Health Law & Policy Seminar: Health Equity LAW 819A

Course Number: LAW 819A; ULWR

Course Credits: 2

Most developed countries offer universal health coverage through a single health care system. The United States, on the other hand, has a patchwork approach that falls far short of universal coverage. Even those who have access to the system may confront disparities in the care they receive. This seminar will focus on health equity. The CDC provides that health equity is achieved:

“when every person has the opportunity to ‘attain his or her full health potential’ and no one is ‘disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances.’ Health inequities are reflected in differences in length of life; quality of life; rates of disease, disability, and death; severity of disease; and access to treatment.”

This class will explore the unique challenges that people of color, immigrants, members of the LGBTQ community, the disabled, domestic violence survivors, those suffering from mental health challenges, the poor, the disabled, and others are confronted with when they interface with our health care system. The class will address legal institutional structures that need to be reformed or dismantled in order to achieve health equity for all.