The Economics of Health Policy

ECO 390J
Fall 2010
Syllabus

Instructor: Katherine Sauer, Ph.D. (Dr. Katie)

Office: CN 312 G
Office Hours: Mondays 10am – noon & 2pm-3pm
Tuesdays 2:45pm – 3:45pm
Thursdays 2:45pm – 3:45pm
By appointment during other days/times
Phone: 303.556.3037
Email: ksauer5@mscd.edu

Course Meetings:
T&R 1pm-2:15pm West Classroom 268

Required Text:
The Economics of Health and Health Care (6th edition) by Folland, Goodman, and Stano
ISBN: 978-0-13-608030-5

Prerequisite: ECO 2020

Course Description:
This course provides students with a basic understanding of economics as it applies to consumer,
producer, and government behavior in health care markets. Emphasis will be placed on using these tools
to analyze issues currently affecting the U.S. health care market and to make appropriate policy
recommendations based on these analyses.

Course Objectives:
At the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:
1. explain
a. what health economics is and why it is relevant
b. the production of health
c. the cost structure of healthcare
d. the relationship between technology and cost in health care
e. the demand for health care and market for health insurance

2. describe
a. key players in the health care sector
b. various government interventions in the health care sector

3. apply various economic tools to the health sector:

a. market analysis and elasticity
b. consumer and producer theory
c. cost-benefit analysis

4. analyze current public health policies

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Components of Course Grade:
Assignments 25%
Midterm exam 30% Thursday October 14th
Final exam 30% TBA
Research Paper 15% Due Thursday December 2nd

Assignments
Homework assignments will typically come from the end-of-chapter problems in the book. Assignments are due
at the beginning of class. Late assignments are not accepted. Electronic submissions are not accepted. You may
drop one assignment grade.

Research Paper
Using the tools of health economics, you will write a 5 page paper which provides an analysis of a health related
issue. In addition to your analysis, you will formulate a policy recommendation. Details of the paper will be
discussed during the semester and guidelines will be posted on BlackBoard. Your paper is due at the beginning of
class on Thursday December 2nd. Electronic submissions are not accepted. Late papers are subject to a 10
percentage point reduction each calendar day.

Exams
Exams will have an in-class portion and a take-home portion. Make up exams are only given in the gravest of
extenuating circumstances. Grave extenuating circumstances will require documentation proof.

Course Policies

Grade Dispute Policy

If you have a dispute/argument/disagreement with grading, please observe the following procedure:
1) You must wait 24 hours before bringing your argument/dispute/disagreement to my attention
(the “cooling off” period).
2) After the 24 hours, you may submit to me in writing an explanation of your argument/
dispute/disagreement.
3) I will review your case by the next school day and set up an appointment with you to discuss
my decision.

**If your only dispute is an incorrect calculation of your grade, let me know as soon as possible. A
submission in writing is not necessary.

Course Email Policy

Please use your @mscd email address when emailing me. If you do not, you run the risk of my email
filter program deciding that your message is spam. If I need to send an email to the class, I will be using
your @mscd email address.

Please do not use the email feature in BlackBoard to email me. Write directly to me at
ksauer5@mscd.edu .

Disability Accommodations
Any student eligible for and needing academic adjustments or accommodations because of a disability is
required to go to the Access Center Office in Auraria Library, Suite 116 by the end of the first week of class
so that such accommodations may be arranged. Their phone number is 303-556-8387, you can email them at
mscd-accesscenter@mscd.edu , and you can find them online at http://www.mscd.edu/~access/ .
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Accommodations will not be granted prior to my receipt of your faculty notification letter from the
Access Center. Please note that accommodations are never provided retroactively (i.e., prior to the
receipt of your faculty notification letter.) Once I am in receipt of your official Access Center faculty
notification letter, I would be happy to meet with you to discuss your accommodations. All discussions
will remain confidential.

Religious Holidays
The college policy of observing all religious holidays will be abided by in this class. A prior indication of
any religious requirement is necessary.

NC Policy
During the first 10 weeks of class, you may opt for NC through MetroConnect online. You do not need a
signature from me. After the 10th week, I do not have authorization to grant you a NC. The Fall 2010 NC
deadline is Wednesday November 10th.

Student Code of Conduct

Metropolitan State College of Denver has a Student Conduct Code and every student is expected to be
familiar with it particularly regarding the policy on cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic
dishonesty.
Available online:
http://www.mscd.edu/policies/student_code_of_conduct/student_conduct_code.shtml

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