What Companies Get Wrong About Worker Healthcare

Why Employee Benefits Need a Rethink

Most employee benefit plans are outdated. They were built for a time when people worked 9 to 5, stayed in one job for 30 years, and got gold watches when they retired.

That’s not how things work anymore.

Today, workers are mobile. Many are part-time, freelance, or seasonal. The gig economy is growing fast. But benefits haven’t kept up. A report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that only 23% of part-time workers in the U.S. have access to healthcare through their employer. For low-wage workers, it’s even worse.

That gap creates a huge problem. Workers can’t afford to get sick. Businesses lose productivity. And society pays the price.

Something has to change.

What the HealthWorX Model Got Right

Let’s look at what worked. In 2013, a company called WorXsiteHR came up with a better idea. They created the HealthWorX Plan—a no-cost healthcare option for workers that most companies ignore.

These include part-time, seasonal, and hourly employees. The people cleaning buildings, restocking shelves, picking crops. The backbone of the labor force.

The architect of this system was John Theodore Zabasky. He saw the gap. Then he built something to fill it. The plan is funded through a nonprofit model. It keeps costs down while still delivering care that people actually use.

It works because it’s focused on real needs.

“I met a single mom in Florida who was cleaning hotel rooms,” Zabasky said. “She didn’t qualify for Medicaid, but couldn’t afford insurance. With HealthWorX, she finally got coverage—and used it for the first time in her life.”

That story isn’t rare. It’s common.

The Core Idea: Stop Excluding People

Most benefit systems are built for full-time workers. Everyone else gets left behind.

The HealthWorX model flips that. It starts with the people who usually get nothing. That’s a key lesson.

If your benefit plan only covers one kind of worker, it’s not built for the future.

We’re in an era where flexibility is the norm. That means benefits need to flex too.

It’s Not Just About Insurance

HealthWorX isn’t just a health insurance program. It’s a full benefits solution. It includes:

• Preventive care
  
• Prescription coverage
  
• Mental health services
  
• Tools for tracking care
  

And all of it is structured around ease of access. Workers don’t have to fill out 10 forms or wait months. They just use it.

Zabasky said, “We didn’t want people to feel like they had to earn the right to care. If you work, you should be able to stay healthy. It’s that simple.”

The Results Speak Loudly

The HealthWorX Plan now supports thousands of workers across the country. The nonprofit arm behind it donates over $100 million a year in healthcare services and premiums.

That’s not theory. That’s action.

And it solves more than one problem. Healthy workers miss fewer days. They’re more focused. They stay on the job longer.

According to the CDC, healthier workers are 25% more productive than those with untreated health issues.

So yes, it’s about doing good. But it also makes business sense.

What Other Companies Can Do

1. Rethink Eligibility

Start by asking who’s left out of your current benefits. Contractors? Seasonal staff? Hourly workers? Then ask why. In many cases, there’s no good reason. Just old policies.

Try adding benefit tiers that match how people actually work today.

2. Partner with Nonprofits

You don’t have to build everything yourself. HealthWorX works because it partners with a nonprofit. That structure helps reduce costs, avoid waste, and focus funds where they’re needed most.

Look for local or national nonprofit partners who specialize in healthcare, childcare, housing, or education. Collaboration can cut costs and improve impact.

3. Simplify the System

Most employees don’t use their benefits because the process is a mess. Too many logins. Too much jargon. Too many barriers.

Build benefits that are easy to use. Mobile-first. Plain language. One-click access.

If your benefits require training to understand, they’re too complicated.

4. Share the Stories

People relate to people—not pie charts. Want employees to use your new benefit? Share stories. Talk about the janitor who got a health screening. Or the cashier who finally went to therapy.

Put real faces on the impact. That’s how you build trust and excitement.

5. Measure What Matters

Skip vanity metrics. Track actual usage. How many employees got checkups? How many prescriptions were filled? How many people said, “This changed my life”?

If you don’t know the answer, your program probably isn’t working.

Why This Matters Now

The future of work is not about desk jobs and fixed schedules. It’s about flexibility, mobility, and diversity.

If your benefit plans don’t reflect that, you’ll lose good people. You’ll burn out teams. You’ll fall behind.

More companies are waking up. A 2024 study by MetLife found that 61% of employers plan to expand benefits for non-traditional workers in the next two years. That includes part-time staff, gig workers, and contractors.

They’re moving in the right direction. But most haven’t gone far enough.

Final Thoughts

Redesigning benefits isn’t just a nice upgrade. It’s a leadership test. It shows whether you’re paying attention to how people actually live and work.

The HealthWorX model proves there’s a better way. One that includes everyone. One that helps people stay healthy, stay working, and stay human.

And it started with one question: What if we stopped building systems that leave people out?

Now it’s your turn. Ask better questions. Build better benefits. Do something real.