 But since the 1941 creation of the Social Insurance Administration ("Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social" – CCSS), Costa Rica has provided universal health care to its wage-earning residents, with coverage extended to dependants over time.In 1973, the CCSS took over administration of all 29 of the country's public hospitals and all health care, also launching a Rural Health Program ("Programa de Salud Rural") for primary care to rural areas, later extended to primary care services nationwide.In 1993, laws were passed to enable elected health boards that represented health consumers, social insurance representatives, employers, and social organizations.