HP400 Half Unit
Financing Health Care
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
George Wharton
Availability
This course is compulsory on the MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing and MSc in International Health Policy. This course is available on the MSc in Global Health Policy, MSc in Health Data Science and MSc in International Health Policy (Health Economics). This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
How to Apply
Priority for enrolment in Health Policy (HP) courses will be given to students from the Department of Health Policy, especially where the course is listed in their Programme Regulations.
Any remaining places will be offered to students from other departments who have HP courses listed in their Programme Regulations, and then on a first-come, first-served basis.
By submitting an application, you confirm that you meet any specified prerequisites.
Written statements will not be considered and will not affect your chances of being accepted onto a course.
Application opens: 10am on Thursday 25 September 2025
Do not apply before this time. Please make your selection as soon as possible once course selection opens.
Offers will be made by: 12pm (noon) on Monday 29 September 2025
For queries:
- Course content: Contact the Course Leader listed on the course guide.
- Application process: Email the Programmes Team at healthpolicy@lse.ac.uk
This course has a limited number of places (it is controlled access) and demand is typically high. Places are allocated first to students in the Department of Health Policy and students with the course on their regulations and then on a first come first served basis.
Course content
This course aims to give students a thorough grounding in health financing policy. It focuses on the health financing functions of collecting revenue, pooling funds and purchasing services, as well as on policy choices concerning coverage, resource allocation and market structure. The course mainly draws on examples from health financing policy in European countries, but the general principles studied apply internationally.
The course provides an overview of key health financing policy issues, including the advantages and disadvantages of different ways of raising revenue for health; the role of private financing mechanisms; the importance of pooling; decisions about whom to cover, what services to cover, and how much of service cost to cover; allocating resources to purchasers, purchasing market structure and the principles of strategic purchasing; the incentives associated with different methods of paying providers; and the issue of financial sustainability.
Teaching
2 hours of lectures in the Spring Term.
15 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.
Students will work together in small groups on structured learning activities set by the course leads, ahead of the seminars. There will be a 2 hour revision session held in the Spring Term ahead of the final exams.
Formative assessment
Students will receive feedback on formative activities of in-class group work and presentations.
Indicative reading
WHO, World Health Report 2010 - Health systems financing: the path to universal coverage (2010); E Mossialos, A Dixon, J Figueras & J Kutzin (eds), Funding health care: options for Europe, Open University Press (2002); J Kutzin, Health financing policy: a guide for decision-makers, World Health Organization (2008); T Rice, The economics of health reconsidered, Health Administration Press (3rd edn, 2009).
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 120 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Key facts
Department: Health Policy
Course Study Period: Autumn and Spring Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 122
Average class size 2024/25: 14
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Specialist skills