HSH717 - Health Economics 1
Unit details
Year: | 2020 unit information |
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Important Update: | Classes and seminars in Trimester 2/Semester 2, 2020 will be online. Physical distancing for coronavirus (COVID-19) will affect delivery of other learning experiences in this unit. Please check your unit sites for announcements and updates one week prior to the start of your trimester or semester. Last updated: 2 June 2020 |
Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Online Trimester 3: Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
Credit point(s): | 1 |
EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
Unit Chair: | Lisa Gold |
Prerequisite: | Nil |
Corequisite: | Nil |
Incompatible with: | Nil |
Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Scheduled learning activities - campus: | 2 hours per week |
Scheduled learning activities - cloud: | 1 hour weekly class (recordings provided) and 1 hour weekly seminar exercise posted to a moderated online discussion group |
Content
The unit introduces students to the discipline of health economics and assumes no prior knowledge. The unit will cover the following topics, with a particular focus on current policy developments.
- Dimensions of Health Economics: The scope of health economics; why is health economics relevant; objectives in health care – choice between different values; basic concepts and definitions.
- Microeconomic Tools for Health Economics: Concepts behind the demand curve; concepts behind the supply curve; markets and economic rationalism, market failure, the role of government and preventing government failure.
- The Australian Health Care System from an Economic Perspective: Structure and funding; role of providers, consumers and funders; viewpoints on the Australian health care system; international comparisons.
- Health Economics and Public Policy: Health expenditure control; health insurance; reforming Medicare – from tinkering to managed competition; efficiency in health provider payment mechanisms; efficiency in sub-sectors of the health care system (such as primary care and hospitals).
These are the learning outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. | ||
ULO1 | Define and explain basic economic concepts, especially efficiency, opportunity cost, utility and marginal costs and benefits. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
ULO2 | Compare and contrast health care markets and markets for other goods and services. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
ULO3 | Explain the unique characteristics of healthcare which make the application of standard economic theory challenging. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
ULO4 | Analyse the implications of different methods for funding and providing health services. | GLO4: Critical thinking |
ULO5 | Discuss the role of government in healthcare from an economic perspective. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
ULO6 | Evaluate important healthcare challenges and debates from an economic perspective. | GLO2: Communication |
Assessment
Trimester 1 and Trimester 3:Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
Assessment 1: In-trimester exercises (including seminar participation) | Weekly exercises | 20% |
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Assessment 2: Essay | 2,000 words | 40% |
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Assessment 3: Examination | 2 hours | 40% |
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The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning Resource
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: HSH717 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
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