Summer 2000

ECN 4900, section 001

The Economics of Health Care

Dr. Dao

Office: CH 214D

Office Phone: 581-6329

Office Hours: 9:30-10:30 M-F

This course provides an economic approach to understanding health care problems. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to apply economic principles to the health care field. Only a minimum of mathematics will be used to follow the discussion of various topics. Emphasis is given to tools that are particularly relevant to health care. Students will find that economic analysis can provide many helpful insights into the operation of the health care system as well as the benefits and costs of different health care policies.

EXAMS: Midterm on Friday, July 21st, 2000.

Comprehensive Final on Wednesday, August 2nd, 2000.

TERM PAPER (required only for students taking this course for graduate credit): A paper with focus on the literature review on a
                                                                                                                        topic related to health care economics.

CLASS ATTENDANCE: Attendance is required. Good record of class participation will help a student’s final grade in
                                        "borderline" cases.

COURSE GRADE BREAKDOWN: For undergraduate credit             For graduate credit

      Midterm: 40 percent                   40 percent         Final: 60 percent                        50 percent  
                        Term Paper: 10 percent
 
 




























COURSE OUTLINE

 I.    DESCRIPTIVE ECONOMICS
    1. Output of the Health Care Sector
    2. Economic Dimensions of the Health Care System
II.    EXPLANATORY ECONOMICS
    1. Demand for Health Care: A Simple Model
    2. Demand for Health Care and Insurance: Additional Topics
    1. Introduction
    2. Topics in the Demand for Health Care
    3. The Demand for Health Insurance
    1. Behavior of Health Care Costs
    2. Behavior of Supply
    1. Introduction
    2. A Model of Supply Behavior: An Individual For-Profit Company
    3. Market Supply
    4. Supply Behavior of Nonprofit Agencies: The Output Maximization Hypothesis
    5. Supply Decisions Involving Quality
    6. Provider Reimbursement
    7. Supply of Health Insurance
    1. Competitive Markets
    2. Market Power in Health Care
    1. Introduction
    2. Monopolistic Markets
    1. Adverse Selection in Health Insurance Markets
  1. EVALUATIVE ECONOMICS
    1. Value Judgments and Economic Evaluation
    2. Financing Health Care
    3. Public Health Insurance
    4. The Reform of the Health Care Market Structure
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