Preview

Extra Credit

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1861 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Extra Credit
Health Economics ECN 355 Spring 2013

Course Introduction

Professor Lawrence S. Mayer, MD, MS, PhD
[Assisted by Professor Elton Bordenave, M.Ed., CHC]

Office: 4th Floor Computer Commons email: lawrence.mayer@asu.edu Phone: 480-965-6528

Objective: This course is an introduction to the American (meaning U.S.) health-care system from a policy perspective using an economics lens. It applies concepts of economics as well as history, philosophy, sociology and political science to understand both the evolution and current state of the health-care system and to understand recent changes in the system and proposals for additional change. It focuses on the promise and limitations of economic analysis to understand the current state of health care in the United States. It will cover the new federal health care law, its implications and the efforts to repeal it.

Goal: To enhance your ability to apply economic principles to complex issues in health policy in a way that is sensitive to the associated moral, ethical, legal, cultural and historical issues but is analytically sound. For those of you going to graduate school in economics, to expose you to a critical topic in applied economics. For those of you going to a career in health care, an MBA program, or law school, to learn how to bring economic ideas to bear on health care issues in a sensitive multidisciplinary manner. For those of you going to medical school, to help you appreciate how important health policy, particularly economics, is to the health-care system and to the lives of doctors and patients.

Background: It is assumed you are familiar with the rudimentory concepts of economics (price, demand, markets, return, rents, etc.). In addition, it would be to your advantage to obtain some knowledge of the American health-care system, the new federal health-care law and the current health-care debate. You might want to read on health reform on the Web or in current magazines and newspapers.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Best Essays

    The purpose of this paper is to review and discuss the current level of national healthcare expenditures and to determine if we as Americans are spending too much on healthcare. The author of this paper will provide examples and solutions where we as a nation should add or cut from the healthcare expenditures. This paper will also detail how the general public's healthcare needs are being paid for, the biggest economic healthcare challenge, why the challenge should be addressed, and how this challenge to be financed.…

    • 1633 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The healthcare sector in the US has been in the spotlight for some time now regarding economic issues that intimidate to obstruct the entire system. This has led to an uproar particularly from the public that tends to feel the tweak the most and things keep on getting worse by each day. There is a emphasis on the over 46 million Americans who are uninsured, as well as the insured people, continue to wrestle with the problem of the ever increasing and the consequential out-of-pocket costs. The Obama Administration and the Congress are persistently engaged in ways that can subsidize health care spending, but they as well as other stakeholders need to transfer with speed in order to reinstate some bring the sector under control. In this paper I will discuss the most important and pressing economic issues that confront the United States healthcare industry today and will continue to do so into the next decade, analyze the most significant economic effects of the economic issues on healthcare industry, discuss entities stakeholders may use to address the selected issues from an economic perspective, determine the strategic manner in which the United States can apply best economic best practices from other countries in addressing these issues, assess the likelihood of government and or private sector effectively addressing the issues.…

    • 3134 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    At its most basic level, health care is a handful of financial transactions, in which patients are obtaining insurance, physicians and hospitals provide services, pharmacies provide medications, and insurance companies pay for those goods and services. So to understand health economics, you must follow the money. When tracing the flow of funds through the health care system, it 's important to be aware that the money trail is constantly shifting, changing direction and size. Most important, the goal is to improve the delivery of health services, fund innovative and cost-effective medical procedures, cut the costs of health insurance, improve the nation 's health through prevention and better nutrition, and eliminate graft and corruption in the health care industry while raising it to a level that 's steady with the rest of the…

    • 1258 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The history and economics in health care can be traced back to the late 1890’s, but became prevalent in the 1930’s. Over the course of the last century health care industry has evolved to multi-billion dollar industry. This evolution can be attributed to managed care and third party payee systems. The cost of care has been the forefront for debate for over the last two decades in the United States. The cost of care has rising so dramatically some Americans are unable to receive coverage for the health needs. After researching health care economics, a timeline of this evolution is apparent.…

    • 880 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Terms Comparison Paper

    • 1007 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Economics is often described as the “theory of choice,” and health economics is about the choices people make with regard to health, choices medical providers make in order to care for people and earn money, and choices made collectively (by Congress, community groups, or professional associations). Economy is driven by money. There will exchange of money for services rendered and purchase of goods. In this day and age, you no longer are able to get goods or services by offering the seller a type of service or some other type of goods in exchange. Today’s time the equal barter of trade is a thing of the past. According to Getzen (2007, p. 2), "money drives the health care system just as it does many other activities in a modern industrial society". In this paper, we will identify these terms usually used in economics and health care. We will compare these terms and differentiate what it may mean in health care economics. The terms used for this purpose are Trades, Cost, Resource and Technology.…

