This introductory course explains key economic concepts that are relevant to the private health care industry. The presentation takes the perspective from private agents making economic decisions. The course covers patients as consumers of care, private health insurance companies, private hospitals and physicians, and the pharmaceutical industry. The course is structured so that it can be taken along its sister course "Economics of the Health Care Industry - Public Sector", or independently. Note that the private version of the course will also be beneficial to those aspiring to a career in the public sector as it will be an asset to understand how private agents behave when regulating the markets, complementing their supply, or competing against them.

• Understand key health economic concepts
• Ability to apply health economic theory to real life situations
• Acquire skills that are directly relevant to the industry

A minimum of 75% attendance is required.

• The lecturers will explain key economic theory and the understanding will be consolidated by selected readings from a leading health economics textbook and other sources.
• Economic theory will be presented in the context of real life applications introduced via relevant newspaper articles and case studies.
• Understanding of theory and specific skills will be acquired by means of in-class exercises and short home assignments.

Assessments (relative weights in the final grade)

• Participation (15%)
• Mid-term quizz 1 (15%)
• Mid-term quizz 2 (15%)
• Mid-term quizz 3 (15%)
• Final exam (40%)

Grades (point ranges)

• 1: Excellent (90-100 points)
• 2: Good (80-89 points)
• 3: Satisfactory (65-79 points)
• 4: Sufficient (50-64 points)
• 5: Fail (0-49 points)

Please email lecturers for office hours.