HP400 Half Unit
Financing Health Care
This information is for the 2020/21 session.
Teacher responsible
Prof Elias Mossialos COW 2.12
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 with permission 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
This course will be delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars totalling a minimum 23 hours during Michaelmas Term. Students will have access to lecture material delivered as short online videos. Seminars will take place in small groups and additional group feedback sessions will be held a few days after each seminar meeting. Students will work together in small groups on structured learning activities set by the course leads, ahead of the seminars.
There will be a departmental reading week in week 6 of term.
There will be a 2 hour revision session held in the ST ahead of the final exams.
Formative coursework
Students will receive feedback on formative activities of in-class group work and presentations.
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 (100%, duration: 2 hours) in the summer exam period.
Student performance results
(2016/17 - 2018/19 combined)
| Classification | % of students |
|---|---|
| Distinction | 17.5 |
| Merit | 68.2 |
| Pass | 13 |
| Fail | 1.3 |
Important information in response to COVID-19
Please note that during 2020/21 academic year some variation to teaching and learning activities may be required to respond to changes in public health advice and/or to account for the situation of students in attendance on campus and those studying online during the early part of the academic year. For assessment, this may involve changes to mode of delivery and/or the format or weighting of assessments. Changes will only be made if required and students will be notified about any changes to teaching or assessment plans at the earliest opportunity.
Key facts
Department: Health Policy
Total students 2019/20: 189
Average class size 2019/20: 16
Controlled access 2019/20: Yes
Value: Half Unit
Personal development skills
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Specialist skills
