[afro-nets] Financing Health Care: Principles of Insurance

[Dieter Neuvians MD <neuvians@mweb.co.za>]

Financing Health Care: Principles of Insurance
----------------------------------------------
 
7-19 June, 2004
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Germany
 
Course coordinators:
Prof. Rainer Sauerborn and Dr Hengjin Dong (contact person), 
mailto:Hengjin.Dong@urz.uni-heidelberg.de
 
The course covers 10 days, a total of 80 hours (36 hours lec-
tures, 24 hours group work and presentations and 20 hours self-
directed), equivalent to 3 ECTS points
 
Language: English
 
Objectives:
The overall objective of this module is to get experiences and 
lessons learnt from different countries in the area of financing 
health care, which can then be applied to different contexts. In 
addition, discussion of cases will enable the students to de-
velop an analytic approach to problem solving and apply theo-
retical knowledge to a real life context. 
 
Specifically, upon the completion of this course, participants 
will:
* Describe the basic tools used in development and assessment of 
  financing mechanisms and critically analyze the advantages and
  weaknesses of these tools
* Critically analyze the roles of the public and private sector
  in health financing in different contexts 
* Compare and analyze the basic features of health financing
  mechanisms in developing countries and in developed countries
* Design a scheme of health financing based on current theories
  and case study examples 
 
Content:
 
The course includes the following topics:
1. Options for the financing of health services
2. Evaluation tools for financing of health services
3. Social health insurance: Case studies from Germany, Thailand
4. Technical aspects of social insurance in other European coun-
   tries
5. Field trip: visits of different players in the German health
   insurance system
6. Traditional risk sharing schemes in West Africa: classifica-
   tion, tasks and functions 
7. Community based insurance (CBI): rationale, concepts and im-
   plementation
8. CBI case: CBI study in Burkina Faso
9. From CBI to universal coverage: re-insurance
 
Learning Methods:
 
The course uses case studies and experience from middle and low-
income countries with contributions from participants of the 
course to demonstrate the universal applicability of the con-
cepts and principles. Moreover it demonstrates the need and 
benefit of scientific and experiential exchange among different 
countries.
 
The course is composed of individual teaching units that com-
prise roughly 45% lecture time and 55% individual or group prac-
tical exercises. Each session has specific objectives and short 
key readings which are included in the course reader. Further 
readings are suggested, however, they are not mandatory for the 
course. These documents will be available for reading and can be 
copied in case of interest. Participants will work individually 
or in groups of 3-4 students on selected case studies from low 
or middle income countries. 
 
Assessment procedures:
 
Course participants are expected to attend teaching sessions and 
participate regularly in discussions and group work. There will 
be an assessment of the participants during the course, a peer 
and facilitator assessment of a case-study. These criteria cor-
respond with the learning objectives of the course. The partici-
pant?s presentation during the course will be assessed based on 
specific criteria, which will occupy 20% of grades. Another 80% 
grades will come from a written examination. A formal one-hour 
written exam will be held at the end of the course including 
multiple choice and short-essay questions. Participants will re-
ceive a certificate at the end of the course certifying the suc-
cessful completion through examination of their learning.
 
Prerequisites:
 
Public health professionals and managers with a minimum of 2 
years experience in the health sector and at least some experi-
ence with or responsibility for health financing. Proficiency in 
English through prior study or accredited/certified examination 
process.
 
Attendance: Maximum number 24 students including tropEd students
 
Fees: Participants enrolled in the TropEd program will pay ? 
1,000; others pay ? 1,500. 
 
For more information contact:
Dr Hengjin Dong
Hygiene Institute, Department of Tropical Hygiene and Public Health
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 324
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Tel: +49-6221-564-689
Fax: +49-6221-565-948
mailto:Hengjin.Dong@urz.uni-heidelberg.de
http://www.hyg.uni-heidelberg.de/ithoeg
and 
http://www.troped.org