Begins by examining basic assumptions about the fields of health care financing and delivery. In the area of access, topics include statutory and common law obligations of health care providers to render care and civil rights issues within the health care arena. In financing, topics include private insurance, government programs to finance care for specific populations, and efforts to control costs within public and private systems. In the field of quality, topics include definitions of quality, systems of measurement, informed consent and standards of care, and regulatory versus free-market approaches.
Topics related to personhood include rationing of services and ethical decisions.
The course concludes with an examination of health reform models. This is generally offered once a year, in the fall. An examination of the ways in which Congress, the FDA, and the courts have gone about regulating the food, drug, cosmetic, and medical device industries. This is generally offered once a year, in the spring. Incorporates elements of labor law, environmental law, and administrative law.