When were health care plans started to pay costs of health care?

Health care plans began to pay for costs of health care in the early 20th century, with the emergence of Blue Cross in the 1920s, which initially covered hospital stays. The concept gained further traction during World War II when employers began offering health insurance as a fringe benefit to attract workers. By the 1960s, government programs like Medicare and Medicaid were established, expanding access to health care coverage.