Credits		3 credits
Coordinator/Primary Instructor		Dr. Elaina Goldstein, JD, MPA
Semester offered		Spring
Catalog Description		This class will examine the distinction and the relationship between health care policy, legislation and regulation at the federal and state levels of government.  It will specifically compare the Congressional health care reform efforts of the Clinton Administration and the Obama Administration.  Implementation of the State of Rhode Island’s Medicaid Global Waiver and implementation of Medicare Part D will also be explored.
Estimated Enrollment		20 (For grad students across health care professional disciplines at the University. Pharmacy students given preference.)

Detailed Course Description

Activities/Class format
This 3-credit course will utilize a combination of didactic lectures, required readings, research and presentation, as well as hearing summaries.
Didactic lectures
For each class there will be a brief lecture of the weekly topic, which will be followed by class discussion in which the class is expected to participate and demonstrate familiarity with the readings.  Guest lecturers related to the topic of the week will be invited to speak in approximately half of the classes.
Required readings
The assigned readings will average 50 pages per week with a greater emphasis in the beginning of the class.  Students are expected to do the readings before class.  While it is not expected that the student have a command of the specific weekly topic, it is expected that the student have a grasp of the fundamental ideas and concepts of the readings in order to be an active participant in class discussion.  Two  pop quizzes will be given on the readings.
Presentation and Research Paper
The culmination of the course will be oral and written testimony before a “pseudo” Congressional health care committee.  Students will present five minutes of oral testimony and be prepared to answer questions from a panel of “legislators”.  Hearing summaries are expected to last no longer than one hour.  A 2-3 page written summary will be expected one week before testimony is scheduled.  All students will be required to submit a more extensive 20-25 page written testimony due the week of finals.
Hearing summaries
Students will be required to attend (or watch on television or the Internet) and write a 2-4 page summary of two health related hearings.  Preferably one in the Senate and one in the House of Representatives.
Grading
Students grades will be based on class participation (20%); quizzes (10%); hearing summaries (30%); final oral Congressional testimony (20%) and final written Congressional testimony (20%).
Learning Objectives
Foster the student’s ability to think critically and practically about the relationship between policy making and application of statutory and regulatory provisions in federal and state law to the delivery of health care; (2) to give the student a historical perspective of the current relationship between the significance of various special interest groups and how the health care policy agenda is developed; (3) to provide the student with practical experience in understanding the Congressional legislative process, the critical components necessary to access policy questions and the likelihood of legislative action on the national and state political agendas.