By Edward Lynn
Editor
EAGLE GROVE, Iowa — The owner of Eagle Grove Pharmacy is calling on the public to advocate for legislative reform that he says could determine the future of his small-town business and the medication access it provides to our community.
Andrew Wagner, who began working at the pharmacy as a teenager and eventually became its owner, took to Facebook Friday to express deep concern about the impact of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) on independent pharmacies across Iowa.
“The ‘what if I’m gone’ question scares me,” Wagner wrote. “I don’t want to leave this community who I have the honor to care for.”
In the heartfelt post, Wagner reflected on the joys of raising a family in Eagle Grove and watching his children grow up running through the pharmacy. But he also warned that without meaningful PBM reform from the Iowa Legislature, independent pharmacies like his may not survive.
“Over 1/3 of the prescriptions we filled last year were for a loss,” Wagner wrote, citing low insurance reimbursements, rising drug costs, and increasing pressure from PBMs to steer patients toward mail-order services.
Wagner explained that last year, as it marked its 40th year in business, the pharmacy was forced to make difficult cuts to medications, staffing, store hours, and other expenses just to stay open. He emphasized that the situation is not sustainable and pleaded for residents to contact their state legislators.
“I’m almost to the point of begging our patients, friends, and family members to reach out to your local state senators and representatives and voice your support for PBM reform,” Wagner said.
He noted that similar reforms in other states have helped lower costs while preserving local healthcare access. Wagner plans to be at the Iowa Capitol Saturday to advocate for change but said he needs the community’s help to make a difference.
“We really love being your pharmacy,” he wrote. “Please voice your support for local healthcare so we can stop thinking about all these scary ‘what ifs.'”
For more information or to contact legislators, Wagner directed readers to visit patientsfirst.org/iowa/.
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