OVERVIEW

This course introduces the economic principles and tools used in analyzing health care markets, insurance schemes and public policies to assess their efficiency, equity and sustainability. Students will explore interactions among public and private stakeholders at national, regional and organizational levels, with a focus on current challenges such as rapid technological innovation, population aging and financial sustainability.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide the ability to use models and tools typical of economic analysis (information asymmetries, market failures, regulatory policies, impact assessments) to evaluate the efficiency, equity, performance of the different levels of government (national, regional, corporate) in the main health systems with particular reference to current challenges: accelerated technological innovation, aging and new needs, financial sustainability.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Define key health economics concepts (information asymmetries, market failures, social goods) and their relevance to health care.

• Analyze the structure and functioning of national and regional health systems, identifying regulatory, organizational and financial policy levers.

• Apply economic evaluation techniques (CEA, CUA, CBA) to public and private health interventions.

• Use impact analysis methods to estimate the effects of technological innovations and demographic changes on health care financing.

• Compare performance, efficiency and equity across different health financing and insurance models.

• Recognize opportunities and risks associated with implementing AI and digital innovations in health care.

PREREQUISITES

No specific prerequisites are required

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures, exercises, and case discussions. Students will work on guided analyses of academic papers and perform hands-on simulations of economic evaluations using real-world case studies. Attendance at exercises is strongly encouraged but not mandatory.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Basic economic concepts Demand and supply in health care Public, private and mixed goods Information asymmetries, adverse selection and moral hazard Introduction to health economics General principles and theoretical framework “Health” as a “good”: characteristics and measurement issues Economic analysis of health care services and insurance systems Financing models (Beveridge, Bismarck, USA) Roles of public and private actors (regulators, insurers, providers) Performance, efficiency and equity indicators Methods for economic evaluation in the health sector Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) Cost-Utility Analysis (CUA) Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) Budget Impact Analysis (BIA) Regulatory policies and governance tools Reimbursement and pricing mechanisms (DRG, outpatient tariffs) Regulation of pharmaceuticals and medical technologies Pricing and reimbursement policies for innovative drugs Impact analysis and forecasting models Techniques to estimate demographic and technological impacts on health financing AI and digital innovation Telemedicine and Virtual Hospitals AI-based decision support systems Economic implications and value-for-money assessments

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Instructor’s handouts and lecture slides (available on Aulaweb).

• Drummond M.F. et al., Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes, 5th ed., Oxford University Press (2015).

• Original papers indicated during the course for advanced topics.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written exam

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Assessment consists of:

1. Two writtenmid-term assessment (one mid-course and one at the end), forming the continuous assessment component. Each test will evaluate:

   • Understanding of core health economics concepts.

   • Ability to apply economic evaluation methods to practical cases.

The  average of the two tests constitutes the final mark (minimum 18/30)

1. Final written exam (optional, alternative to continuous assessment), with a similar structure (open-ended questions, multiple choice questions, exercises, short case analyses).

2. Optional oral exam (upon student request): focuses on the same tyopics of the written test

FURTHER INFORMATION

No prerequisites or mandatory attendance are required. All materials (slides, readings, papers) are available on Aulaweb. Students with special needs (DSA, disabilities) should contactthe instructor and the department’s disability officer at the start of the course to arrange any necessary accommodations.