In Review: A U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa Central Division granted a temporary restraining order to plaintiffs and their members, preventing anti-PBM omnibus legislation from going into effect for plaintiffs in the litigation. This is relative to a lawsuit filed by a group of plaintiffs led by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (along with a labor union and two employers) against Iowa’s Insurance Commissioner, seeking to invalidate SF 383. SF 383 is the kitchen-sink bill that includes sweeping anti-PBM provisions affecting network design, reporting and disclosures, and steering. The order does not prevent the Commissioner of Insurance from enforcing SF 383 against non-parties. PCMA also submitted a letter to the Iowa Insurance Division (IID) relative to questions and concerns dealing with the pharmacy lists, which categorize each pharmacy for use when determining which dispensing fee should be paid (in addition to NADAC) as required under the recently enacted anti-PBM law.

Up Next: The court will hear the plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction on July 14, and the state has a July 7 deadline to oppose the motion. PCMA is reviewing this development and potential next steps with its attorneys and members.

If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Mack at mmack@pcmanet.org.