Health Services Administration

Introduction to Health Services Administration

Assignment 2

Financing Health Systems

1. Describe the size of the U.S. health care industry in financial terms, and discuss the growth in health care expenditures.

2. Describe the three main types of health insurance in the United States, referring specifically to voluntary health insurance, social health insurance, and welfare medicine.

3. Briefly describe Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D.

4. Briefly describe the Medicaid program.

5. Discuss the methods of physician reimbursement in the United States.

6. Provide an overview of the prospective payment system.

CHAPTER 5: Private Health Insurance and Managed Care

1. What is insurance, and why is it used?

2. Describe the three methods for categorizing health insurance in the United States.

3. Briefly describe the differences among commercial insurance industry, the Blues, and HMOs.

4. What is managed care? List the main objectives of managed care.

5. List the common managed-care practices designed to influence physician behavior.

6. Describe the impact of managed care on both the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

7. Discuss the conflict of interest inherent in managed care.

8. Briefly describe the characteristics of the uninsured population in the United States.