Health Law, Policy and Systems

This course is designed to provide students with a foundational understanding of the laws, policies and systems that frame and govern public health and health care in the United States. This survey course will provide an overview of: (1) the legal authority of different levels and branches of government (federal, state, local; executive, legislative and judicial) to take public health action, and the legal principles governing the balance between individual liberty and public health; (2) the key components of the U.S. health care system, including finance and insurance, delivery systems, policy reforms and comparisons with other countries’ systems; and (3) the policy-making process, including an understanding of the distinctions among law, policy and ethics, and instilling students with skills in analyzing U.S. and global health policies and advocating for laws and policies that are evidence-based and equitable.