What We're Reading: Iowa Withdraws ACA Waiver; Preparing for World Pandemic; Birth Control App

Iowa Withdraws Proposal to Stabilize ACA Market

A proposal to shore up Iowa’s individual insurance market has been pulled from consideration. According to The Des Moines Register, state leaders decided they couldn’t wait any longer for a decision with open enrollment close at hand. The waiver would have allowed the state to waive certain Affordable Care Act provisions and reconfigured how federal subsidies are used. The proposal was created in response to the high premium increases the state was expected to see.

Planning for a World Pandemic

World leaders are preparing for the next possible world pandemic through the use of a simulation. The World Bank first started running exercises on responding to global pandemics in the aftermath of the 2014 Ebola epidemic, which had been marred by an inefficient early response, reported The Washington Post. While there is growing awareness of the coordination challenges health ministries face and the role of social media and the news, the simulation proved the world is not prepared for the pandemic.

Controversial New App for Birth Control

A new app that lets patients obtain birth control and the morning-after pill is running up against opposition from anti-abortion activists. STAT reported that these opponents take issue with providing increased access to the morning-after pill, which they consider equivalent to abortion. The app allows women to answer some health questions, provide basic information, and choose their preferred drug. A doctor then reviews the submission and writes a prescription for the patient. The app is available in 15 states, plus Washington, DC, and as it rolls out into more conservative states, the app’s founders face more and stronger opposition.