PUBPOL 4370 - The Economics of Health Care Markets

(crosslisted) ECON 3720
(SBA-HE) (SBA-AG)

Fall. 3 credits. Letter grades only (no audit).

Recommended prerequisite: PUBPOL 2350. Co-meets with PUBPOL 5370.

M. Richards.

Health care systems and health policy are undergoing rapid change as medical technology advances and costs rise. Debates concerning the delivery, regulation and financing of health care have intensified. This course uses basic economic tools to analyze central questions in health care today, as well as fundamental issues in health policy: For example, what is the current role of the government in the health sector, and what should it be? What is the social insurance role of the government, and how is it played out in policies that impact the health of the population? How is health insurance structured, and what are the implications of having employers be the providers of private health insurance? This course is about applying economic tools of policy analysis to gain insight into the workings of the health care system and to analyze current issues in health policy. It is mainly a U.S. institutions-based course, with some international comparisons. It should be of interest to students preparing for all kinds of careers in health care, and to others with an interest in important public policy issues.

Outcome 1: Students will gain foundational knowledge for demand-side and supply-side topics tied to health and medical care.

Outcome 2: Students will be introduced to the common, contemporary methods for causal inference research design.

Outcome 3: Students will learn to identify and address specific challenges embedded within empirical analyses based on causal inference research design.

Outcome 4: Students will understand and appreciate nuanced arguments that favor or oppose specific empirical techniques or analytic interpretations in key contexts.

Outcome 5: Students will apply the newly acquired knowledge and skills by critically evaluating the relevant scientific literature.