One of the most important public health problems in Russia during the second half of the 19th to early 20th centuries was poorly developed medical services at factories. Medical care at industrial complexes was primarily for emergency medical assistance and often existed only on paper. Its establishment and implementation depended on the decision of the owners. Adopted in 1912 under pressure from the labor movement, a package of laws on insurance should have changed the situation through social partnership. The law “On insuring workers in case of illness”, established the conditions and prospects for the development of medical services at factories. It was meant to become the basis for health insurance