autumn 2017
HEL-3007 Health Economics and Policy - 10 ECTS
Course content
The course gives an introduction to key issues in health economics and policy. The first part explores the concepts of efficiency and equity, and explains how the assumptions of a perfect market are violated in health care. By applying basic price theory, we discuss how taxes and subsidies can affect our health related behaviour.
The second part deals with health care finance; alternative sources of funding (insurance vs taxation), as well as alternative ways of paying health care providers (activity based or not).
The third part of the course explains methodologies of health economic evaluation, such as cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses. Various ways of measuring health outcomes is discussed with particular emphasis on quality adjusted life years (QALYs). Finally, we discuss some priority relevant issues beyond costs and health outcomes.
Objectives of the course
Knowledge and understanding:
- Students are expected to understand the key concepts of efficiency and equity, and explain in which ways the assumptions of a perfect market are violated in health care.
- By applying price theory, students should be able to analyse how taxes and subsidies can affect the demand for (un)healthy goods. More generally, students should be able to evaluate direct and indirect interventions in the determinants of population health.
- Students should have knowledge on the alternative sources of health care finance, and be able to explain their pros and cons given the health policy objectives that might exist.
- Explaining the principal differences in alternative payment systems for hospitals and primary care physicians is essential. Students should be able to analyse incentive mechanisms in the most widely used types of activity based financing.
- Students should understand the methodologies of economic evaluation in health care (cost effectiveness analysis, CEA, and cost benefit analysis, CBA) including how to measure health outcomes (quality adjusted life years, QALYs). An understanding of normative issues on equality and fairness in health care priority setting is fundamental.
Assessment
Voluntary: An individual home assignment between the second and the third teaching period. Verbal feedback from the teacher including an indication of the grade the essay would have got if it were an exam situation. The assignments may be written in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish. Students are encouraged to give a brief plenary presentation of how the healthcare system in their home country (or another country) is organized and financed.
Obligatory: Plenary presentation (30 minutes duration) of a group work on a chosen topic (3-5 students per group) to be presented on the second and third teaching week. The teacher will provide a list of topics to choose from. The presentations will be uploaded to the online learning management system after been accepted. Presentations must be given in English. All students have to participate in a group work in order to register for the exam.
Written school exam: The grade for the course is based upon a one day written school examination (six hours) early December. The exam may be answered in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish. Grading scale for the exam: A-E equals passed, F equals failed.
If a student fails the course, an examination re-sit will be organised. Students with valid absence from the exam will be offered a re-scheduled examination. See examination regulations.
Recommended reading/syllabus
Main text: Olsen JA (2017): Principles in Health Economics and Policy, 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Available in the university bookshop Akademisk Kvarter
Additional curriculum: A reading list of about 10 journal articles will be available when the course starts.
Error rendering component
- About the course
- Campus: Tromsø |
- ECTS: 10
- Course code: HEL-3007
- Responsible unit
- Institutt for samfunnsmedisin
- Kontaktpersoner
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