HCA 611 - Evolution of the U.S. Health Care System, Health Disparities and Policy

Units: 4
Provides critical examination of the U.S. health care system, including definitions of health and health determinants, key policies, health disparities, the role of insurance, reform efforts, and the influence of different system stakeholders including providers, patients, policymakers and payers.

Prerequisites: Admission to the MS-HCA or MPA program.
Possible Instructional Methods: Entirely On-ground, or Entirely Online, or Hybrid.
Grading: A-F grading only.
Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Analyze the U.S. health care system in terms the major health care system components, including third-party payers, providers, patients, medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical organizations, regulators, and educational facilities.
Evaluate the effects of various political, economic, social, health, environmental, and resource factors on the health care system and health care policy.
Compare and contrast the U.S. health care system with other health care systems in developed countries.
Evaluate the performance of the U.S. health care system in terms of mortality, morbidity, patient satisfaction, costs, and quality of life indicators.
Dissect the major public third-party payers, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP, in terms of benefits, funding, major policy decisions, and policy influencers.
Evaluate health care disparities in the U.S. in terms of race and ethnicity, gender, SES, geography, and sexual orientation.
Assess the roles and influence of different system stakeholders such as providers, patients, policymakers, and public and private third-party payers, especially in terms of health care reform efforts.
Discuss the health care policy making process in the U.S. and the various methods used to influence it.
Demonstrate sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation characteristics in the design and delivery of health services.
Create formal class presentations that demonstrate the ability to think critically, take information from different sources and create something new, and work collaboratively in a team with diverse team members.
Utilize APA publishing guidelines for writing research papers, discussion papers, and critical essays that demonstrate an integration of knowledge, are well-organized and well-written, display an understanding of the relationship among material obtained from all sources, reflect critical thinking, and are free of plagiarism.