This course will discuss historical and current health policy issues and their impacts. The course topics cover private and public health care systems (such as the health insurance systems in the U.S. and Taiwan), health care reforms (such as the Affordable Care Act), long term care systems, health behaviors and conditions (including obesity, prescription drug abuse, smoking, drinking, and other risky health behaviors), and the impact of environment on health. Each class includes two parts: the instructor will give a lecture in the first half, and the second half of the class will proceed student reading presentations and reading discussions.

Many of the readings analyze policies from statistical and economic perspectives. Therefore, students will be introduced to some health economic concepts from the readings. This course will also discuss health policy issues (such as the financial issues of health care systems) in class. Students will not only be introduced to health policy examples from the readings and discussions but will conduct research in analyzing health interventions in their term paper.