Week 4 was the busiest week yet! It was my first week of committee votes, my first time chairing subcommittees, and Pharmacy Day on the Hill. More than 180 of my colleagues in white coats made their way to the Capitol on Wednesday. I was honored to chair my first subcommittee for HSB99, a bill that would reform Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) middlemen. It was a big bill with a full room and lots of media, but I am thankful for the robust and respectful discussion. The bill passed subcommittee in the House and the Senate on Wednesday and will now be eligible for committee action in both chambers as soon as next week.

House Study Bill 99: Protecting local pharmacies

For several sessions, Iowa House Republicans have been interested in taking action to protect our local pharmacies facing unfair practices from Pharmacy Benefit Managers, the middlemen known as PBMs. We are seeing rural pharmacies close down at an alarming rate. 29 pharmacies closed in 2024, a 52% increase over 2023. More than 150 pharmacies have closed over the past decade. Without local pharmacies, Iowa families and older Iowans have a harder time accessing the care they deserve.

This bill includes the following additional regulations of PBMs in Iowa:

• Protects a patient’s right to choose their pharmacy

• Requires all rebates to benefit the patient

• Requires any amount paid by the patient for the prescription drug to be applied to their deductible

• Requires PBMs to reimburse pharmacies based on acquisition cost

• Provides transparency to pricing and prohibits spread pricing unless all cost differential is provided to the insured

• Provides a mechanism for a pharmacy to appeal if not reimbursed at acquisition cost

Iowa makes significant improvements to help

children in foster care

This week, the Department of Health and Human Services presented on Iowa’s child welfare system to the House Health and Human Services Budget subcommittee. DHHS presented some important data that shows improvements in care for Iowa’s children through difficult times. Much of these improvements are based on the dedicated work of Iowa’s social workers and foster parents, and investments from the legislature into foster care rates, field worker training, and youth support initiatives. It was encouraging to see that the number of children in foster care has decreased, social workers are spending more time with Iowa’s kids removed from their home, CINA cases for behavioral health needs are decreasing, and overall caseloads are decreasing.

Supporting our public schools

On Thursday, the House released its school funding proposal. The Senate and the Governor have both proposed a 2% increase in SSA funding for education for the upcoming fiscal year. Iowa House Republicans are interesting in getting more funding to public schools. Through a variety of mechanisms, these increases equate to a 3.93% increase in state funding to public schools. House Republicans are working to respond to the specific concerns we’re hearing from our schools in a responsible manner.

My Subcommittees:

HSB99: Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform

HF14: A bill for an act relating to the controlled substance crystalline polymorph psilocybin.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to work hard on your behalf this session in Des Moines! Please reach out to me about any questions, concerns, or suggestions at brett.barker@legis.iowa.gov.

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Brett Barker, a Republican from Nevada, represents District 51 in the Iowa House.