealthcaresystemforall.new subsections:
STATENEW CAPITOLSUBSECTION DES. MOINES,IOWA 50319 515.281.5211WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV Buthsblldoesnoinfyanend.Thecomplexityandlriibledatamadgnng tisiladffcltdecision,andmyadministrationwillcloselymonitorimplementationto mtiateandnurehtanyuinenedcoseuenesfrpivteemployereadrssd.We wllasobelaunchingareverseauctiontoenttehealthplancontinuestokeepcosts aslowaspossibleforthestsemployees.
Sincerely,11A. Kim Reynolds GovernorofIowa cc:
SecretaryoftheSenate“National Clerkaverage ofthedrug Houseacquisition fi!GHTcost” Mmeans Mthe Nmonthly Tsurvey Aof Jretail Gpharmacies Econducted Nby Ethe Rfederal Acenters Lfor AMedicare Sand SMedicaid Eservices Mto Bdetermine Iaverage Sacquisition ecost nfor aPMedicaid icovered l3outpatient 8drugs. 3 A NA C T RELATING TO PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGERS, PHARMACIES, P R E S C R I D R U G S , A N D P H A R M A C Y S E R V I C E S A D M I N I S T R A T I V E O R G A N I Z A T I I N C L U DA P P L I C A B I L I T Y P R O V I S I O N S , B E I T E N A C T T H E G E N A S S E M B L Y O F T H E SI O W A :O F D I V I S I O N P H A R MB E N E F M A N A G E R S Section 1, Section 510B.1, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsections:
NEW SUBSECTION.SUBSECTION .
IIA.11B.
^National“Pass-through averagepricing” drugmeans acquisitiona cost"model meansof theprescription monthlydrug surveypricing ofin retailwhich pharmaciespayments conductedmade by thea federalthird-party centerspayor to a pharmacy benefits manager for Medicareprescription anddrugs Medicaidare servicesequivalent to determinethe averagepayments acquisitionthe costpharmacy benefits manager makes to the dispensing pharmacy or dispensing health care provider for Medicaidthe coveredprescription outpatientdrugs, drugs.including any professional dispensing fee.
NEW SUBSECTION.SUBSECTION .
IIB.21A.
'^Pass-through“Specialty pricing"drug” means a model of prescription drug pricingused into whichtreat paymentschronic madeand bycomplex, aor third-partyrare payormedical toconditions aand pharmacythat benefitsrequires managerspecial forhandling prescriptionor drugsadministration, areprovider equivalentcare tocoordination, theor paymentspatient theeducation pharmacythat benefitscannot managerbe makesprovided toby thea dispensingnonspecialty pharmacy or dispensingpharmacist. health care provider for the prescription drugs, including any professional dispensing fee.
NEW SUBSECTION.SUBSECTION .
16A.21B.
'^Pharmacy“Spread chain"pricing” means ana entitypharmacy thatbenefits hasmanager twentycharges ora third-party payor more pharmaciesfor underprescription commondrugs ownershipdispensed orto controla locatedcovered inperson atthan leastthe twentyamount orthe morepharmacy states.benefits manager reimburses the pharmacy for dispensing the prescription drugs to a covered person.
NEW SUBSECTION.SUBSECTION .
21A, ""Retail pharmacy" means a pharmacy that is not a pharmacy chain or a publicly traded entity, and Senate File 383, p.
2 that does not exclusively provide mail order dispensing of prescription drugs.
NEW SUBSECTION.
21B, ^Specialty drug" means a drug used to treat chronic and complex, or rare medical conditions and that requires special handling or administration, provider care coordination, or patient education that cannot be provided by a nonspecialty pharmacy or pharmacist.
NEW SUBSECTION.
"^Wholesale“Wholesale acquisition cost"cost” means the same as defined in 42 U.S.C,U.S.C. §1395w-3a(c)(6)(B).
§1395w-3a(c)(6)(B).
Section 510B.4, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION, 4.
A pharmacy benefits manager, health carrier, health benefit plan, or third-party payor shall not discriminate against a pharmacy or a pharmacist with respect to participation, referral, reimbursement of a covered service, or indemnification if a pharmacist is acting within the scope of the pharmacist's license, as permitted under state law, and the pharmacy is operating in compliance with all applicable laws a n r u l e s .
