 Free medical checkups were introduced that same year, while the Farmers' Sickness Insurance Law (1972) introduced compulsory sickness insurance for independent farmers, family workers in agriculture, and pensioners under the farmers' pension scheme, medical benefits for all covered groups, and cash benefits for family workers under compulsory coverage for pension insurance.Participation in employer's health insurance was extended to four million employees.A Development Law of December 1970 made it possible for all employees voluntarily to become members of the statutory sickness insurance.