BE 608: Agenda and formalities

 

Welcome!

Course Overview

  • In this course we will use basic economic concepts to understand key features of the US health care system.
    • Economic theory: what does economics predict about how health care markets will function, and when do "basic" economic models fail?
    • Economic data: What does economic research and data tell us about our theories about "what works" and "what's broken" in health care? 

BE 608 Course Topics

Challenges Facing the US Healthcare System (Spending)

  • Why does the US spend so much more than any other country?
  • What are some implications of spending growth?

The goal of this lecture is to give you the "lay of the land."

Economic Issues in Healthcare

  • How is healthcare different from other goods?
  • What are the policy implications?
  • How can we evaluate the efficiency of the US health care system?

AI and Technology in Health Care

  • Guest lecture: CIO of Michigan Medicine (11/11)

Competition in Health Care

  • What are the causes and consequences of provider consolidation?
  • What is the policy response to market power?

BE 608 Course Topics

The Role of Government and Recent Health Policy

  • What role does government policy play in health markets?
  • What have been the most recent policy changes, and what are the implications?
  • What proposals are on the horizon?

Social Determinants of Health

  • What are important social determinants of health? 
  • How can providers and payers effectively improve population health?

Alternative Payment Models

  • How are new payment/delivery models designed?
  • What is the evidence on their effects?

Course Readings

All readings are available as pdfs from the Canvas site.

Readings vary in length and style. All are (pretty) non-technical.

Starting next week, you are expected to do the reading before class.

 

Over the course of the semester I may add some optional readings.

These will appear in the "Miscellaneous" module.

BE 608 Assignments and Grading

Grades based on a mix of individual and group assignments.

 

Individual

  • Homework assignment (due 11/11): 10%
  • Class participation: 20%
  • Final Exam December 16 (in person), 6:30pm: 35%

 

Group

  • In class presentation on payment/delivery reform: 35%

 

Required curve: average GPA cannot exceed 3.1

Course Format

  • I want us to learn together and from each other in person
  • That said, please don't come to class if you're not feeling well

Class Participation

Supreme Court Justice Brandeis famously wrote: "the state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country."

 

States are often at the vanguard, trying to make markets and policy work better. Sometimes these attempts fail and sometimes they succeed. 

 

If you haven't already, I'd like you to all choose a state (sign up through Canvas using the google spreadsheet link). At each lecture I'll give you a question to research over the week, and we can discuss what you find in class the following week.

Analysis of Payment/Delivery Reforms

  • The Federal government and the private sector have invested in a number of reforms that change the way providers are paid with the goal of achieving the “triple aim” (improving the patient experience, improving population health, reducing the per capita cost of health care.)
  • These new models are similar in the sense that they are alternatives to traditional fee-for-service models. A common objective is to “shift from  a system that pays for volume to one that pays for value.”
  • The different models vary in how exactly they seek to achieve these goals.

Analysis of Payment/Delivery Reforms

I posted information reform initiatives that are representative of leading strategies and that are sufficiently advanced that there is published research on their effects.

 

Working in groups, you are to prepare a short (~10 minute) presentation on one of these payment reforms.

 

Sign up for groups in Canvas "People" tab, click link on top that says "Project Groups."

 

There will be peer assessment component.

Contact/Office Hours

  • Office hours are Monday--sign up with Calendly link
  • If you can't make that time, email me and we will set up a separate time
  • I am available in person or over Zoom
  • Email mille@umich.edu

Calendar

  • We have 6 weeks of class, no class the week of Thanksgiving
  • In class presentations are December 9th
  • Final exam is in class on Wednesday, December 16th
  • Accommodated exams are handled through TAC.

Questions?