Sec.
3.
510B.4B Prohibited conductconduct. — pharmacy rights.
A pharmacy benefits manager shall not dorequire anya covered person, as a condition of thepayment following:or reimbursement, to purchase SF 383.1977 (1) 91 -1- nls/ko 1/7 pharmacy services, including prescription drugs, exclusively through a mail order pharmacy.
a.This subsection shall not apply to a specialty drug.
If a pharmacy or pharmacist has agreed to participate in a covered person's health benefit plan, prohibit or limit the covered person from selecting a pharmacy or pharmacist of the covered person's choice, or impose a monetary advantage or penalty that would affect a covered person's choice.
A monetary advantage or penalty includes a copayment or coinsurance variation, a reduction in reimbursement for services, a promotion of one participating pharmacy over another, or comparing the reimbursement rates of a pharmacy against mail order pharmacy reimbursement rates.
b.
Deny a pharmacy or pharmacist the right to participate as a contract provider under a health benefit plan if the pharmacy or pharmacist agrees to provide pharmacy services that meet the terms and requirements of the health benefit plan and the pharmacy or pharmacist agrees to the terms of reimbursement set forth by the third-party payor for similarly classified Senate File 383, p.
3 pharmacies• c.
Impose upon a pharmacy or pharmacist, as a condition of participation in a third-party payor network, any course of study, accreditation, certification, or credentialing that is inconsistent with, more stringent than, or in addition to state requirements for licensure or certification, and the administrative rules adopted by the board of pharmacy.
d.
Unreasonably designate a prescription drug as a specialty drug to prevent a covered person from accessing the prescription drug, or limiting a covered person's access to the prescription drug, from a pharmacy or pharmacist that is within the health carrier's network, A covered person or pharmacy harmed by an alleged violation of this paragraph may file a complaint with the commissioner, and the commissioner shall, in consultation with the board of pharmacy, make a determination as to whether the covered prescription drug meets the definition of a specialty drug.
e.
Require a covered person, as a condition of payment or reimbursement, to purchase pharmacy services, including prescription drugs, exclusively through a mail order pharmacy.
f.
Impose upon a covered person a copayment, reimbursement amount, number of days of a prescription drug supply for which reimbursement will be allowed, or any other payment or condition relating to purchasing pharmacy services from a pharmacy that is more costly or restrictive than would be imposed upon the covered person if such pharmacy services were purchased from a mail order pharmacy, or any other pharmacy that can provide the same pharmacy services for the same cost and copayment as a mail order service.
a.A pharmacy benefits manager shall not unreasonably designate a prescription drug as a specialty drug to prevent a covered person from accessing the prescription drug, or limiting a covered person’s access to the prescription drug, from a pharmacy or pharmacist that is within the health carrier’s network.
IfA a third-party payor providing reimbursement to covered personsperson foror prescription drugs restricts pharmacy participation,harmed theby third-partyan payoralleged shallviolation notify,of inthis writing,subsection allmay pharmaciesfile withina thecomplaint geographicalwith coverage area of the healthcommissioner benefit plan restriction, and offer the pharmaciescommissioner theshall, opportunityin toconsultation participatewith in the healthboard benefitof planpharmacy, atmake leasta sixtydetermination daysif prior to the effectivecovered dateprescription ofdrug meets the healthdefinition benefitof planspecialty restriction.drug.
All pharmacies in the geographical coverage area of the health benefit plan shall be eligible to participate under identical reimbursement terms for providing Senate File 383, p.
4 pharmacy services and prescription drugs.
b» The third-party payor shall inform covered persons of the names and locations of all pharmacies participating in the health benefit plan as providers of pharmacy services and prescription drugs.
c, A participating pharmacy shall be entitled to announce to the pharmacy's customers that the pharmacy participates in the health benefit plan.
3.
The commissioner shall not certify a pharmacy benefits manager or license an insurance producer that is not in compliance with this section.
4.
