The reach of a national firm. The care of a local partner.

From 50 employees to 5,000, Black Ink designs and manages benefits programs that control cost and protect your people, with a dedicated team working your plan all year, not just at renewal.

Schedule a consultation See what savings do to EBITDA

Why we’re different

What actually changes when you change brokers?

Take the same employer to the same handful of carriers and most brokers come back with similar plans, networks and prices. So the industry learned to compete on everything around the healthcare instead of the cost of the care itself.

The national toolbox looks the same everywhere

Typical offerings from five of the largest national brokerage firms. Different logos, familiar lists.

Brokerage ABrokerage BBrokerage CBrokerage DBrokerage E

Enrollment platforms

Compliance support

Wellness vendors

Data analytics

Employee engagement

Useful tools, but employers can buy them on their own. They aren’t proof of lower healthcare costs.

Their own research points to similar outcomes

Different surveys and populations, so not a direct comparison. But the pattern is hard to miss.

Brokerage B, before changes11%

Brokerage A, before changes9.5%

Brokerage B, after planned cuts8.2%

Projected 2027 employer health cost increase

36%of employers saw premium increases of 10% or more at their last renewal, even after plan changes. Brokerage C survey

54%of employers now call cost the most important factor in benefits decisions, up from 38% a year earlier. Brokerage D survey

Our view of where results come from, not a ranking of any firm’s service quality.

When you switch to another big broker, what changes?

The salesperson
The logo on the dashboard
Who collects the commission

When you work with Black Ink, what changes?

What you pay for care: smarter Rx sourcing, direct contracts and navigation to high-quality providers
How the plan is funded, chosen around your claims instead of the carrier’s pricing
How success is measured: total cost and outcomes, not a higher deductible

Raising deductibles isn’t the same as lowering the price of healthcare. Don’t shop for a shinier broker. Demand a different model.

Sources: 2026 employer health benefit surveys and cost projections published by four of the five largest U.S. insurance brokerage and consulting firms. Firms are not named; letters are consistent across this section. Figures come from different surveys and populations and are not directly comparable.

When it matters most

What our team does when problems land on your desk.

Four situations every employer faces, who on our team owns each one, and what it delivered for a real client.

Our service model

Five roles. One team. All year.

The traditional model puts one broker and one account manager on everything. We assign five dedicated roles, each with a defined job. Compare the two, then select a role.

The CFO’s view

Every dollar saved on benefits is a dollar of EBITDA.

Health benefits are one of the largest costs after payroll. Savings don’t need new customers, more inventory or a bigger sales team. They go straight to the bottom line, and at a typical margin you’d have to sell many times that amount to earn the same profit.

Employees on the plan

Annual plan cost per employee

Savings we target

Your net profit margin

EBITDA multiple for your industry

Added to EBITDA each year

New revenue you’d need to earn the same profit

Added enterprise value at your multiple

Illustrative only. Savings are not guaranteed and depend on your claims experience and the decisions you make, including the funding arrangement, carrier and plan design you choose. We’ll model your actual numbers in a first meeting.

Client results

Results, translated into business terms.

Real outcomes from Black Ink clients, with names removed, and what each one means for the bottom line.

See all client results

Year-round approach

An extension of your team, every quarter.

Proactive communication, clear timelines and hands-on support, so decisions are made on your schedule rather than the carrier’s.

Every plan we build ends at someone’s kitchen table.

The savings matter to your business. The coverage matters to the families who depend on it. We design for both.

Beyond benefits

Advice across the full human capital spectrum.

Benefits strategy is our foundation. Through our partnership with Nexus and the 5th-largest privately held insurance brokerage in the nation, we also advise on:

Human capital consulting, HR technology and PEO advisory are delivered through Nexus, our partner firm.

Payroll systems
HR technology
Workforce planning
Change management
Recruitment and onboarding
HR compliance
Risk management
AI optimization

Let’s find out what your plan is really costing you.

We’ll review your current program and show you where the opportunities are, in dollars and in EBITDA.

Schedule a consultation

Employer services

Benefits that work as hard as your people do.

Black Ink helps employers of all sizes build forward-thinking strategies that go beyond cost-shifting, balancing fiscal efficiency with the well-being of the people you employ.

Benefits strategy

Comprehensive benefits architecture

We design integrated benefit programs built for long-term sustainability, analyzing workforce demographics, current spend and competitive positioning to attract and retain talent without eroding your bottom line.

Comprehensive benefits strategy development
Rx cost containment and pharmacy optimization
Self-funded and level-funded plan design
Voluntary benefits integration
Compliance services and regulatory guidance
Advocacy and employee engagement
Risk management and stop-loss strategy
Data analytics and reporting

Client with 400 employees

Employee rate increases since 2021: four consecutive years of rate stability through proactive plan redesign.

