[boc]

It started as a reaction to a market distortion during/after WWII. There was a government-imposed salary cap during the war (Stabilization Act of 1942), so private companies had to get creative to attract talent. One thing that stuck was offering additional health insurance to employees. The rest is history.

Further reading: https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-obamaca...

[Apocryphon]

If universal healthcare was adopted during the Truman administration, wonder what employers would move on to as their major bargaining chip to woo talent.