Health Care Reform

Health promotion is not a new notion; the term was coined in 1945 by Henry E. Sigerist. Sigerist narrowed down the major tasks of medicine into four factors, promotion of health, prevention of illness, and restoration of the sick and rehabilitation. In 2010, it was once again reflected on the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act represents a major commitment to ensure that all Americans have access to high quality and affordable health care while focusing on promoting the health and well-being of communities.
The United States and Germany have so much in common. Both have rapidly developing economies and large populations with strong programs that support health promotion, wellness and prevention. In both countries citizens are required to purchase health care. The two nation’s health systems have a great deal in common, yet they also display fundamental differences. Such a comparison will illuminate health
The German Health Care system is financed through social security insurance schemes in which each citizen must belong to one of these funds according to the German Law. The German Health Care system includes ambulatory care, prevention, diagnostics, and treatment of diseases, maternity service, and sick benefits. Health promotion covers special disease prevention programs, such as anti-smoking counseling, financial support, even spa treatments. Members over the age of 34 years are entitled to a medical checkup every 2 years, which helps prevent many life threatening illnesses. Politically, health promotion is a very important issue in the German Health Care system, politicians, health care providers, and doctors express a strong commitment to provide the essential prerequisites for health promotion by participating in the development of a health promoting policy, structure of health promoting living conditions, and full support of the health promotion community