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A proposal approved by the Iowa House of Representatives would direct a state agency to investigate whether prescription drug industry middlemen are overcharging Iowa’s Medicaid program.
Democratic Representative John Forbes, a pharmacist from Urbandale, says an initial review indicates this might be a problem in Iowa. He says Ohio found these pharmacy benefit managers, or P-B-Ms, overcharged their Medicaid program by more than 200-million dollars.
0411forbes1: 15 “There is a need for more transparency within the PBM industry. And I think the state of Iowa in doing this is taking a lead across the country in making sure that the PBM industry’s not taking advantage of people here in the state of Iowa.”
Republican Joel Fry says “there was enough there” in the initial review that he’s interested in auditing the program. He asked his Republican colleagues to support the Democrat’s proposal, and it passed unanimously.
Iowa and Nebraska transportation officials said Thursday that they're hoping to have nearly all roads and bridges that were damaged by last month's flooding repaired by midsummer, but that a wet spring could hamper their efforts.
Iowa Department of Transportation Director Mark Lowe and his Nebraska counterpart, held a joint news conference in Council Bluffs to update the public on the damage in their states and how long it might take to repair.
In Iowa, the damage is concentrated in the west along Interstate 29 and the Missouri River.
