70126 - Health Systems

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is introduced to the principles of health care organization and policy in a comparative perspective. Aim of the course is to understand the evolution and contemporary state of health care systems in different OECD countries. By the end of the course, the student is able to: 1) Identify the key characteristics and components of health care systems. 2) Assess each health care systems strengths and weaknesses 3) Explain the recent health care reform efforts in OECD countries

Course contents

Course contents:

The evolutionary path of European health care systems

Various models of health care funding, including the differences between tax based models, SHI-models and models based on voluntary insurance

Models of health care provision

Health care reforms over the last two decades

Social justice arguments behind the different systems

Full course description is available on AMS Campus ( http://campus.unibo.it/ )

Readings/Bibliography

Textbook

Blank, R.H. and Burau, V. (2014). Comparative Health Policy, 4th Edition. New York: Palgrave McMillan. Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 5.

 

Required readings

Hassenteufel P. and B. Palier (2007), Towards Neo-Bismarckian Health Care States? Comparing Health Insurance Reforms in Bismarckian Welfare Systems, in Social Policy & Administration, vol. 41, n. 6, pp. 574-596.

Rothgang H. et al. (2005), The changing role of the state in healthcare systems, in European Review, vol. 13, suppl. 1, pp. 187-212.

Toth F. (2010), Healthcare policies over the last 20 years: Reforms and counter-reforms, in Health Policy, vol. 95, n. 1, pp. 82-89.

Toth, F. (2013),  The choice of healthcare models: How much does politics matter?, in Internaational Political Science Review, vol. 34, n. 2, pp. 159-172.

Toth, F. (2016), Classification of healthcare systems: Can we go further?, in Health Policy, vol. 120, n. 5, pp. 535-543.

 

Further readings

Gostin L. and Powers M. (2006), What Does Social Justice Require for the Public's Health? Public Health Ethics and Policy Imperatives, in Health Affairs, vol. 24, n.4, pp. 1053-1060.

Jegers, M. et al. (2002), A typology for provider payment systems in health care, in Health Policy, vol. 60, n.3, pp. 255-273

Leibowitz A. and M. Peterson (2009), Perspectives on the U.S. Health Care System, in Rivista Italiana di Politiche Pubbliche, vol. 8, n. 2, pp. 9-41.

Magnussen J., R. Saltman, K. Vrangbaek and P. Martinussen (2009), The Nordic model of health care, in J. Magnussen , K. Vrangbaek and R. Saltman (eds): Nordic health care systems. Recent reforms and current policy challenges, London, Open University Press.

Rothgang H et al. (2010), The State and Healthcare. Comparing OECD Countries, Chippenham, Palgrave Macmillan. Chapters 2, 3 and 4.

Schmid A. et al. (2010), Explaining Health Care System Change: Problem Pressure and the Emergence of "Hybrid" Health Care Systems, in Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, vol. 35, n. 4, pp. 455-86.

Van de Ven, W. et al. (2003), Risk adjustment and risk selection on the sickness fund insurance market in five European countries, in Health Policy, vol. 65, 75-89.

Teaching methods

The course is divided in two parts. In the first part, readings, lectures and class discussions will focus on the general themes of health care organization and policy. Students will be provided the essential analytical tools need to analyse a health care system.

In the second part, students will be required to focus on a health system of their choice. In this second part, class meetings will be dedicated to student oral presentations.

Assessment methods

Student oral presentation (15 minutes, in class) of an assigned country.

Written examination (60 minutes), held in class. The exam consists of 5 open questions.

In case you fail you can retake the exam during the first semester retake session or during the final retake session in September. 

Written examination will count for 70% of the final grade. Oral presentation will count for 30% of the grade.

Teaching tools

Traditional lectures and class discussion. Student oral presentation

Office hours

See the website of Federico Toth