Health Economics
Economics 390
MWF 1:00-1:50
Bryan 111
Fall 2014
Professor:
Office:
E-Mail:
Office Hours:
Jeremy Bray
Bryan 462D
jwbray@uncg.edu
Please use “ECO 390 Health Economics” as the subject of all emails
MW 3:00-4:00 and by appointment
Required Textbook: A Health Economics Primer by Shirley Johnson-Lans
Course Prerequisites: ECO 101 or 201 and ECO 301; 2.0 GPA; or permission of the instructor.
Catalog Description:
Examination of supply and demand for health care, health insurance, government provision of
health care, comparison of international healthcare systems and health care reform.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, you should understand:
1.
How to analyze factors that influence the demand for health and health care.
2.
How to analyze factors that influence the supply of health care.
3.
How and why the current health insurance system in the U.S. evolved, and how to think
critically about its problems.
4.
How to analyze the factors affecting technology innovation related to health care and
determine efficient vs. non-efficient use.
5.
How to compare and contrast health care systems between different countries.
6.
How to examine the current debate about health care reform from an economist’s
perspective.
Grading:
Your average for the class will be determined as follows:
Attendance and Participation
10%
Homework & Quizzes
25%
Midterm Exam
30%
Final Exam
35%
A final letter grade will be assigned based on the following scale:
97+
A+
93-96
A
90-92
A87-89
B+
83-86
B
80-82
B77-79
C+
73-76
C
70-72
C67 -69
D+
63-66
D
60-62
DLess than 60
F
Homework/Quizzes:
Each week will have either a homework assignment due and/or a short in-class quiz to keep
students accountable for the material. These will generally consist of a combination of math
problems, graphs, and short answer questions, although short writing assignments may be issued
for certain topics. Answers to the assignments will be posted on Blackboard after class on the
day they are collected; therefore, no late homework or makeup quizzes will be accepted. I
encourage you to work in groups on homework assignments, but you must write up your answers
separately. If two or more students submit written assignments that are identical in ways that
could not be considered coincidence, I will treat this as an Honor Code violation.
Exams:
There will be two exams, a midterm and final (not cumulative). The exams will likely consist of
matching, fill-in-the-blank, true-false, short answer, and math problems. Answers to all exams
will be discussed the day after each exam; therefore, there will be no makeup exams. Instead, the
weight of the midterm will be transferred to the final.
Class Participation:
Regarding participation, health economics is a unique subject in that virtually every topic we
cover is relevant to current events. Therefore, while lectures will occupy much of our class time,
we will often have short discussions, and I encourage active participation, as this will enhance
the quality of any discussion. Additionally, I will often ask questions during lectures to make
sure that you understand the material.
Academic Integrity Policy:
Students are expected to know and abide by the Academic Integrity Policy in all matters
pertaining to this course.
Faculty and Student Guidelines:
Please read the Bryan School’s Faculty and Student Guidelines, available at
http://www.uncg.edu/bae/faculty_student_guidelines.pdf. These guidelines establish expectations
for the administration, faculty, staff and students.
Tentative Course Outline:
Class Dates
Topic
Reading
August 18
Syllabus
Introduction
Chapter 1
August 20
Review of Economic
Concepts and Tools
Appendix 1
August 22
Review of Economic
Concepts and Tools
August 25
Review of Economic
Concepts and Tools
August 27
Health Care Demand
August 29
Health Care Demand
September 1
Chapter 2
No Class (Labor Day)
September 3
Health Care Demand
September 5
Health Care Demand
September 8
Health Care Demand
September 10
Health Care Demand
September 12
Health Care Supply
September 15
Health Care Supply
September 17
Health Care Supply
September 19
Health Care Supply
September 22
Health Care Supply
September 24
Health Care Supply
September 26
Health Care Supply
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Class Dates
Topic
September 29
Health Care
Supply/Loose Ends
October 1
Review
October 3
Reading
Midterm
October 6
Midterm Return and
Discussion
October 8
Health Insurance
October 10
Health Insurance
October 13
No Class (Fall Break)
October 15
Health Insurance
October 17
Health Insurance
October 20
Health Insurance
October 22
Health Insurance
October 24
Health Insurance
October 27
Health Care Systems
October 29
Health Care Systems
October 31
Health Care Systems
November 3
Health Care Systems
November 5
Health Care Systems
November 7
Health Care Reform
November 10
Health Care Reform
November 12
Health Care Reform
November 14
Technology
November 17
Technology
November 19
Technology
November 21
Technology
November 24
Technology
November 26
November 28
December 1
December 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
No Class (Thanksgiving Break)
Review
Final Exam
Class Dates
Topic
Reading
3:30-6:30