By Edward Lynn
Editor
EAGLE GROVE, Iowa — Just days after the Iowa Senate passed a bill aimed at regulating Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), Eagle Grove Pharmacy owner Andrew Wagner is warning patients about what he calls a “desperate scheme” by big insurance companies to derail the reform.
In a new Facebook post, Wagner alerted patients about text messages inviting them to sign a petition he claims misrepresents its purpose.
“If you received this, DO NOT SIGN the petition,” Wagner wrote. “This is clearly a desperate scheme from Big Insurance to trick Iowans after our step forward in the Iowa Senate today.”
(Screenshots, Eagle Grove Pharmacy/Facebook)
Wagner argues the petition falsely suggests that Senate File 383 would reduce access and increase drug costs. “This bill will do the EXACT OPPOSITE this text states,” he wrote. “SF 383 will preserve patient access to medications, keep pharmacies open, and decrease costs!”
Wagner thanked his supporters for their continued advocacy and emphasized the importance of passing the bill in the Iowa House before the session ends. “We truly wouldn’t be this close to the finish line without all your help!”
The pharmacy owner has become a leading voice in Iowa’s grassroots push for PBM reform, a movement that has gained momentum over the past several weeks.
In early April, Wagner made headlines after a heartfelt Facebook post went viral, warning residents of the real possibility that Eagle Grove could lose its only pharmacy. The Eagle first reported on the post, which quickly caught the attention of Rep. Mark Thompson and Sen. Dennis Guth, who invited Wagner to the State Capitol to speak on the issue.
Wagner, who began working at the pharmacy as a teenager and eventually purchased it with his wife Rachel, urged community members to contact lawmakers and support reform.
“The ‘what if I’m gone’ question scares me,” Wagner wrote in his original post. “I don’t want to leave this community who I have the honor to care for.”
His call to action gained statewide visibility when WHO13 News traveled to Eagle Grove to cover the story. Reporter Teodora Mitov highlighted the pharmacy’s deep community roots, founded by longtime pharmacist Mickey Cooper in 1984. Wagner began working there in middle school and later returned to raise his family in town and take over the business.
The station’s coverage also featured emotional testimonials from residents like Colleen Bartlett, who credited Cooper with saving her husband’s life. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Bob Bartlett.
Senate File 383, which passed the Senate 36-14, sets new rules for PBMs, including fairer reimbursement rates and limits on tactics that pressure patients into using mail-order or chain pharmacies. The bill now awaits action in the Iowa House.
Wagner, meanwhile, continues to fight—not just for his own business, but for rural healthcare across the state. “Please voice your support for local healthcare so we can stop thinking about all these scary ‘what ifs,’” he wrote.
Iowans can learn more and contact legislators by visiting patientsfirst.org/iowa.
