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ECON 3451

Health Economics

Department of Economics

Syllabus – Winter Term | 12/26/23 - 01/12/24

Excluding materials for purchase, syllabus information may be subject to change. The most up-to-date syllabus is located within the course in HuskyCT.

Course and Instructor Information

Course Title:  Health Economics

Credits:  3

Format:  Online

Prerequisites:  ECON 2201 or 2211Q. Not open for credit to students who have passed ECON 2498 when taught as Health/Labor Economics

Course Materials

If possible, the course materials should be obtained before the first day of class.

Textbooks are available for purchase through the UConn Bookstore (or use the Purchase Textbooks tool in HuskyCT). Textbooks can be shipped (fees apply).

Required Textbook:

The course textbook is The Economics of Health and Health Care, 8th ed. (2017) by Sherman Folland, Allen C. Goodman, and Miron Stano; New York, NY: Routledge. I selected this textbook because it covers health economics well, plus it includes an introductory chapter on microeconomics that many health economics textbooks do not include (see Chapter 2). Textbook readings are referred to as “FGS” (the authors’ initials).

Additional course readings and media are available within HuskyCT, through either an Internet link or Library Resources

Helpful Websites:

● Center for Disease Control (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/

● World Health Organization (WHO): https://www.who.int/

Course Description

This course provides an overview of the United States healthcare system using a microeconomics lens. You will be introduced to microeconomic theory and empirical studies that will deepen your understanding of how consumers, firms, and the government influence healthcare expenditures, healthcare quality, and patient health outcomes. We will apply these economic models to analyze the impact of consumer behavior and government policies on healthcare and health outcomes.

Course Objectives

After successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

1. Apply economic principles to analyze how health care outcomes are influenced by changing market forces and government forces.

2. Describe the institutional structure of health care markets in the United States.

3. Justify measurements driven by reimbursement and quality measurement needs.

4. Explain how government insurance programs affect participants, medical providers, and private insurance markets.

5. Distinguish the potential advantages and disadvantages of healthcare systems.

6. Evaluate the impact of health care reforms from both the free-market and government-interventionist perspectives.

Course Outline

Modules	Dates
Course Orientation	12/26 - 12/27
Module 1 - Microeconomics Introduction	12/26 - 12/28
Module 2 - Supply of Health and Medical Care	12/29 - 12/31
Module 3 - Demand of Health and Medical Care	01/02 - 01/05
Module 4 - Economics of Health Insurance	01/06 - 01/8
Module 5 - Government-Provided Health Insurance and Healthcare Reform	01/9 - 01/12

A detailed schedule of activities and due dates is available in the Course Schedule

Course Requirements and Grading

Summary of Course Grading:

Course Components	Weight
Discussions (3 total)	15%
Quizzes (3 total)	15%
Assignments (4 total)	15%
Midterm	25%
Final	30%

Below is a summary of the course components.

Discussions

Students will participate in three total online discussions in Modules 1, 2, and 4. The discussions will include a first post answering the discussion prompt and then you will respond to 2 other classmate’s posts. Your First Post is due early in the week (e.g., Thursdays) and your Response Posts are due by end of the Modules (e.g., Sundays). I will post a summary outline of due dates and more information regarding the discussions in the Course Schedule and in HuskyCT. Grading and feedback for the discussion will be provided based on a rubric (available in HuskyCT).

Quizzes

Modules 1, 2, and 4 will include a timely quiz of multiple-choice questions on HuskyCT (3 total quizzes). For each quiz, you will be allowed to have two attempts (the highest grade will be recorded) and will receive immediate grading upon completing the quiz. These quizzes will test your mastery of the week’s course content in a more “test like “condition. (See due dates posted in the Course Schedule within HuskyCT).

Assignments

You will complete four total assignments posted on HuskyCT in Modules 2-5 (see due dates posted in Course Schedule within HuskyCT). Late homework assignments are subject to a 10% late submission penalty if submitted within 24 hours after the deadline. The solutions will be posted on HuskyCT one day after the deadline, and no submission will be accepted after that. Grading and feedback for the assignments will be provided based on a rubric (available in HuskyCT). For the purpose of calculating final grades, the lowest assignment score will be dropped from the homework assignment category.

