This document provides an overview and instructions for several assignments in the HCS 440 course on health care economics and financing. It includes instructions for writing papers on the history of health care economics, current issues in health care spending, and analyzing economic challenges and solutions. It also includes assignments to complete a multi-part health care reform project selecting an issue, researching solutions, and presenting findings. Additional assignments involve simulations and studying public health tools and methods.

1. HCS/440
ECONOMICS: THE FINANCING OF
HEALTH CARE
The Latest Version A+ Study Guide
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HCS 440 Entire Course Link
https://uopcourses.com/category/hcs-440/
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HCS 440 Week 1 Economic Terms and Health Care History
Complete the Economic Terms and Health Care History Simulation.
Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you include the following:
 Use the defined terms to describe the history and evolution of health care
economics and the timeline of health care funding. Please make sure you use all
(7) terms in your paper.
 Include two outside resources.
Format your paper according to APA guidelines and include an introduction, conclusion,
and reference page.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your paper and a copy of the completed exercise
to your facilitator. Please submit your completed paper and exercise in (2) different
documents.

2. HCS 440 Week 2 Health Care Reform Project: Part I
The Health Care Reform Project consists of three parts that you will complete in Week
Two, Three, and Five. Each part builds upon the last portion completed.
Select a current health care economic issue, such as managed care, health care
spending, prescription drugs, the influence of current legislation on health care, medical
care for an aging population, or the influence of illegal immigrants on health care
economics in the United States. Please select a narrow topic and please make sure it is
a health care issue. For example, prescription drugs by itself is not a health care
problem. You need to narrow the topic to perhaps: drug shortages, the rising cost of
prescription drugs, or drug abuse.
Write a 175 to 300-word summary describing the issue.
Perform a literature search on the issue. Find at least three articles and summarize each
article in 175 to 300 words.
Total Words for this paper should be between 700 and 1200 words.
Format your response according to APA guidelines with an introduction, conclusion, and
reference page.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.
HCS 440 Week 3 Health Care Reform Project Part II
Resources: Results from Health Care Reform Project: Part I
Research three possible solutions to your selected health care economic issue as
determined in Part I. The solutions do not need to be extensive, but they must represent
solutions identified in your research.
Describe your findings and proposed solutions in 700 to 1,050 words from the information
and articles collected in the Health Care Reform Project: Part I assignment.
Format your paper according to APA guidelines.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

3. HCS 440 Week 3 Health Care Spending Paper
Write a 1,050- to 1,750-word paper in which you explain your position on national health
care spending in the United States. Include information on the following:
 The level of current national health care expenditures
 Whether the spending is too much or not enough
 Where the nation should add or cut spending and why
 How the public's health care needs are paid for, such as being financed by various
payers, while indicating the percent of total expenditures they represent
Provide a forecast of the following:
 The future economic needs of the health care system
 Why these needs must be addressed
 How you envision these needs will be financed
Format your paper according to APA guidelines.
References: There is no minimum requirement of references for this paper, but it cannot
be written without an appropriate number of APA outside references.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.
HCS 440 Week 4 Economic Issues Simulation Paper
Review the Health Care Economics Issues HMO Simulation.
In the simulation, select either Constructit or E-Editor for analysis to complete your paper.
As a representative of Castor Insurance, your job is to maximize profit and minimize risk
for the company.
Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you do the following:
 Present a profile of the chosen company. Include the following:
o Demographics of the employees
o Health care risk factors or potential areas of high utilization
o Premiums the company is willing to pay
 Based on your analysis of potential utilization, provide the following:
o At least two reasons why each plan could be selected

4. o State which plan to sell to your chosen company
 What are the reasons for this decision?
 Why did you decide against the other plans offered?
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment. The worksheet should be
used to prepare your paper. Please do not submit the worksheet as part of this
assignment.
References: The paper requires APA formatted references, at least, the UOP
Simulation software. Also, please make sure the paper has an introduction, conclusion,
and reference page.
HCS 440 Week 4 Public Health Tools and Methods Study Guide
As a team, complete the University of Phoenix Material: Public Health Tools and
Methods Study Guide Worksheet.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.
Public Health Tools and Methods Study Guide
As a team, complete the following table in which you identify 4 to 6 tools or methods used to
address financial and economic challenges in the health care industry. An example has been
provided.
Resources: this week’s readings, the Economic Tools in the Public Health Economics and Tools
section on the CDC website, the Department of Health and Human Services website, and other
resources as needed that are available through additional research.
Tool/method Identify the purpose and use of the tool or
method
Identify the payment
source and
organization that
might use this tool or
method.
Return-on-Investment
Forecasting
Calculator (ROI
Calculator)
(EXAMPLE)
This tool evaluates the net financial benefits
of initiatives designed to improve health care
quality and reduce costs.
Two modules allow Medicaid stakeholders to
develop ROI forecasts for initiatives designed
to improve health care quality and reduce
costs. (EXAMPLE)
Medicaid
(EXAMPLE)

5. HCS 440 Week 5 Signature Assignment: Health Care Reform
Project: Part III
Resource: Health Care Reform Project, Part I and II
Prepare a Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation in which you summarize health care
reform material.
Assume you are making a presentation to the board of directors concerning your
investigation into the economic issue you submitted for your Health Care Reform Project
assignments in Week Two and Three.
Have a minimum of 10 to 15 slides with extensive speaker notes, augmenting and
expanding on the information presented in each slide.
Include the following in your presentation:
 Describe the economic issue selected.
 Identify methods and tools common to addressing economic challenges in the
health care industry.
 Discuss how the methods and tools identified relate to health care reform.
 Determine the most effective method(s) and tool(s) that could be used to resolve
the economic issue selected.
 Identify various payment sources and mechanism used in the health care industry.
 Determine which payment source(s) and mechanism(s) are the most effective to
resolve the economic issue selected.
 List the steps needed to implement your solution.
Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.