Health Care Economics makes sense of one of the most complex systems in the world: the economics of US health care. It explores why spending is so high and rising, how money shapes the decisions of patients, providers and payers, and whether a sustainable health-care architecture is possible. You cover core ideas such as moral hazard and adverse selection, and examine how the actions of patients, providers and other stakeholders shape outcomes in the health-care market.
This is an official Harvard Online course, featuring faculty from Harvard Medical School and delivered on Harvard Online's learning platform. IPMC International handles your registration, payment and local support, then enrols you on the course. The format is self-guided within a scheduled cohort, and the Certificate of Completion is issued by Harvard Online.
The course develops three connected sets of skills:
The programme is taught through real-world examples, interactive lessons and conversations with industry experts across six modules. There are no required prerequisites, though a basic grasp of algebra and reading charts is helpful. To earn the Certificate of Completion from Harvard Online, participants complete all six modules and their assessments by the stated deadlines.
Examine why health care is so expensive and why spending keeps growing, compare US costs with other countries, analyse sources of waste and explore the role of technology in driving costs.
Consider what role patients and money should play in care decisions, interpret demand curves and willingness to pay, and evaluate solutions to inefficient consumption such as moral hazard.
Analyse clinical decision-making, recognise supplier-induced demand and the "medical arms race", explore practice-ownership trends and ask whether prevention and care coordination actually save money.
Explore risk preferences and why the risk pool matters, calculate actuarially fair premiums, and evaluate policy proposals for dealing with information asymmetry and adverse selection.
Look at how insurance plans can promote efficient consumer decisions, analyse approaches to improving patient incentives, and understand the benefits of value-based care and insurance.
Explore how payment structures can promote efficient provider decisions, and analyse different approaches to improving provider incentives.
Michael Chernew, PhD — Your instructor. The Leonard D. Schaeffer Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School, whose research spans novel benefit designs, Medicare Advantage, alternative payment models and the causes of rising spending. He chairs the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Learners also hear from industry experts, including Matthew Hutter, MD, MPH (Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Codman Center for Clinical Effectiveness in Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital), Sandhya Rao, MD (Chief Medical Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts) and Joseph Newhouse, PhD (Professor of Health Policy and Management at Harvard University and a leader of the RAND health insurance experiment). Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only.
Most participants work in a health-care related field — clinical, research, operational or financial leaders who need a shared understanding of what really drives spending and how incentives affect behaviour. No prior economics coursework is required. It suits professionals and organisations who want a globally recognised Harvard Online credential to advance their careers.
On successful completion you receive a digital Certificate of Completion from Harvard Online. No letter grades are assigned; participation is evaluated on a complete/incomplete basis. Once earned, you can add it to your CV and LinkedIn — for example, under LinkedIn "Licenses & Certifications" list Harvard Online as the issuing organisation and the certificate for Health Care Economics as the credential.
The course fee is confirmed on enquiry and put in writing before payment.
Pay IPMC securely by debit/credit card in UAE Dirhams (UAE) or by UPI, card or net banking in Indian Rupees (India).
Yes. The course is delivered by Harvard Online and the Certificate of Completion is issued by Harvard Online.
No. There are no required prerequisites. A basic understanding of algebra and familiarity with reading charts and graphs will be helpful, but no prior economics coursework is needed.
You complete all six modules and their assessments thoughtfully by the stated deadlines and contribute to discussions on the platform. You can set your own daily or weekly pace within the cohort. No letter grades are given — your work is assessed on a complete or incomplete basis.
This course runs as a scheduled Harvard Online cohort. The next cohort starts 19 Aug 2026, with a further cohort starting 28 Oct 2026. Contact us to reserve your place.
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