Midterm Exam

A timed midterm exam (60 minutes) will be given on HuskyCT following the completion of module three of the course. Grading and feedback for the exam will be provided (available in HuskyCT).

Final Exam

A timed final exam (90 minutes) will be given on HuskyCT following the completion of module five of the course. (See due dates posted in the Course Schedule within HuskyCT). The final will be comprehensive and include material from the entire course. Grading and feedback for the exam will be provided (available in HuskyCT).

● To verify student identification, Respondus Lockdown Browser with Monitor will be required for the Final Exam.

● Take the Syllabus Quiz to practice using the Respondus Lockdown Browser with Monitor.

Grading Scale

Grade	Letter Grade	GPA
93-100	A	4.0
90-92	A-	3.7
87-89	B+	3.3
83-86	B	3.0
80-82	B-	2.7
77-79	C+	2.3
73-76	C	2.0
70-72	C-	1.7
67-69	D+	1.3
63-66	D	1.0
60-62	D-	0.7
<60	F	0.0

Due Dates and Late Policy

All course due dates are identified in the class. Deadlines are based on Eastern Time; if you are in a different time zone, please adjust your submission times accordingly. The instructor reserves the right to change dates accordingly as the semester progresses.  All changes will be communicated in an appropriate manner.

Late Policy:  Since this is an online course, and each assessment is available in a window of several days with clearly stated due dates, there will be no make-ups of missed assessments except under very unusual circumstances. Being away and having no Internet access is not a valid reason.

● Late homework assignments are subject to a 10% late submission penalty if submitted within 24 hours after the deadline. The solutions will be posted on HuskyCT one day after the deadline, and no submission will be accepted after that.

Feedback and Grades

I will make every effort to provide feedback within 24 hours Monday through Friday, and grades within 72 hours. To keep track of your performance in the course, refer to My Grades in HuskyCT.

To view your graded feedback in HuskyCT, please view this website: My Grades 

Weekly Time Commitment

You should expect to dedicate approximately 42 hours a week to this course. This expectation is based on the various course activities, assignments, and assessments and the University of Connecticut’s policy regarding credit hours. More information related to hours per week per credit can be accessed at the Online Student website.

Student Authentication and Verification

The University of Connecticut is required to verify the identity of students who participate in online courses and to establish that students who register in an online course are the same students who participate in, complete the course activities and assessments, and receive academic credit. Verification and authentication of student identity in this course will include:

1. Secure access to the learning management system using your unique UConn NetID and password.

2. Use Respondus Lockdown Browser with Monitor for the Final Exam

Exam Proctoring

IMPORTANT: This course requires students to use the online service Respondus Lockdown Browser with Monitor. In order to use Respondus Lockdown Browser with Monitor, you must meet certain technical, software, location, and identity verification requirements. It is critical that you review these requirements and fully test the computer on which you will take your exam prior to the official start of classes and no later than the second day of the course. See the tab on the left-side menu in HuskyCT titled: Online Proctoring for Final Exam.

Student Responsibilities and Resources

As a member of the University of Connecticut student community, you are held to certain standards and academic policies. In addition, there are numerous resources available to help you succeed in your academic work. Review these important standards, policies and resources, which include:

● The Student Code

o Academic Integrity

o Resources on Avoiding Cheating and Plagiarism

● Copyrighted Materials

● Credit Hours and Workload

● Netiquette and Communication

● Adding or Dropping a Course

● Academic Calendar

● Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment and Inappropriate Romantic Relationships

● Sexual Assault Reporting Policy

Students with Disabilities

The University of Connecticut is committed to protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities and assuring that the learning environment is accessible.  If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability or pregnancy, please let me know immediately so that we can discuss options. Students who require accommodations should contact the Center for Students with Disabilities, Wilbur Cross Building Room 204, (860) 486-2020 or http://csd.uconn.edu/.

Blackboard measures and evaluates accessibility using two sets of standards: the WCAG 2.0 standards issued by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act issued in the United States federal government.” (Retrieved March 24, 2013 from Blackboard's website).