HCA 311: Health Care Economics

Course Description

This course will focus on how microeconomic theory can be used to understand the operation of healthcare markets, and analyze various problems and issues relating to health economics, including international comparisons. The course will review and analyze the Affordable Care Act and its impact on the current and future healthcare economics. Current political issues will also be addressed as they relate to healthcare economics. (3 credits)

Prerequisites

  • ENG 101: English Composition 1
  • ENG 102: English Composition 2

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this course the students will be able to:

  1. Define healthcare economics and explain how it is different from any other economic good.
  2. Compare past, present, and anticipated changes in the healthcare environment.
  3. Describe various payment sources and the populations they serve.
  4. Explain economic factors that influence healthcare decisions.
  5. Illustrate how microeconomic theory can be used to understand the operation of healthcare markets as well as to analyze various problems and issues related to healthcare economics.
  6. Evaluate political issues as they relate to healthcare economics.
  7. Compare the healthcare systems at least four other countries with that of the United States.
  8. Identify factors that influence the production of medical services.
  9. Relate structural, process and outcome quality to lifestyle and life expectancy.
  10. Evaluate the cost-benefit of human life, considering ethics vs. economics.
  11. Compare and contrast not-for-profit hospital behavior to for-profit and profit maximizing behavior in terms of services offered.
  12. Explain the affordable care act and analyze its economic impact on each sector of the healthcare system, including payers, providers, employers, and consumers.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Discussions (Weeks 1-8)

20%

Written Assignments

20%

Midterm Exam (Week 4)

30%

Final Paper (Week 8)

30%

Total

100%

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle

  • Getzen, Thomas E. (2022). Health Economics and Financing. 6th ed. John Wiley & Sons Publishing. ISBN-10: 1-119-81568-1 or ISBN-13: 978-1-119-81568-6

Additional Resources

  • PBS Frontline: Teacher Resources - Sick Around the World
  • The Instructor will also record screencasts to explain difficult topics and concepts as a means to differentiate instruction.
  • Free video lectures of leading economists, news stories, and podcasts will also be available to the course as needed.

Course Schedule

Week

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

1,4,7

Topics: What is Health Care Economics and how is it fundamentally from other sectors?/Supply and Demand

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 1: Money, Medicine and Health
    • Chapter 2: Demand and Supply
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the lectures
  • Participate in the Discussions (minimum 3 posts)
  • Submit Week 1 Assignment: Planning Resources per Capita

2

4,5,8,10

Topics: Cost benefit and economic analysis & Health care finance and insurance

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 3: Cost Benefit and Cost Effectiveness Analysis
    • Chapter 4: Financing Medical Care: Health Insurance Contracts: Managed Care
  • Video:
    • Health Economics
  • Podcast:
    • Radio Lab: Worth
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the lectures
  • Participate in the Discussions (minimum 3 posts)
  • Submit Week 2 Assignment: Cost-Benefit & Cost Analysis
  • Complete Check Your Understanding Assignment

3

3,4,5

Topics: Insurance contracts & Managed care & physicians

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 5: Physicians
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the lectures
  • Participate in the Discussions (minimum 3 posts)
  • Submit Week 3 Assignment: insurance & Managed Care
  • Complete Check Your Understanding Assignment

4

2,5,11

Topics: Medical Educations, organizations and business practices & Hospitals and health systems

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 6: Medical Education, Organization & Business Practice
    • Chapter 7: Hospitals
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the lectures
  • Participate in the Discussions (minimum 3 posts)
  • Complete Midterm Exam
  

Midterm Exam
Chapters 1-7

 

5

3,4,5,6,8,9

Topics: Management and regulation of hospital costs & Long-term care

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 8: Management and Regulation of Hospital Costs
    • Chapter 9: Long-Term Care
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the lectures
  • Participate in the Discussions (minimum 3 posts)
  • Submit Week 5 Assignment: Management & Regulation of Hospital & Long-Term Care Costs
  • Complete Check Your Understanding Assignment

6

1,5-9,11

Topics: Pharmaceuticals & Capital Financing and Ownership of Health Care Providers

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 10: Pharmaceuticals
    • Chapter 11: Financing and Ownership of Health Care Providers
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the lectures
  • Participate in the Discussions (minimum 3 posts)
  • Submit Week 6 Assignment: Pharmaceuticals & Capital Financing & Ownership
  • Complete Check Your Understanding Assignment

7

1-4, 9

Topics: Macroeconomics of Medical Care & The Role of Government and Public Goods

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 13: Macroeconomics of Medical Care
    • Chapter 14: The Role of Government and Public Good
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the lectures
  • Participate in the Discussions (minimum 3 posts)
  • Submit Week 7 Assignment: Macroeconomics & The Role of Government
  • Complete Check Your Understanding Assignment

8

2,3,4,6,7,12

Topics: Economic Evaluation of Health Policy: The Patient Protection and Care Act of 2010/ Value for Money in the Future of Medical Care

  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the powerpoint lectures
  • Participate in the Discussions (minimum 3 posts)
  • Submit Final Paper
  • Complete Course Evaluation

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.