Law and Economics in Healthcare
This course will introduce students to the ways in which the U.S. government attempts to mitigate challenges in the market for healthcare. We will discuss how laws and regulation are used to contain healthcare costs, protect consumers from anti-competitive practices, improve access to safe and effective medical care, ensure consumer privacy and safety, and reform the payment and delivery system in the United States. We will rely on actual court and regulatory cases to understand legal frameworks, regulatory structures, and economic outcomes. Students will review the economic literature on healthcare market interventions, engage with Vermont policymakers and regulators, and participate in mock trials and simulated regulatory hearings. This course is not open to students who have completed ECON 1232. (ECON 0111, ECON 0255 required, ECON 0200 strongly recommended)