Law 9618 - Health Law

This course will examine the regulatory environment that surrounds the United States health care delivery and financing systems. It will explore the three main policy tensions of health law: increasing access, reducing cost, and improving quality. With the increasing intersection between health care delivery and law, this course is designed to provide students with the practical knowledge to identify legal issues and to understand the legal and ethical ramifications of strategic decisions faced by healthcare attorneys and their clients. Specific topics will include professional self-regulation and common law rules surrounding the doctor-patient relationship, the regulation of health care quality through medical malpractice torts and statutes, the extensive statutory regulation of both private and public health insurance, and modern health care reform including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The course is also designed to familiarize students with the emerging health policy issues that courts are likely to confront. Evaluation will be based on exam and class participation. Credit(s): 3