HP400 Half Unit
Financing Health Care
This information is for the 2019/20 session.
Teacher responsible
Prof Elias Mossialos COW.4.08
Availability
This course is compulsory on the MSc in Global Health Policy, MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing, MSc in International Health Policy and MSc in International Health Policy (Health Economics). This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.
Course content
This course aims to give students a thorough grounding in health financing policy. It focuses on the health financing functions of collecting revenue, pooling funds and purchasing services, as well as on policy choices concerning coverage, resource allocation and market structure. The course mainly draws on examples from health financing policy in European countries, but the general principles studied apply internationally.
The course provides an overview of key health financing policy issues, including the advantages and disadvantages of different ways of raising revenue for health; the role of private financing mechanisms; the importance of pooling; decisions about whom to cover, what services to cover, and how much of service cost to cover; allocating resources to purchasers, purchasing market structure and the principles of strategic purchasing; the incentives associated with different methods of paying providers; and the issue of financial sustainability.
Teaching
20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the MT. 2 hours of lectures in the ST.
This course will be delivered through 18 hours of lectures and 5 seminars (2 hours each). In addition there will be a two-hour revision session in the MT and a two-hour revision session in the ST.
Formative coursework
Students will write a 1,500 formative essay. The essay topic will be provided by the end of October and students expected to submit by the end of November. Seminar leaders will provide written feedback on the essays by the end of the Michaelmas term.
Indicative reading
WHO, World Health Report 2010 - Health systems financing: the path to universal coverage (2010); E Mossialos, A Dixon, J Figueras & J Kutzin (eds), Funding health care: options for Europe, Open University Press (2002); J Kutzin, Health financing policy: a guide for decision-makers, World Health Organization (2008); T Rice, The economics of health reconsidered, Health Administration Press (3rd edn, 2009).
Assessment
Exam (70%, duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes) in the summer exam period.
Research project (30%) in the LT.
The research project (1,500 words) will be submitted in LT.
Student performance results
(2015/16 - 2017/18 combined)
Classification | % of students |
---|---|
Distinction | 10 |
Merit | 71.9 |
Pass | 16.9 |
Fail | 1.2 |
Key facts
Department: Health Policy
Total students 2018/19: 153
Average class size 2018/19: 15
Controlled access 2018/19: No
Value: Half Unit
Personal development skills
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Specialist skills