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WWII ~ they had extensive and very tough wage and price controls back then. To compete for skilled workers (then in short supply due to the needs of the military for soldiers), the companies offered free medical care.

Then, or later, this was made a tax exempt benefit.

Why you are thinking of Nixon is he proposed what amounted to a Socialized European Medical System and he was handed his head.

That was one of the reasons he found out he didn't have any friends among Republicans when the Democrats went after him.

The next several Presidents took the lesson to heart ~ then we get to Obama. He thinks he and Nixon are different. All I can say is Nixon was a smart guy. Obama isn't.