American Health Care: Law, Policy & Individual Rights s1

American Healthcare: Law & Policy

LGLS 114A - Fall 2017

Instructor: Sarah Elisabeth Curi, JD, MPH

Office: Rabb 250 Contact Information: 781-736-3654

Office Hours: CLICK HERE to make a 15 min. appointment during my Open Office Hours

Class Times: Monday and Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:20 p.m. Classroom: Mandel G-11

Students are expected to attend each class and to arrive on time.

Course Overview: With a focus on patient rights, this interdisciplinary, interactive course highlights how our laws and policies affect our health care. Given the centrality of health care in our personal and political lives, this course is of current importance.

From the perspective of the patient, we will trace the evolution of the doctor-patient relationship; explore access issues, including whether health care is or should be a fundamental right; assess the quality of care and the impact of malpractice; and examine the cost of having (or not having) adequate health insurance. We will conclude with analysis of the options and prospects for meaningful reform, including discussion of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare).

Throughout this course, we will consider what rights we have as patients and whether we can exercise our rights in a meaningful way. We will consider whether there is social justice, and if so, for whom, when. Accordingly, we will encounter difficult questions and challenges relating to issues of disparity, quality of life, and death.

Requirements & Grading:

1. / Class Participation. The course is organized to be discussion-based and highly interactive. Your questions, as well as your insights, will be valuable learning tools for students and the instructor alike!
A central course requirement is for you to come to each class having read the assigned materials and being prepared to thoughtfully discuss them.
Please review the following guide: How to Participate in Class. / Worth 15% of your course grade.
2. / Papers. There are three clear, concise, analytical papers, each tied very closely to the course materials. Each paper should be 2-3 pages single-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 pt. font, with1 inch margins.
Late papers will not be accepted. / Worth 50% of your course grade.
3. / Final Exam. A 3-hour, closed-book, final exam will be given during Exam Week. The exam - which will include matching, short answers, true-false, and short essays - will be cumulative, covering the entire course. / Worth 35% of your course grade.

Readings: There is no text book. Course readings will be emailed to the class in advance.

You are expected to read and come to each class prepared to thoughtfully discuss all the course materials.

CLICK HERE for Part II of this Syllabus

which includes the course meeting dates, topics, and due dates for assignments.

Additional Notes:

ü If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately

ü You are expected to be honest in all of your academic work. Please consult Brandeis Rights and Responsibilities for all policies and procedures related to academic integrity. Students may be required to submit work to TurnItIn.com software to verify originality. Allegations of alleged academic dishonesty will be forwarded to the Director of Academic Integrity. Sanctions for academic dishonesty can include failing grades and/or suspension from the university. Citation and research assistance can be found at LTS - Library Guides.

ü Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, etc. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you can find the resources here Brandeis Office of Prevention Services as well as On Campus Resources,

ü Success in this four-credit course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, research, etc.).

Should any problem arise during the semester, such as illness or family emergency, you should notify me immediately.
If you have any questions about my expectations, please ask.

Course Objectives: This course is designed to help students:

· Develop critical thinking skills and encourage meaningful dialog, especially as related to the range of challenges individuals face with regard to cost, quality, and access related to our health care system

· Hone their analytical writing and communication skills while introducing students to the timely, situational laws and policies which prospect for health care reform

· Come to a greater understanding of the laws and policies which shape our health care system, thereby filling gaps in the conventional curriculum

· Engage students in shaping their own education by exploring contemporary issues in health care that will affect their lives

Grades: Grades are earned, not given.
A = 95: excellent / of the highest quality
B = 85: superior / above average
C = 75: satisfactory / fulfill the requirements
D = 65: needs improvement
F = 55 or less: failure / A+ / 98.6
A+/A / 96.9
A / 95.2
a/a- / 93.5
A- / 91.8
A-/b+ / 90.1
B+ / 88.4
B+/B / 86.7
B / 85.1
B-/B / 83.4
B- / 81.7
B-/C+ / 80.0
/ C+ / 78.3
C+/C / 76.7
C / 75.0
C/C- / 73.3
C- / 71.7
C-/D+ / 70.0
D+ / 68.3
D+/D / 66.7
D / 65.0
D/D- / 63.3
D- / 61.7
F or less / 55.0

About Sarah Elisabeth Curi, JD, MPH: I am a practicing health care attorney with over 20 years of experience in the health care sector. I've worked for several hospitals, provider groups, and researchers in the Boston area. I work “in-house” – meaning that my only client is the corporation that I work for. I don’t ever go to court. Instead, I aim for “preventative lawyering” - I’m essentially a business lawyer with a specialty in health care. My expertise includes a range of business and health law matters with a focus on regulatory compliance, risk management, public health policy, ethics, and patient rights.

I have taught at Brandeis since 2007. I have a joint appointment in the Legal Studies Department and the Health: Science, Society & Policy Program. My Brandeis courses are:

- LGLS 114A - American Healthcare: Law & Policy

- LGLS 131B - Patient Autonomy: Law, Medicine & Ethics

- HSSP 135A – Special Topics in Public Health: US History &Policy

- Justice Brandeis Semester: Health, Law & Justice (co-taught with Prof. Alice Noble).

At Brandeis, I also serve as the Undergraduate Advising Head (UAH) and Study Abroad Liaison (SAL) for HSSP, serve on the Board of Pre-Medical Advisors, and participate in the PossePlus Retreat.

In 2012 and 2013, I also taught Health Care Ethics at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (now MCPHS).

I am a graduate of Wellesley College, Boston College Law School, and the Harvard School of Public Health. At Wellesley, I was a History and Psychology double major. I rowed Port. I was born in California, raised in rural Connecticut, and now live in Watertown, MA.

I enjoy in-line skating, mentoring, and exploring with my husband and our three shelter-rescue dogs – Minnie Cooper, Cora, and Hali.

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