ILRGL 4352 - From Social Goods to Private Gain: Healthcare in the Age of Financialization

Spring. 3 credits. Letter grades only (no audit).

R. Batt.

Financialization is a process in which financial actors increasingly dominate the US economy. While it is occurring across most industries, it has penetrated the US healthcare sector at an alarming rate. Historically, public and non-profit healthcare providers had a patient care mission, but increasingly, large for-profit corporations and Wall Street investors are dominant players. How do these changes affect the quality of jobs, job security, patient care, and equal access to care? This course examines these issues from a multi-stakeholder perspective. It is interdisciplinary – drawing on readings, cases, and guest speakers from political science, sociology, industrial relations, health economics, and public health. It examines the intersection between regulatory policies, financial actors, and healthcare outcomes. Part I considers macro-level changes in regulatory policies that have facilitated change. Part II focuses on the dynamics of conflict and change in particular healthcare arenas, including hospitals, nursing homes, mental health, big pharma, HealthIT, and others. Part III examines the evidence on outcomes for healthcare workers, patients, and providers – and how labor and patient advocacy groups have responded. This provides the basis for class debates on organizational and public policy options for reform.