Health Economics

Health care is expanding rapidly in both private and public sectors of the economy. As prevention and cure of illness absorbs a larger and larger share of the national product, it becomes increasingly important to examine the implications for efficiency and equity of the use that the industry makes of scarce resources. This course will consider the principal areas of concern to the economist interested in health status and health care. The topics will include demand, uncertainty, spillovers, health indicators, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness techniques, the goals and cost-functions of hospitals, the market for medical-insurance, the pharmaceutical industry, manpower planning and health education. Theories will be illustrated with material relating to Singapore and other countries, developed and less developed.