Public Health and Healthcare Systems in the US

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Compare the public health and health care systems by describing the organization, financing and delivery of health services and public health systems.

• Use different frameworks to conceptualize public health and health care policy.

• Describe the role of health policy in improving population health.

• Analyze a healthcare or public health policy including its impact on different stakeholder groups.

• Analyze the impact of the Affordable Care Act (and/or other federal policies) on public health and medical care institutions as well as on the general public and health of the US population.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Class Participation, Attendance + In-class Activities	20%
Individual Assignments (Discussions, Journals, Matrix, Maps, Community Profiles)	20%
Quizzes	10%
Policy Meeting Attendance + Reflection	10%
Policy Analysis Practice Assignments	20%
Policy Brief Draft + Final Presentation	20%

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
93 - 100%	A
90 – 92%	A-
87 – 89%	B+
83 – 86%	B
80 – 82%	B-
77 – 79%	C+
73 – 76%	C
70 – 72%	C-
67 – 69%	D+
63 – 66%	D
60 – 62%	D-
59% and below	F

Attendance/Participation:

This is an in-person course. Attendance, active participation, and in-class activities collectively contribute to 20% of students’ final grade. Students are expected to attend all classes in their entirety unless extenuating circumstances or alternative arrangements have been made.

The first three absences are forgiven automatically, with no documentation required; beyond three, each additional absence lowers class participation, attendance, and in-class activities score by one point.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Wilensky, SE, and Teitelbaum, JB. (2023). Essentials of health policy and law, 5th Edition. Jones and Bartlett Learning.