HEALTH POLICY AND HEALTH CARE ECONOMICS

This course is designed to provide the student with an overview of the development of health care policy in the United States. The role health professionals play in defining health policies and healthcare reform, and its impact on healthcare delivery systems is explored. The course offers an introduction to economics and policy factors that affect health care systems. A review of relevant economic concepts and topics such as demand for health services, health care provider behavior, implications of insurance strategies, cost containment, health technologies and government regulations will be covered. An overview of health care finance as it relates to health care systems/services is presented and strategies for influencing the regulatory process will be explored.