The Future of America's Healthcare Policies

America's healthcare system must undergo major reforms to prevent a national fiscal crisis. The costs for US healthcare have relentlessly grown as a share of national income, fast outpacing the shares for other countries. Our class will explore the factors responsible for increasing expenses and the policies available for reforming programs to produce a viable system for future generations. The course discussion will examine the strengths and weaknesses of different healthcare delivery and financing approaches, including private, single-payer, and universal systems. Students will analyze the impact of these approaches on access, cost, quality, and disparities. Topics will include the roles and features of the four major national health insurance programs in the public and private sectors, including Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act (ACA), and employer-sponsored insurance (ESI). Students will acquire an understanding of healthcare economics and financing, their relationship to health policymaking, and the connection of federal and state policies to healthcare access and the uninsured.