As inflation, workforce instability, and rising medical costs strain American households, healthcare executive John Theodore Zabasky is raising awareness about a growing crisis often overlooked in national conversations: millions of working Americans remain effectively locked out of usable healthcare despite being employed. Zabasky, CEO of WorXsiteHR Insurance Solutions, Inc., identifies the rapid expansion of part-time, seasonal, and gig-based labor as a key driver of this problem.
"The workforce has changed faster than our healthcare systems," Zabasky explains. "Traditional benefits were built for full-time, long-term employment. That's no longer the reality for a huge portion of workers." Recent labor data shows nearly 40% of U.S. workers now fall outside traditional full-time employment, while studies indicate over 30 million Americans delay or avoid medical care each year due to cost. Even among insured individuals, high deductibles and confusing plan structures often prevent people from seeking care.
"Coverage doesn't automatically mean access," says Zabasky. "If people are afraid to use their insurance, the system has already failed." This widening gap represents more than a statistical concern—it directly impacts workforce stability, family wellbeing, and community health. When working people cannot access care, the consequences ripple through every aspect of society.
Zabasky's organization serves as the exclusive Third-Party Administrator for the HealthWorX Plan, a no-cost medical plan subsidized by a nonprofit to support lower-income, part-time, and seasonal workers. Through affiliated nonprofit efforts, his organization helps facilitate over $100 million annually in healthcare services and premiums for families in need. However, Zabasky emphasizes that the issue extends beyond any single company or program.
"This isn't about one plan or one provider," he states. "It's about recognizing that healthcare needs to be simple, usable, and designed around how people actually live and work today." With academic training spanning history, business, information systems, and health sciences, Zabasky approaches healthcare as a systems problem requiring fundamental adaptation rather than incremental adjustments.
"History shows us that systems fail when they stop serving the people they were built for," he notes. "If we don't adapt, we repeat the same mistakes—just at a larger scale." He specifically warns against overcomplication in healthcare administration, noting that "complexity benefits administrators, not patients. Simplicity is what restores trust."
Rather than waiting for comprehensive policy reform alone, Zabasky encourages practical, immediate action at multiple levels. Employers can explore alternative healthcare models for nontraditional workers, while workers should ask direct questions about actual costs rather than just coverage details. Communities can support nonprofits expanding healthcare access, and leaders can prioritize systems that emphasize usability over optics.
"You don't need to rebuild the entire system to make a difference," Zabasky says. "You just need to stop accepting that 'this is how it's always been.'" As economic uncertainty continues, his message carries particular urgency: healthcare access has evolved from a benefits issue to a fundamental workforce, stability, and dignity issue affecting millions. "When working people can take care of their health," he concludes, "everything else becomes more stable—families, businesses, and communities."