A covered person or pharmacy injured by a violation of this section may maintain a cause of action to enjoin the c o n t i n u a tt h v i o l a t i o n .
4.
Section 510B.8, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsections:
NEW SUBSECTION.
ASection pharmacy510B.8, benefitsCode manager2025, shallis notamended imposeby differentadding cost-sharing or additional fees on a covered person based on the pharmacyfollowing atnew whichsubsection: the covered person fills a prescription drug order.
NEW SUBSECTION.SUBSECTION .
4.3.
NEW SUBSECTION.
5, A pharmacy benefits manager shall include any amount paid by a covered person, or on behalf of a covered person, when calculating the covered person's total contribution toward the covered person's cost-sharing.
NEW SUBSECTION.
6.
Any amount paid by a covered person for a prescription drug shall be applied to any deductible imposed on the covered person by the covered person's health benefit plan in accordance with the health benefit plan's coverage d o c u m e n t s .
NEW SUBSECTION.
7.
If a covered person's policy, contract, or plan providing for third-party payment or prepayment of health or medical expenses qualifies as a high-deductible health plan under section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code, Senate File 383, p.
5 and a copayment, coinsurance, or deductible paid by the covered person as a cost-sharing requirement under this chapter would result in the covered person becoming ineligible for a health savings account associated with the covered person's high-deductible health plan, subsection 5 shall apply only after the covered person satisfies the covered person's minimum deductible, except for items or services determined to be preventive care under section 223(c)(2)(C) of the Internal R e v e C o d e .
5.4.
Section 510B.8B, Code 2025, is amended to read as ffollows: o l l o w s :
510B.8B Pharmacy benefits manager affiliates managers ——— roimburaemGntreimbursement reimbursements.
The reimburaemontreimbursement amount shall be calculated on a per unit basis based on the same generic product identifier or generic code number.
Aa. pharmacy benefits manager shall not reimburse any retail pharmacy located in the state in an amount less than the most recently published national average drug acquisition cost for a prescription drug on the date that the prescription drug is administered or dispensed.
IfA the most recently published national average drug acquisition cost for the prescription drug is unavailable on the date that the prescription drug is administered or dispensed, a pharmacy benefits manager shall not reimburse any retail pharmacy located in the state in an amount less than the wholesalemost recently published national average drug acquisition cost for theSF 383.1977 (1) 91 -2- nls/ko 2/7 a prescription drug on the date that the prescription drug is administered or dispensed.
3.If the most recently published national average drug acquisition cost for the prescription drug is unavailable on the date that the prescription drug is administered or dispensed, a pharmacy benefits manager shall not reimburse any pharmacy located in the state in an amount less than the wholesale acquisition cost for the prescription drug on the date that the prescription drug is administered or dispensed.
In addition to the reimbursement required under subsection 2, a pharmacy benefits manager shall reimburse the retail pharmacy or pharmacist a professional dispensing fee in the amount of ten dollars and sixty-eight cents.
4.
a, A pharmacy benefits manager shall submit a quarterly report to the commissioner of all drugs reimbursed at ten percent or more below the national average drug acquisition Senate File 383, p.
6 cost, and all drugs reimbursed at ten percent or more above the national average drug acquisition cost, for each prescription drug appearing on the national average drug acquisition cost list on the day the prescription drug was dispensed.
ForIn eachaddition prescriptionto drugthe includedreimbursement inunder theparagraph report,“a”, an agreement executed by a pharmacy benefits manager shalland includea allpharmacy may, at the discretion of the followingpharmacy, irequire nthe fpharmacy obenefits rmanager mto reimburse the pharmacy a tprofessional idispensing ofee nfor ;all prescription drugs dispensed by the pharmacy in an amount not to exceed ten dollars and sixty-eight cents if any of the following apply:
(1) The monthpharmacy thehas prescriptiongross drugannual wasrevenue dispensed.of less than two hundred fifty million dollars.
(2)For Thepurposes quantity of determining a pharmacy’s gross annual revenue under this subparagraph, the prescriptiongross drugrevenue dispensed.of all pharmacies under common ownership shall be aggregated.
