HEALTH ECONOMICS

Econ., PHS, PA 548

Fall 2004; Tuesday 1-3:40

Professors:

John Mullahy jmullahy@wisc.edu

Barbara Wolfe bwolfe@wisc.edu

Office Hours: By appointment

Course Web Page: http://www.pophealth.wisc.edu/phs548/index.htm

Course Description: This is primarily a lecture course that provides a survey of leading issues in the microeconomics of health. Health is conceptualized as a commodity that: is produced in a multivariate production setting (in which medical care is one among many determinants); is demanded by individuals as one contributor to welfare; and constrains individuals' consumption and labor supply behaviors.

Topics to be addressed include: measurement and production of health; demand for health insurances and health services; health care provider behavior; health care cost containment; public sector health programs; health disparities; evaluation of health care; health technologies and regulations; disabilities; unhealthy behaviors and labor market considerations.

Prerequisites: Intermediate microeconomics (Econ 301, PA 880, PHS 877, etc.), or consent of instructor.

Requirements: Students are expected to read assigned materials, participate in and lead class discussions, participate in a small group project and successfully complete a final exam.

Grading: 10% general classroom participation; 10% weekly policy discussion leadership; 30% group project; 50% final exam.

Classroom Participation and Policy Discussion: Students are expected to participate in classroom discussions and also to lead once during the semester a policy-in-the-news discussion (to be described in detail at the first class meeting on Sept. 7). Irregular class attendance will be counted against the classroom participation grade.

Group Project: Students will be assigned by the professors to a small group that will undertake a research project on a topic area chosen by the group from a set of topics provided by the professors. Oral presentations of these research projects will take place during the last two sessions of the semester. ALL members of the group will make oral presentations at this time. The student's grade on this component is determined by their own presentation as well as on the overall quality of the group's presentation and materials -- presentation materials such as Powerpoint or related materials should be submitted as part of this component.

Group Project: Detailed Information

Final Exam: A comprehensive final exam

Sample Final Exam Questions from 2002

Semester Schedule

1. Sept. 7 (Mullahy and Wolfe) Organizational; Measuring Health

2. Sept. 14 (Mullahy) The Production of Health and Health Capital

3. Sept. 21 (Mullahy) The Demand for Health Care

4. Sept. 28 (Wolfe) The Demand for Health Insurance

5. Oct. 5 (Wolfe) The Behavior of Health Care Providers

6. Oct. 12 (Wolfe) Public Sector Programs for Health

7. Oct. 19 (Mullahy and Wolfe) Strategies to Reduce Health Care Costs combined cost containment lecture

8. Oct. 26 (Mullahy and Wolfe) Strategies to Increase Insurance Coverage

9. Nov. 2 (Mullahy) Health Care Technology and Regulation

10. Nov. 9 (Mullahy) Evaluating Health Interventions and Programs

11. Nov. 16 (Wolfe) Health Disparities

12. Nov. 23 (Mullahy) Unhealthy Behaviors; Health and Labor Market Issues

13. Nov. 30 (Wolfe) The Economics of Disabilities

14. Dec. 7 Group project presentations

15. Dec. 14 Group project presentations (continued)

BIBLIOGRAPHY (bold numbers in brackets correspond to above lecture sequence numbers)

JSTOR: www.jstor.org

UW Library: www.library.wisc.edu/journals/

NBER: www.nber.org

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