Final answer:
Prior to Medicare's establishment in the United States in 1965, Germany had initiated a health insurance system for workers in 1883, later including the elderly and disabled, making Germany's system similar to that of Medicare.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prior to the establishment of the Medicare program in the United States in 1965, which was a significant step towards providing health insurance to the elderly, Germany had already instituted a form of health insurance for its workers. Germany's Health Insurance Law of 1883 mandated that employers provide health insurance for their employees, funded by both employee contributions and employer contributions. This system was expanded over time to cover the elderly and those with disabilities. Moreover, various other countries such as France and Britain also had systems of social insurance before the U.S. Medicare program was implemented.