Mid-market employer, five years

−2.67%

Overall cost decrease over five years, versus an industry average trend of 8–10% annually.

Advisor reviewing a benefits plan with a client

Pharmacy solutions

Rx costs under control

Prescription drug costs have climbed for years, burdening employers and employees alike. Our pharmacy solutions restructure how your organization manages Rx spend.

Custom pharmacy benefit design
Direct PBM partnerships and pass-through pricing
Employee-facing Rx savings tools
Specialty drug management
Formulary optimization
Biosimilar and generic utilization programs

Year-one savings, single client

$1.1M

Rx savings in the first year through direct PBM restructuring and formulary optimization.

Member cost share, redesigned plan

Out-of-pocket cost on most generics and preferred brands: better access, higher satisfaction, lower trend.

Talk to a pharmacy specialist

Direct contracting

Bypass the middleman. Access quality care.

We help employers forge direct agreements with leading healthcare providers, giving employees better access to high-quality care at meaningfully lower cost.

Employer–provider direct agreement structuring
Bundled and value-based payment models
Center of excellence access
Narrow and tiered network design
On-site, near-site and virtual care integration

Client with 235 employees

−15%

Year-over-year health plan savings by contracting directly with the local hospital system and restructuring the care relationship.

How it was done

Direct

No insurer intermediary: a custom agreement with bundled pricing, care navigation and shared savings that aligned incentives on both sides.

HR / HCM solutions

Technology that elevates HR

Through our partnership with Nexus, we connect employers with the HR technology and outsourcing infrastructure that streamlines workforce management and reduces administrative burden.

HCM platform evaluation and implementation
Payroll and benefits administration integration
PEO and HR outsourcing advisory
Workforce analytics and reporting
Open enrollment technology
Employee self-service solutions

Delivered through our partnership with Nexus

Sample scorecard

Illustrative example. Every Nexus evaluation is scored from your own census, contracts and pricing. Select an option to compare.

Mergers & acquisitions

Human capital due diligence, done right

The human capital side of a transaction is often the most complex and the most overlooked. We focus on benefits liability, workforce integration and compensation harmonization to protect deal value from day one.

Benefits liability assessment and due diligence
Post-merger benefits integration planning
Workforce consolidation strategy
Compensation and total rewards harmonization
Compliance and regulatory risk analysis

Discuss your transaction

Let’s build a smarter benefits strategy.

Custom solutions for employers of all sizes, designed to deliver real, measurable results.

Request a consultation

Provider services

Transforming employer–provider relationships.

We help hospitals, health systems and provider groups strengthen employer partnerships, optimize pharmacy strategy and build high-value network solutions.

Direct contract programs

Better care. Lower cost. Direct access.

Traditional models leave employers navigating complex networks and rising costs. We help providers and employers establish direct arrangements that streamline access, reduce unnecessary spend and create partnerships built on shared value.

Custom employer–provider agreement structuring
Bundled payment and value-based contract models
Employee benefit integration
Care coordination and navigation support
Outcomes measurement and reporting

Network creation

Build your own high-value network

Providers are increasingly taking control of care delivery, developing narrow networks and independent health plans that improve quality and capture more of the premium dollar. We help health systems evaluate the opportunity and execute a sustainable go-to-market plan.

Market feasibility and opportunity assessment
Narrow network plan design and structuring
Insurer partnership strategy
Employer direct-contracting outreach
Quality benchmarking and provider tiering

Discuss network strategy

Pharmacy solutions

Pharmacy built for provider–employer partnerships

Pharmacy benefits are among the largest cost drivers for employers and providers alike. We help providers strengthen employer relationships through pharmacy strategies that improve access, affordability and outcomes.

340B program optimization
Specialty pharmacy access and strategy
Employer-aligned formulary design
PBM contract analysis and negotiation support
Medication adherence programs

Why partner with Black Ink

A strategic advisor, not just a broker

Alignment of interests

We act as a neutral strategic advisor, helping providers and employers find the ground where cost, quality and access all improve at once.

Complex negotiation expertise

Direct contracting is nuanced. Our team has structured hundreds of employer–provider agreements across the regulatory, operational and financial complexities involved.

Exclusive employer access

Our employer client base gives provider partners direct access to self-funded employers actively seeking better care relationships.

Measurable results

Every arrangement we structure is built around outcomes: cost per episode, quality benchmarks, employee satisfaction and utilization data that prove the model works.

Ready to rethink your employer strategy?

Let’s structure a direct contracting model that creates lasting value for your organization.

Schedule a conversation

About Black Ink

Architects of change in employee benefits and human capital.

For decades, Black Ink has been redefining what a benefits and human capital advisory firm can be: collaborators, innovators and advocates for the employers, providers and advisors we serve.

Who we are

Driven by mission, defined by results

Our mission

To transform how employers approach benefits, healthcare and workforce strategy, replacing short-term cost-shifting with long-term strategies that create sustainable efficiency, better health outcomes and stronger engagement.