((2) 3The )Thepharmacy amounthas thegross pharmacyannual wasrevenue reimbursed.of two hundred fifty million dollars or greater and is located at least ten miles away from the nearest pharmacy.
(4)For Ifpurposes theof dispensingdetermining pharmacya waspharmacy’s angross affiliateannual ofrevenue theunder pharmacythis benefitssubparagraph, manager, (5) If the prescriptiongross drugrevenue wasof dispensedall pursuantpharmacies tounder acommon governmentownership healthshall plan.be aggregated.
(6) The average national drug acquisition cost for the month the prescription drug was dispensed.
TheParagraphs report“a” shalland exclude“b” drugsdo dispensednot pursuantapply to 42either U.S.C.of the following:
(1) A specialty drug dispensed by a pharmacy located in this state.
(2) A pharmacy located in this state that is a covered entity as defined under 42 U.S.C.
d.3.
AEach copypharmacy oflocated in the reportstate shall beparticipate publishedin on the pharmacynational benefitsaverage manager^sdrug publicacquisition internetcost sitesurvey for twenty-fourall monthsSF after383.1977 the(1) date91 the-3- reportnls/ko is3/7 submittedprescription todrugs dispensed by the commission.pharmacy.
5.
This section shall not apply to a pharmacy that operates in a state-owned facility.
6.5.
510B.8D Pharmacy benefits manager ccontracts. o n t r a c t s .
All contracts executed, amended, adjusted, or renewed on or after July 1, 2025, that apply to prescription drug benefits on or after January 1, 2026, between a pharmacy benefits manager and a third-party payor, or between a person and a third-party payor, shall include all of the following requirements!requirements: a.
Thea. pharmacy benefits manager shall use pass-through pricing.
The pharmacy benefits manager shall use pass-through pricing unless paragraph “b” applies.
PaymentsThe received by a pharmacy benefits manager formay servicesuse provideddirect byor indirect spread pricing only if the difference between the amount the third-party payor pays the pharmacy benefits manager tofor a third-partyprescription payordrug orand tothe aamount the pharmacy shallbenefits bemanager usedreimburses the dispensing pharmacy or distributeddispensing pursuanthealth tocare provider for the pharmacyprescription benefitsdrug manager'sis contractpassed withthrough by the third-partypharmacy payorbenefits ormanager withto the pharmacy,person orcontracted asto otherwisereceive requiredthird-party bypayor law.services.
Senatec. File 383, p.
7Payments 2.received by a pharmacy benefits manager for services provided by the pharmacy benefits manager to a third-party payor or to a pharmacy shall be used or distributed pursuant to the pharmacy benefits manager’s contract with the third-party payor or with the pharmacy, or as otherwise required by law.
2.
7.6.
A pharmacy benefits manager shall provide a reasonable process to allow a pharmacy to appeal anya matter.reimbursement rate for a specific prescription drug if the pharmacy benefits manager SF 383.1977 (1) 91 -4- nls/ko 4/7 violates section 510B.8A or 510B.8B.
a,a. A dedicated telephone number at which a pharmacy may contact the pharmacy benefits manager and speak directly with an individual who is involved with the appeals process.
b, A dedicated electronictelephone mailnumber addressat orwhich interneta sitepharmacy formay contact the purposepharmacy ofbenefits submittingmanager anand appealspeak directly towith thean pharmacyindividual benefitswho manager.is involved with the appeals process.
c,b. A period of no less than thirty business days after the date of a pharmacy's initial submission of a clean claim during which the pharmacy may initiate an appeal.
A dedicated electronic mail address or internet site for the purpose of submitting an appeal directly to the pharmacy benefits manager.
c.
A period of no less than thirty business days after the date of a pharmacy’s initial submission of a clean claim during which the pharmacy may initiate an appeal.
The pharmacy benefits mangermanager shall respond to an appeal within seven business days after the date on which the pharmacy benefits manager receives the appeal.
If the pharmacy benefits manager grants a pharmacy'spharmacy’s appealappeal, related to a reimbursement rate, the pharmacy benefits manager shall do all of the following:
(3)b. Make the adjustment pursuant to subparagraph (1) applicable to all of the following:
(a)If Eachthe pharmacy thatbenefits ismanager underdenies commona ownershippharmacy’s withappeal, the pharmacy thatmay submittedsubmit the appeal.denial to the commissioner for examination.
