Master of Science in Economics

Updated A.Y. 2019-2020

This course will follow a lecture format (30 hours) and hands-on sessions in Stata (6 hours). The lecture classes will be divided in two parts, by assigning 20 hours to theoretical issues, and 10 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. Health measurement and long run trends

11. Health care costs (Instrumental variables application)

12. Health determinants (Difference-in-differences application)

13. Healthcare policy (Regression discontinuity design application)

14. Hands-on practice

Updated A.Y. 2018-2019

COURSE DESCRIPTION and MAIN GOALS

Health economics is a growing field and is an important aspect of public policy in developed and developing countries. 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.

Course Organization
This course will follow a lecture format. 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.  Part of each student’s final grade will depend upon class participation.  Students will also be expected to choose, study, and present one topic to the class.

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. Students who are unsure about their preparation for the course should speak with me.

Textbook / Readings
The required text for this course is:
• Bhattacharya, Hyde and Tu (BHT). Health Economics, 2014. Palgrave MacMillan.       ISBN: 9781137029966.  – The suggested pathway within the textbook is “Economic theory facts”

Other textbooks for general reference:
• Folland S., A.C. Goodman and M. Stano, “The economics of health care”, Routledge; 7th edition (2013)  - ISBN-13: 978-1292020518
• Getzen T. E., Health Economics, Wiley, 2003 - ISBN-13: 978-0471432036.

There are also assigned readings which will be made available on the class website.

Updated A.Y. 2016-2017

COURSE DESCRIPTION and MAIN GOALS

Health economics is a growing field and is an important aspect of public policy in developed and developing countries. 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.

Course Organization
This course will follow a lecture format. 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.  Part of each student’s final grade will depend upon class participation.  Students will also be expected to choose, study, and present one topic to the class.

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. Students who are unsure about their preparation for the course should speak with me.

Textbook / Readings
The required text for this course is:
• Bhattacharya, Hyde and Tu (BHT). Health Economics, 2014. Palgrave MacMillan.       ISBN: 9781137029966.  – The suggested pathway within the textbook is “Economic theory facts”

Other textbooks for general reference:
• Folland S., A.C. Goodman and M. Stano, “The economics of health care”, Routledge; 7th edition (2013)  - ISBN-13: 978-1292020518
• Getzen T. E., Health Economics, Wiley, 2003 - ISBN-13: 978-0471432036.

There are also assigned readings which will be made available on the class website.

Updated A.Y. 2015-2016

Academic year 20015-16

HEALTH ECONOMICS

Prof. Vincenzo Atella

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Health economics is a growing field and is an important aspect of public policy in developed and developing countries. 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.

Course Organization
This course will follow a lecture format. 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.  Part of each student’s final grade will depend upon class participation.  Students will also be expected to choose, study, and present one topic to the class.

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. Students who are unsure about their preparation for the course should speak with me.

Textbook / Readings
The required text for this course is:
• Bhattacharya, Hyde and Tu (BHT). Health Economics, 2014. Palgrave MacMillan.       ISBN: 9781137029966.  – The suggested pathway within the textbook is “Economic theory facts”

Other textbooks for general reference:
• Folland S., A.C. Goodman and M. Stano, “The economics of health care”, Routledge; 7th edition (2013)  - ISBN-13: 978-1292020518
• Getzen T. E., Health Economics, Wiley, 2003 - ISBN-13: 978-0471432036.

There are also assigned readings which will be made available on the class website.

Evaluation
Midterm: 30%; Final Exam: 50%; Participation/attendance: 20%
Your participation and attendance grades will be based on random attendance checks throughout the course and your participation during the class.

COURSE SCHEDULE

TOPIC, READINGS
1. An Overview of the Health Care Industry BHT, Chapter 1, 2 + readings
2. Demand for Medical Services BHT, Chapter 3
3. Socio-economic disparities of health BHT, Chapter 4  + readings
4. The Demand for Medical Insurance BHT, Chapter 7
5. Adverse selection: Akerlof’s lmarket for lemons  BHT, Chapter 8
6. Adverse selection: the Rothschild-Stiglitz model BHT, Chapter 9
7. Adverse selection in real markets BHT, Chapter 10
8. Moral hazard BHT, Chapter 11 + readings
8. Health policy conundrum BHT, Chapter 15 + readings
9. Models of Health care: Beveridge vs. Bismark BHT, Chapter 16, 17, 18
10. Population aging and sustainability BHT, Chapter 19 + readings
11. The economics of health externalities BHT, Chapter 20
12. Behavioural health economics BHT, Chapter 23, 24