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HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH

SYLLABUS - JANUARY 2009

Course Title: HCA 537 – MANAGED CARE - 3 UNITS

Instructor: Jean Klein, MBA

Phone: (949) 916-9937

E-mail:

Office Hours: Available after class, by e-mail or Phone

Required Textbook: Kongstvedt, Peter R., Essentials of Managed Health Care, Fifth Edition, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2007.

Recommended Kongstvedt, Peter R., The Managed Health Care Handbook, Fifth Edition,

References: Aspen Publishers, Inc., 2007.

Marcinko, David Edward, Dictionary of Health Insurance and Managed Care, Springer Publishing Company, 2006

Managed Care Glossary of Terms: http://www.pohly.com/terms.html

PURPOSE OF COURSE

The purposes of this course are to prepare people to enter the managed care field and to orient managers to the organization and administration of health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations and related enterprises. Both relationships to the health care marketplace and operational aspects of managed health systems will be covered. The assessment of managed health care is a very dynamic field which is evolving continually. In an effort to incorporate the most up to date information possible, journal articles will be a feature of this class. Additionally, students will be expected to develop a real-world projection of health care into the twenty-first century.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the course, each student should be able to:

1. Identify the different models of health care organizations

2. Describe impact of Federal HMO Act on health care delivery

3. Describe Health Care State Statutes and Federal Regulations

4. Identify essential aspects of provider contracts and compensation arrangements

5. Describe the components of a marketing plan for a managed care system

6. Identify problems of financial management in an HMO

7. Design a competitive health care product taking into account benefits and costs

8. Describe how premium rates are set under different rating systems

9. Analyze industry trends and their implications

10. Differentiate case management from disease management

11. Identify components of utilization review and quality

12. Identify some of the common operational problems of Managed Care

CLASS SCHEDULE Requirements Due

Week 1: Class Overview – Managed Care Process Model

Week 2: Chapters 1-2: Introduction to Managed Health Care

Week 3: Chapters 5-6: Health Care Delivery System – Physicians

Week 4: Chapter 7-8: Hospitals - Compensation – Performance-Based Incentives

Week 5: Chapter 9: Managing Medical-Surgical Utilization

Week 6: Chapters 10, 11, 14: Disease Management – Case Management Opinion Paper Due

Week 7: Chapter 15: Quality Management

Week 8: Chapter 16: Data Analysis and Profiling in Health Care

Week 9: Chapter 21: Sales and Marketing

Week 10: Mid-Term

SPRING BREAK RECESS

Week 11: Chapter 23: Accreditation and Performance Measurement

Week 12: Chapters 24-25: Financial Management, Rate Setting & Product Design

Week 13: Chapter 26, 29: Common Operational Problems, Medicare, Global

Week 14: Chapter 33: State Regulations - Student Reports Research Paper Due

Week 15: Student Reports Research Paper Due

Week 16: FINAL EXAM

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND EVALUATION

ATTENDANCE

Students are required to attend and be prepared for each session by having read the assigned materials. Attendance is expected at each class session. However, under serious and compelling circumstances, an absence may be excused. It is then the responsibility of the student to bring himself/herself up to date on the class material. Laptop computers are not to be in use during class (other than for presentations).

DROPS

It is the responsibility of the student to file for drop status if he or she desires. The program director generally does not sign drop forms after the third week. No instructor drop will be filed.

DISABLED STUDENT ASSISTANCE

Please notify the instructor if you need specific accommodations.

CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM

It is the policy of the faculty and administration to deal effectively with the student who practices cheating or plagiarism. One or more of the following academic actions are available to the faculty member who finds a student has been cheating or plagiarizing: (a) Review -- no action, (b) An oral reprimand with emphasis on counseling toward prevention of further occurrences; (c) A requirement that the work be repeated; (d) Assignment of a score of zero (0) for the specific demonstration of competence, resulting in the proportional reduction of final course grade; (e) Assignment of a failing final grade; (f) Referral to the Office of Judicial Affairs for possible probation, suspension, or expulsion.

EXAMS

As a traditional grading system is required for evaluation of student performance in this course, there will be a midterm and final exam. No make up exams will be given unless you have made arrangements with the instructor prior to the exam. Partial credit will be given for evidence of correct reasoning, but not for “effort.”

JOURNAL DISCUSSION/OPINION PAPER

Review a Managed Health Care journal or article. Write an opinion paper of the article (4-5 pages double spaced computer written). The paper should include an overview of the material presented and your opinions or thoughts on the subject matter, as if you were discussing the topic with another health care colleague. Present recommendations on your issue and include sourced references. Please number all papers, staple in the upper-left hand corner, and put your name and the date on the paper.

RESEARCH POSITION PAPER & ORAL PRESENTATION

For this class, one (1) position paper is required. The position paper, should include your view of a particular problem or issue in managed health care from careful consideration of professional literature on the subject. The papers should include four major components:

1. A description and significance of the managed health care problem or issue chosen;

2. The question to be addressed;

3. Your position or proposed solution; and

4. Support for your position (including references).

This can be done in about 5-7 double-spaced pages of text, and should be turned in on the day of your class presentation. You will be required to present your position paper to the class in a 15 minute oral presentation. Audio/visual aids may be used in this presentation.

PAPER REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

Papers will be graded using an evaluation criteria for specific key areas. A scale of one to five will be used to evaluate how well the paper followed the criteria based on: format, content, spelling, organization and structure.

CLASS PARTICIPATION

Participation in classroom discussions is important. It is evident who attends and contributes and who does not. Participation will be computed into the final grade for the course.

BASIS OF SEMESTER GRADE

The exams and papers will have the following weights in the computation of a final letter grade:

Midterm 35%

Final 35%

Journal Opinion Paper (4-5 pgs.) 10%

Research Position Paper (5-7 pgs.) 10%

Oral Presentation 5%

Class Participation 5%

TOTAL: 100%

JOURNALS RELATED TO MANAGED CARE

AAHP (American Association of Health Plans) Journal

Business and Health

California Medicine

Group Practice Journal

Health Affairs

Health Care Financial Management

Health Care Financing Review

Health Care Financing Topics

Inquiry

JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association)

Journal of Politics, Policy and Law

Journal of Risk and Insurance

Medical Care

Medical Interface

Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly

Modern Health Care

MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION


American Association of Health Plans

1129 20th Street NW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20036-3421

Phone: (202) 778-3200 or (202) 778-3239, Fax: (202) 331-7487, Web: http://www.aahp.org

Health plan association representing over 1,000 health plans throughout the country. Provides information on Managed Care Organization educational programs, health care delivery, research, services, and products.

ON-CAMPUS COMPUTER ASSISTANCE

The CSULB Technology Help Desk is now available for students. Help is available on a wide range of computer issues including: BeachBoard, Windows and Mac OS, CSULB Internet Accounts, Remote Connectivity, Microsoft Desktop Applications, Anti-Virus, Internet and Web related topics. Visit us on the web at http://helpdesk.csulb.edu or contact the THD by phone at 562-985-4959 or send Email to .

The Writer's Resource Lab helps students with all sorts of writing assignments. It provides personalized writing tutorial assistance and group tutorial sessions and workshops. Schedule an appointment with a tutor by calling during office hours: (562) 985-4329

Office hours are posted at: http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/cla/departments/english/wrl/

Note: It's easy to obtain an appointment early in the semester, much harder toward the end.