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HEALTH ECONOMICS AND POLICY

Syllabus

EN IT

Learning Objectives

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
This course is designed to introduce upper level undergraduate students in economics to the field of Health Economics. The provision and production of health care have different characteristics and incentives from other consumer goods making health related markets a unique topic for study. We will cover a number of topics including basic economic concepts important for the study in health economics, why health is different from other good, aspects of the US health care market, health care in other countries, health care reform, as well as discussing the importance of health for development. The goals of this course are: first to increase the student’s familiarity with economic concepts and theories, especially as they can be applied in the health care sector; second to increase the student’s ability to use formal quantitative tools to analyze economic problems; and third to develop the student’s ability to apply economic reasoning to health care issues and decisions.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
Familiarity with economic concepts and theories, applied in the health care sector as well as knowledge of some key research questions and methods applied in health economics.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
Formal quantitative tools to analyze economic problems

MAKING JUDGEMENTS:
Ability to apply economic reasoning to health care issues and decisions

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
Formulate problems, present solutions and deliver comments and implications based on some real-life applications of health care issues covered.

LEARNING SKILLS:
Learning from research papers.

VINCENZO ATELLA

Prerequisites

Micro-Economics is a pre-requisite for this course. Knowledge of multivariate statistics and
econometrics is recommended since an exposure to regression analysis will also be useful for understanding the material.

Program

This course will follow a online lecture format (36 hours). The lecture classes will be divided in two parts, by assigning 24 hours to theoretical issues, and 12 hours to learning and interpreting empirical methods and findings in applied in health economics. In particular, the course will cover:
1. An Overview of the Health Care Industry 
2. Demand for Medical Services 
3. Socio-economic disparities of health 
4. The Demand for Medical Insurance 
5. Adverse selection: Akerlof’'s model
6. Adverse selection: the Rothschild-Stiglitz model 
7. Adverse selection in real markets 
8. Moral hazard
9. Healthcare systems
10. Aging and sustainability 
11. Externalities 
12. Obesity 
Students are encouraged to ask questions on the course material and to share any personal experiences that are relevant to the topic. Reading assignments will be made in advance, and students will be responsible for reading them prior to each class, and in case leading the class discussion.
 

Books

Bhattacharya, Hyde and Tu (BHT). Health Economics, 2014. Palgrave MacMillan.
ISBN: 9781137029966. – The suggested pathway within the textbook is “Economic theory
facts”

Bibliography

Bhattacharya, Hyde and Tu (BHT). Health Economics, 2014. Palgrave MacMillan.
ISBN: 9781137029966. – The suggested pathway within the textbook is “Economic theory
facts”

Teaching methods

Lectures and hands-on sessions.

Exam Rules

The final examination will be a written test composed of exercises and multiple-choice theoretical questions covering the entire course syllabus. The final grade is given on a scale of thirty points. The theoretical questions can earn up to 10 points. There are three exercises, weighted 8, 8, and 6 points respectively. All exercises require intuitive skills, meaning the ability to understand and solve problems based on rapid analysis and immediate comprehension of concepts.

Students will be assessed as follows:
• Fail: Significant gaps and/or inaccuracies in knowledge and understanding of topics; limited analytical and synthesis skills; frequent generalizations.
• 18-20: Barely sufficient knowledge and understanding of topics with possible inaccuracies; adequate analytical, synthesis, and independent judgment skills.
• 21-23: Routine knowledge and understanding of topics; correct analytical and synthesis skills with coherent logical argumentation.
• 24-26: Fair knowledge and understanding of topics; good analytical and synthesis skills with rigorously expressed arguments.
• 27-29: Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of topics; notable analytical and synthesis skills; good independent judgment.
• 30-30 with honors: Excellent knowledge and understanding of topics; outstanding analytical, synthesis, and independent judgment skills; arguments expressed in an original manner.

VINCENZO ATELLA