Students

ECON3018 – Health Economics

2020 – Session 1, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

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Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Kompal Sinha
Wednesday 3 - 4pm
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above including (ECON110 or ECON111 or ECON1020) and 20cp at 2000 level
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Australia spends around 10% of its GDP on health - a figure not uncommon among most developed countries. With people living longer, the health care industry is projected to be one of the largest employers, world wide, by 2020. These facts make an understanding of the economics of health care important for future economists. Questions explored include: What makes health a unique economic good? Why does health need government intervention? Why do people buy health insurance? Why do doctors charge richer patients more than poorer patients? What do hospitals maximise: profits; patients treated or quality of service? Adopting a microeconomic approach, students are introduced to concepts and techniques relevant to the understanding of health economics and to answering these questions. Topics may include: the economics of health care (demand and supply, market imperfections including market failure and resulting resource allocation); the behaviour of agents (hospitals, physicians and private health insurers) in health care; the role of government and the need for government intervention; equity and ethics in health care resource allocation; the Australian health care system; health and economic development; the case of Aboriginal health.

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Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Apply theoretical microeconomics to health economics.
  • ULO2: Identify and analyse the role of health economics in understanding health systems.
  • ULO3: Analyse the unusual features of markets for health care as compared to markets for other goods.
  • ULO4: Effectively communicate knowledge of health economics in technical and non-technical language.

Assessment Tasks

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

Delivery and Resources

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.

Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

Three hour Lectures/Consultations eack week.

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