(b) Each pharmacy in the state that demonstrates the inability to purchase the prescription drug for less than the e s t a b l ir e i m b u r r a t e .
t b.
If the pharmacy benefits manager denies a pharmacy's Senate File 383, p.
8 appeal, the pharmacy benefits manager shall do all of the following:
(1) Provide the appealing pharmacy the national drug code number and the name of a wholesale distributor licensed pursuant to section 155A.17 from which the pharmacy can obtain the prescription drug at or below the reimbursement rate.
(2) If the prescription drug identified by the national drug code number provided by the pharmacy benefits manager pursuant to subparagraph ( 1 ) is not available below the pharmacy acquisition cost from the wholesale distributor from whom the pharmacy purchases the majority of its prescription drugs for resale, the pharmacy benefits manager shall adjust the reimbursement rate above the appealing pharmacy's pharmacy acquisition cost, and reverse and resubmit each claim affected by the pharmacy's inability to procure the prescription drug at a cost that is equal to or less than the previously appealed r e i m b u r sr a t e .t Sec.
8.
SEVERABILITY, The provisions of this division of this Act are severable pursuant to section 4.12.
9,7. APPLICABILITY, This division of this Act applies to pharmacy benefits managers, health carriers, third-party payers, and health benefit plans that manage a prescription drug benefit in the state on or after July 1, 2025.
DEFFECTIVE IDATE. V I SI IO N P H A R M S E R V I C E S A D M I N I S T R A T I V E W H O L E S A L E I O N S A N D D I S T R I BO FP R E S C R I D R U G S S e c .
1This Pdivision Hof Athis RAct Mtakes Seffect E R V I C E S A D M I N I S T R A T I V E O R G A N I Z A T I O N S A N D W H O L E S A L E D I S O F P R E S C R ID R U G SR E P O R T , 1, By January 1, 2026,2026. the commissioner of insurance, or the commissioner of insurance's designee, shall review pharmacy services administrative organizations and the wholesale distribution of prescription drugs, and submit a report to the general assembly containing the commissioner's findings and recommendations.
Sec.
8.
APPLICABILITY.
This division of this Act applies to pharmacy benefits managers, health carriers, third-party payors, and health benefit plans that manage a prescription drug benefit in the state on or after July 1, 2025.
DIVISION II PHARMACY SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION SF 383.1977 (1) 91 -5- nls/ko 5/7 Sec.
9.
PHARMACY SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS —— REPORT.
1.
By January 1, 2026, the commissioner of insurance, or the commissioner of insurance’s designee, shall review pharmacy services administrative organizations and the wholesale distribution of prescription drugs, and submit a report to the general assembly containing the commissioner’s findings and recommendations.
A description and analysis of the prescription drug wholesale distribution supply chain, including the market concentration for the wholesale distribution of prescription drugs, margins in the wholesale distribution of prescription Senatedrugs, Pileand 383,the p.competition in the wholesale distribution of prescription drugs.
9 drugs, and the competition in the wholesale distribution of prescription drugs.
Information provided by the commissioner under this section that may reveal the identity of a specific pharmacy services administrative organization or prescription drug wholesaler, or the price charged to a specific pharmacy for a SF 383.1977 (1) 91 -6- nls/ko 6/7 specific prescription drug, shall be considered a confidential rrecord. e c o r d .
JyyiujSec. AMY SINCL^^R PAT GRASSLEY.
President10. of the Senate Speaker of The House I hereby certify that this bill originated in the Senate and is known as Senate File 383, Ninety-first General Assembly.
WEFFECTIVE .CDATE. H A R S M I T H S O N Secr£tj^y of Approved1 , 2025 ll * ^.
KThis ldivision tof tthis ^Act Etakes ^effect OJanuary L1, D2026.> S2. G o v e r n o r
Title page, by striking line 3 and inserting <organizations, and including effective date and applicability provisions.> ______________________________ COOLING of Linn SF 383.1977 (1) 91 -7- nls/ko 7/7