    • 1007 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    extra credit

    • 375 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Which of the following terms BEST fits the following definition by Anders Ericsson: "an action or practice designed to improve specific parts of a performance”?…

    • 375 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Health care is something that is always going to be around because it is needed by all entities. Health care is a resource that is not readily available to all due to the issue of affordability. Many people try to find the most affordable health care insurance, but sometimes economic hardships do not allow for people to get insured or remain insured; therefore leaving many people without health care insurance. The government has tried to help many people by providing those who qualify with Medicaid and Medical but those who don’t qualify are still left uninsured and with the burden of overwhelming medical bills. Even though health care is at times unaffordable it is still an entity that is used by all people. Often time’s people cannot afford to pay for health care expenses or health care insurance, therefore leaving many people with massive health care bills. In the United States, which has both a high level of health care spending per capita and a relatively high rate of real growth in spending, the share of GDP devoted to health care spending grew from 9% of GDP in 1980 to 16% of GDP in 2008. This 7 percentage-point increase in health care spending as a share of GDP is one of the largest across the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD.…

    • 1530 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Evolution of Health Care

    • 911 Words
    • 4 Pages

    References: Getzen, T.E., & Allen, B. (2007). Health Care Economics: Principles and Tools for the…

    • 911 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Over the years the cost of health care in the United States has surpass the overall growth of the economy. Even though now days with the economy supposing to be in recession, more and more Americans are trying to make good on health care spending than using it toward other diversions that they could have spent it on. Why? First, healthcare expenditure is on a different level than it was years ago. Second, the economy may or may not be paying enough and finally the economic needs of healthcare needs may or may not be met, which I will explain in this paper.…

    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    State Health Policy Analysis

    • 8020 Words
    • 33 Pages

    Abstract: The rises of health cost have put strains on State, Federal and employers budgets and have severely hurt US families’ income in recent years. An analysis of State health policy by the federal government projects that premiums for insurance for employer based programs will increase from 12,298 in 2008 to 23,842 by 2020. This would be a 94% increase in insurance cost. It is projected that health reforms by the federal government will help states reign in health cost and slow the growth by 1% in all states by 2020. This would save $2571 per year per family under an employer sponsored plans for family coverage. It is thought that if the states and federal government can control growth by 1.5 percentage points many agree in the insurance industry would save $3759. This paper will look at and analyze a health policy for the state with the help of the federal government to control administrative cost and provide cost control and quality and access. Various suggestions on what state health policy should look like will be addressed and a concrete suggestion will be made to ensure the values of an excellent state health policy plan. (The commonwealth fund August 2009)…

    • 8020 Words
    • 33 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    5. Capretta, James C. “Healthcare in the United States: Strengths, Weaknesses & the Way Forward.” Trinity International University. 18 September 2009. Web. 29 September 2013.…

    • 1462 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Health care, and the lack thereof, in the United States have always been and will continue to be an issue. Currently, the United States does not have Universal Healthcare and those that do have health care coverage should feel privileged. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the: a) way healthcare is currently delivered, b) the history of health care reform, c) the current healthcare reform act, and d) what healthcare will be like in the future.…

    • 1756 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    “A Nation’s health system is a reflection of its values, resources, policies, and politics” (Pretzlaff Pg.54), so when analyzing health care in America it mirrors the tolerance towards freedom of choice. The purpose of the free market system is to allow choice among individuals and competition within health care providers. The intention is for maximum products and quality service. Challenges of America’s health care system include free market competition, Affordable Care Act options, and balancing the costs and quality of care.…

    • 1047 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Affordable Care Act

    • 2850 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Kaufman, N. (Jan, 2011). Changing economics in an era of healthcare reform. Retrieved from http://www.biomedsearch.com/article/Changing-economics-in-era-healthcare/271594399.html…

    • 2850 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Affordable Care Reform

    • 1656 Words
    • 7 Pages

    There have been numerous failed attempts to reform the United States healthcare system over the years. However, the most recent attempt that has been implemented is the Affordable Care Act, under the Obama Administration. As a result, since 2010 changes have been implemented to reform the United States healthcare industry, which affects the insurers, providers, and the subscribers in different ways. Consequently, the Affordable Care Act does not have full support from everyone and it faces numerous challenges (Bodenheimer & Grumbach, 2012). Overall, it is estimated that 2.6 trillion dollars is spent on healthcare in the United States each year (Van Gorder & Topol, 2012). Therefore, it is essential to acknowledge the inflation in healthcare…

    • 1656 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays