MBAH 410 Health Economics
Health Economics examines the systematic economic forces at work in health care that relate to the performance of the U.S. health care system. Performance of U.S. health care is contrasted with a number of international health systems throughout the course. Using readings from the health economics literature, students in the course study the way markets and competition work in health care. They focus on some of the anomalous aspects of the health industry, such as health insurance (both social and private insurance), the role of technology, the problem of market failure due to asymmetric information and externalities, and the role of professional licensing, patents, and other government regulation. They also consider the supply-side implications of licensure requirements for many health professions on the management decisions in the health industry.