(Iowa) Pharmacies across Iowa are closing at an increasing rate. There have been 143 closures over the past decade and 20 more this year, and more are expressing to the IPA that they’re expecting to close soon.
Three of the 20 pharmacy closures were in southwest Iowa, including Elk Horn Pharmacy, Oard Ross Drug in Council Bluffs, and Lehman Pharmacy in Minden.
The closures impact rural and urban areas, leaving many communities without access to local pharmacies. The IPA cites Pharmacy Benefit Managers, who control drug costs and payments, as a significant cause, often forcing pharmacies to dispense medications at a loss.
These closures affect patients’ access to medications and disrupt local economies and healthcare systems.
