APEC/CRD/HLTH 361
INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH CARE ECONOMICS
Syllabus, Fall 2000

3:30-3:45 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 310 Edwards Hall

Instructors:	Dr. G. L. Bradford Dept. of Ag. & Applied Economics 295 Barre Hall Phone: 656-3475 E-mail: gbrdfrd@clemson.edu Dr. W. W. Sherrill Dept. of Public Health Sciences 325 Edwards Hall Phone: 656-0263 E-mail: wsherri@clemson.edu
Textbook:	Santerre, Rexford E., and Stephen P. Neun. Health Economics, Revised Edition, 2000.

Course Goals and Objectives:

This is an introductory course in health care economics. There are no prerequisites. It is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors in any College at Clemson University.

The objectives of this course are (1) to acquaint students with the essentials and structure of the U.S. Health Care System, (2) to present the fundamentals of the demand and supply for health and medical care, (3) to provide an overview of how health care is financed (paid for), including private and government sources of funding, (4) to describe and explain major U.S. government interventions in a supply-demand context, and (5) to understand the basics of the physician services, hospital, and pharmaceutical industries in the United States.

Outline of Topics (inclusive dates), Textbook Assignments, and Exams:

I.   Fundamental Concepts (1 period---Thursday, August 24)  Chapter 1, Santerre and Neun

II.  Health Care Systems and Institutions (3 periods--Tues. Aug. 29; Thurs. Aug 31; Tues. Sep. 5) Chapter 2, Santerre and Neun

III. Health and Medical Expenditures (3 periods--Thurs. Sep. 7; Tues. Sep. 12; Thurs. Sep. 14)  Chapter 3, Santerre and Neun

IV. Government Intervention in a Supply and Demand Context (5 periods--Tues. Sep. 19; Thurs. Sep. 21; Tues. Sep. 26; Tues. Oct. 3 and Thurs. Oct. 5) Chapter 11, Santerre and Neun

Exam #1, scheduled for Thurs. Sep. 28 will cover topics I-III and the first three periods of topic IV

V.  Government as Health Insurer (3 periods--Tues. Oct. 10; Thurs. Oct. 12; Tues. Oct. 17) Chapter 12, Santerre and Neun

VI. Private Health Insurance Industry (3 periods--Thurs. Oct. 19; Tues. Oct. 24; Thurs. Oct. 26) Chapter 13, Santerre and Neun

Fall Break: Monday, November 6 and Tuesday, November 7 (Election Day)

Exam #2, scheduled for Tuesday, November 14, will cover topics IV through VII

VIII. Hospital Services Industry (3 periods--Thurs. Nov. 16; Tues. Nov. 21; Tues. Nov. 28) Chapter 15, Santerre and Neun

Thanksgiving Holidatys are scheduled for Wednesday, November 22-Friday, November 24

IX. The Pharmaceutical Industry (3 periods--Thurs. Nov. 30; Tues. Dec. 5 and Thurs. Dec. 7)

Final exam is scheduled for Mon. Dec. 11, 1:00-4:00 p.m., the first day of the final exam week.

Grading:

Each student's course will be determined by the following components and weights:

Class participation and short tests	10%
Exam #1	27%
Exam #2	27%
Final Exam	36%

 

 

Exams will include what is covered in class and what is in the text assignments. Class participation includes attendance, punctuality, attentiveness, and other positive characteristics demonstrated by students in their efforts to better learn the course material. Excused absences from exams will be honored by setting up a take-home exam or through a special project (paper). The following grading scale (percentage averages) will determine each student's course letter grade:

90% and above	A
80.0-89.9%	B
70.0-79.9%	C
60.0-69.9%	D
Below 60%	F

 

 

 

 

Changes in Syllabus: any part of this syllabus is subject to change during the semester. Any changes which are made will be announced in class and presented in writing to each student enrolled in the course.

 

  Fall 2000 Course List         Ag Econ Home

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Dr. G. L. Bradford, Professor, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, and Dr. W.W. Sherrill, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634.

updated 9/19/00