Spring 2014

Health Economics and Policy

Listed in: Economics, as ECON-214

Formerly listed as: ECON-40

Faculty

Jessica Wolpaw Reyes (Section 01)

Description

Health care poses many pressing questions: Why do we spend so much on health care?  Does this spending actually produce better health?  How do health care institutions function?  What is the appropriate role of government? How are we to judge the efficiency and equity of health care policy?  By applying economic analysis to health, health care, and health care markets, health economics provides insight into these questions.  In the first section of this course, we will assess the role of health care in the economy and apply economic models to the production of health and health care.  In the second section of the course, we will study the structure of health care markets and the roles of key institutions.  In the third section of the course, we will investigate the role of government and use our acquired knowledge to understand and evaluate health care policy and reform.  Throughout this analysis, we will pay careful attention to the nature of health care markets, the anatomy of market failures, and the implications for public policy.  Empirical results, current issues, and public policies will be discussed throughout the course.  In addition to technical problems and economic analyses, students will be asked to write analytical papers and participate actively in the discussion of current economic research and public policy.

Requisite: ECON 111/111E. Recommended: any one of Microeconomics (ECON 300/301), Econometrics (ECON 360/361), or Statistics (MATH 130). Limited to 35 students. Spring semester.  Professor Reyes.

If Overenrolled: Students will be asked to write a paragraph indicating their academic background and reasons for wanting to take the course. The class will be selected to achieve a group with diverse academic backgrounds, interests, and perspectives.

Cost: $100 ?

ECON 214 - L/D

Section 01
Tu 11:30 AM - 12:50 PM BEBU 107
Th 11:30 AM - 12:50 PM BEBU 107

Offerings

2024-25: Not offered
Other years: Offered in Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2017, Spring 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2023