ECO0377 - HEALTH ECONOMICS AND POLICIES

courses

ID:

ECO0377

Duration (hours):

45

CFU:

SSD:

POLITICA ECONOMICA

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Secondo Semestre (16/02/2026 - 29/05/2026)

Course Objectives

The main objective of the course is to provide adequate tools for understanding, analysing, and evaluating public health policies, with particular reference to the health effects on the population, the cost of the policies themselves, and the economic ratio underlying the legislation. At the end of the course, the student will therefore be able to: - know and discuss basic principles of the Italian National Health System in terms of public financing and organisation; - understand the main elements of a health policy; - select best practices of providers offering healthcare services; - evaluate the effectiveness, economic efficiency and distributional equity of health policies; - propose improvements and corrective measures for the regulation of the market of healthcare services or the articulation of regulation.

Course Prerequisites

No formal prerequisites are required, however, a basic knowledge of the main topics taught in a Public Economics course is encouraged.

Teaching Methods

Teaching is offered through frontal lessons conducted by the teacher using support materials. In addition, optional supplementary readings will be offered for each lesson, such as book chapters, scientific articles, and institutional reports. The material presented in class will be made available in advance on the e-learning page reserved for teaching. Students will be asked to systematically study the references indicated and actively participate in the proposed discussions. For each lesson/topic of parts II and III of the program, there is a short speech by a professional in the sector.

Assessment Methods

The exam will be written and will consist of open-ended questions covering the main topics of the course. The exam grade will be expressed on a thirty-point scale. At the student’s discretion, an additional oral examination may be taken as a supplement to the written exam.

The course will be divided into three parts: - in the first part some constitutive foundations of health economics will be addressed and proposed, such as externalities in public health, the difference between health and healthcare provision, the different ways of considering health and healthcare services from an economic point of view, the relationship between demand and supply of services and some situations of economic imbalance, such as unmet healthcare needs, waiting times and inequalities in access to healthcare services. - in the second part the different possible methods of financing the Healthcare System will be discussed, such as out-of-pocket expenses, the health insurance market and social insurance, financing through general public spending; - in the third part of the course some of the main players in the healthcare system will be described, such as hospitals, emergency rooms, prevention and territorial facilities

Course Language

Italian

More information

It's always possible to schedule an appointment to discuss course-related issues or for explanations/clarifications. The link will be available on the course's e-learning page, along with the instructor's email address (andrea.riganti@uninsubria.it) to schedule personalized appointments. The Department offers a tutoring service. More detailed information is available at the following link: https://www.uninsubria.it/servizi/tutti-i-servizi/tutorato-dieco