Our vision

We challenge outdated industry norms and expose inefficiencies overlooked for decades. The biggest mistakes in benefits strategy come from misaligned perspectives and a lack of creative problem-solving; we exist to change that.

Our approach

We execute outside-the-box strategies most firms lack the expertise, partnerships or access to implement, combining analytical rigor with practical creativity.

What sets us apart

Disrupting traditional benefits and healthcare models

Proprietary models and exclusive access

We don’t just broker solutions, we build them. Proprietary programs and exclusive carrier relationships give clients strategies unavailable through traditional channels.

Industry-leading partnerships

Our partnership with Nexus adds HCM technology through M&A advisory, a breadth no single benefits firm can match on its own.

Depth of expertise

Decades of combined experience solving the hardest problems in healthcare and workforce management.

Our service model

A dedicated team built around yours

Most firms assign a broker and an account manager. Every Black Ink client gets five dedicated roles: an Advisor, an Account Executive, a Compliance Coordinator, an Implementation Specialist and Employee Advocates. Each role is defined, and each is active on your account all year.

Compare the models

Multi-year strategy

We meet your decision makers to understand current plans, challenges and long-term goals.

Strategic planning

Utilization, claims, cost and demographic analysis, plus predictive modeling, to project costs for your current arrangement and the alternatives.

Renewal actions

Where appropriate, recommendations on funding, plan design and cost sharing that fit your strategic plan.

Ready to think differently?

We’re building something better, and we’d like to build it with you.

Let’s talk

Client results

Real outcomes, measured in dollars and EBITDA.

Six Black Ink clients, names removed. For each, what happened, what we did and what it means for the business.

Why we show revenue equivalents

Benefits savings go straight to EBITDA. To earn the same profit through sales, a company has to sell the savings amount divided by its net margin. At a 2% margin, $100,000 saved equals $5,000,000 in new sales.

Run your own numbers

Agricultural grower and shipperFunding strategy

−2.67%

Average annual renewal change over six years.

The situation: On a fully insured plan, projected renewals were climbing past 80% over six years.
What we did: Built a funding and plan strategy around the company’s own claims experience instead of the carrier’s pricing.
The result: Renewals averaged a 2.67% decrease from 2020 through 2025, including one year of roughly 20% reduction.

Fully insured trajectory Actual renewal

EBITDA lensAvoided increases compound. Every year’s avoided cost stays off the expense line in every year that follows.

Regional grocery chainSpecialty Rx

$377,130

Saved on specialty medications since inception.

The situation: A handful of high-cost specialty drugs were driving a large share of plan spend.
What we did: Sourced the same medications through lower-cost channels. Same drugs, smarter sourcing, no change to treatment.
The result: $377,130 in documented savings since the program began.

Revenue equivalentAbout $18.0M in grocery sales to earn the same profit.Assumes a 2.1% net margin, the 2025 food retail average reported by FMI – The Food Industry Association.

Multi-location auto dealer groupCancer advocacy

$55,000

Hard savings on a single member.

The situation: An employee received a cancer diagnosis, the kind of claim that can define a plan year.
What we did: Enrolled the member in our cancer advocacy program, which guides members through providers, treatment and billing.
The result: $55,000 in hard savings, and a member supported through a difficult time.

Revenue equivalentAbout $2.2M in dealership sales.Assumes a 2.5% net pretax margin. NADA has historically reported dealership net pretax profit of roughly 2–3% of total sales.

Hospitality management companyPlan design

Employee rate changes since 2021.

The situation: A high-turnover industry where every paycheck deduction affects retention.
What we did: Managed cost through plan strategy instead of shifting it to employees.
The result: Employee contributions unchanged since 2021.

Business lensStable take-home pay supports retention, and turnover is one of the most expensive line items in hospitality.

Food processorMember advocacy

Member cost for a GLP-1 diabetes medication.

The situation: A member was paying up to their out-of-pocket maximum for a GLP-1 medication to treat diabetes.
What we did: Our advocates found a path to the same medication at no cost to the member.
The result: The member’s cost dropped to $0.

Business lensAffordable treatment keeps members on their medication, which lowers the risk of larger claims later.

Regional employerWellness

98%

Employee participation in biometric screening.

The situation: The plan had little data on emerging health risks across the workforce.
What we did: Designed and promoted a biometric screening program employees actually used.
The result: 98% engagement.

Business lensEarly detection gives the plan time to act before risk turns into large claims.

Results shown reflect specific client situations and are not guaranteed. Revenue equivalents use assumed industry margins and are illustrative. Actual results depend on each client’s claims experience and on the decisions the client makes, including the funding arrangement, carrier, plan design and other coverage options it chooses.

What could your plan deliver?

We’ll review your program and show you where the opportunities are.