Economics and Health Systems

Recommended Prerequisites

NA

Teaching Methods

We Opt for mixed teaching methodologies, being composed by passive and active methodologies, depending on the topic teaching and the objective to be achieved. In a first stage, which corresponds to the presentation of the main economic concepts, expository teaching methodologies are used. In a second phase, a teaching methodology in which it calls for the active participation of the student in the discussion of relevant issues. The practical issues selected for discussion will be selected in scientific papers, or based on Portuguese Health system questions and issues.

Learning Outcomes

1. Provide the students with methodological tools for economic analysis to enable them to analyze, understand and explain, in a reasoned manner, the behavior of the diversity of actors, whether individual or organizational, thar are health sector constituents.
2. Understand the concept of the health system, the various organizational options adopted by different countries, both in terms of the the provision or funding, as well as the effects of different organizational models concerning the  agents behavior of and the economy.
3. Analysis and discussion of multiple  organizational models in health.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Introduction to Health Economics: Delimitation of the object of analysis of Health Economics.
2. Health sector specificities as the subject of economic analysis.
3. Models of demand for health and health determinants.
4. Financing and financial protection mechanisms in health: Definitions, concepts and analysis:

4.1. Health Insurance.
4.2. Asymmetry information and its effects on the behavior of agents.
4.3. Private health insurance and social health insurance: parallels and differences.
4.4. Discussion of different funding models in OECD countries.

5. Health equity. Concepts and empirical methodologies.
6. Regulation on health: Key regulatory mechanisms.
7. Summary analysis of health externalities.
8. Payment mechanisms to providers and efficiency.

Head Lecturer(s)

Óscar Manuel Domingos Lourenço

Assessment Methods

Assessment
This unit has a mixed assessment consisting of the elaboration of a work (50%) and a final examination (50%). The work consists in reading and presentation of 1 article/topic selected by the student: 100.0%

Bibliography

FOLLAND, S., STANO, M. & GOODMAN, A. C. 2007. The economics of health and health care, Upper Saddle River, NJ, Pearson/Prentice Hall.

PHELPS, C. E. 2009. Health economics, New York, Pearson/Addison-Wesley.

BARROS, P. P. 2014. Economia da saúde. Conceitos e Comportamentos, 3 Ed., Leya.

SLOAN, F. A. & HSIEH, C.-R. 2012. Health economics, MIT Press.