Partnership Announcements – Total Benefit Solutions Inc

Total Benefit Solutions is Now an Official Member of the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance

May 8, 2026May 8, 2026Lily DaltonNo Comments

We’re proud to announce that Total Benefit Solutions is now an official member of the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance (AAMSI)! AAMSI is a nationally recognized organization dedicated to supporting professionals who specialize in Medicare and Medicare Supplement insurance. Their mission is to promote education, ethical standards, and consumer awareness within the Medicare industry. Becoming a member of AAMSI reflects our ongoing commitment to providing trusted guidance, reliable information, and personalized support to every client we serve. As part of this respected organization, Total Benefit Solutions gains access to valuable industry resources, continued education, and up-to-date Medicare insights — helping us better serve our clients with confidence and care.… Read More

Why Your Hospital Bills Are Total Fiction (And How Reference-Based Pricing Fixes It)

May 7, 2026May 7, 2026Ed MacConnellNo Comments

If you’ve ever opened a hospital bill and felt your heart stop for a second, and not because of the medical condition you were there for, you aren’t alone. We’ve all seen it: a $50 charge for a single Tylenol pill or a $3,000 bill for a fifteen-minute "consultation" that felt more like a quick "hello." Here’s the dirty little secret the healthcare industry doesn't want you to know: those numbers are almost entirely made up. In the world of health insurance and hospital billing, the prices you see on your statement are part of a document called the Chargemaster. Think of the Chargemaster as the "MSRP" (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail… Read More

Medicare Secondary Payer Rules: 15 Things You Need to Know to Avoid Penalties

May 6, 2026May 7, 2026Ed MacConnellNo Comments

Let’s be honest: talking about Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) rules is about as exciting as watching paint dry in a room full of accountants. But here’s the kicker, if you’re a small business owner, ignoring these rules is a great way to watch your hard-earned profits vanish into a black hole of federal fines. At Total Benefit Solutions Inc, we spend our days navigating the labyrinth of group health insurance for employers, and we’ve seen it all. We know that you’re just trying to provide affordable group health insurance without getting slapped by Uncle Sam. CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) has a very specific sense of humor,… Read More

How to Choose the Best Group Health Benefits for Small Business (Compared)

May 5, 2026May 7, 2026Ed MacConnell

Choosing the right group health insurance for employers can feel like trying to navigate a maze without a map. If you are a small business owner, you already know the stakes. Providing group health benefits for small business is one of your biggest expenses, yet it’s also your most powerful tool for attracting and keeping great employees. In 2026, the landscape of healthcare is shifting faster than ever. With median premium increases hitting double digits (often around 11% or higher), the "standard" way of doing things might not be the best way for your bottom line. We see many business owners stuck in a cycle of "renewal shock," where they… Read More

Level Funded vs. Fully Insured: Which Is Better For Your Trucking Company?

May 4, 2026May 4, 2026Ed MacConnell

If you’re running a trucking company in 2026, you already know that the road isn’t just getting longer: it’s getting more expensive. Between fluctuating fuel costs, maintenance, and the constant battle to keep good drivers behind the wheel, your margins are constantly under pressure. One of the biggest line items on your balance sheet is likely health insurance. For years, the "safe" choice was a traditional fully insured plan. You pay the premium, the insurance company takes the risk, and everyone moves on. But as premiums continue to climb by double digits year after year, many fleet owners are asking: Is there a better way? At Total Benefit Solutions Inc,… Read More

Why Minimum Value Plans are a Game Changer for Home Health Agencies

April 13, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

For home health agencies (HHAs) across the United States, the business landscape has never been more challenging. Between shifting Medicare reimbursement models, a persistent shortage of skilled nursing talent, and the ever-present pressure of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandates, many agency owners feel like they are being squeezed from every direction. At Total Benefit Solutions Inc, we spend a significant amount of time speaking with agency owners who are struggling to find a balance. They want to provide quality benefits to attract and retain caregivers, but they also need to maintain a bottom line that allows the agency to stay operational. The margins in home health are notoriously thin,… Read More

The Big Insurance Lie: Why your small business is probably overpaying for “peace of mind” (and how to stop)

April 11, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

Let’s have a straight-talk conversation. If you are a small business owner, you’ve probably been told that the "safest" way to handle employee benefits is to sign up for a traditional, fully-insured plan from one of the big-name carriers, pay your monthly premium, and put the whole headache out of your mind. They call it "peace of mind." At Total Benefit Solutions Inc, we call it the "Big Insurance Lie." The truth is, many small businesses are overpaying for their health coverage by anywhere from 15% to a staggering 80%. When you consider that health insurance is often the second largest expense on a balance sheet after payroll, that "peace… Read More

MVP vs. MEC: The Compliance Difference That Could Cost You Thousands

April 8, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

If you’ve been following our blog recently, you know we’ve been diving deep into the world of Minimum Value Plans (MVP). We’ve talked about compliance and why your plan needs to actually meet these standards. But here is where things usually get messy for HR managers and business owners: the alphabet soup of the ACA. Specifically, the difference between MEC (Minimum Essential Coverage) and MVP (Minimum Value Plan). To the untrained eye, they sound like the same thing. They both start with "Minimum," they both deal with health insurance, and they both keep the IRS off your back, right? Not exactly. Confusing these two isn't just a minor clerical error;… Read More

The ‘Minimum’ Plan That Doesn’t Mean Minimum Advocacy

April 6, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

When you hear the word "minimum," what comes to mind? Usually, it’s the bare essentials. The absolute basement. The least amount you can do to get by without getting in trouble. In the world of employee benefits, a "Minimum Value Plan" (MVP) often carries that same stigma. Many business owners view these plans as a "check-the-box" compliance strategy, a way to avoid those stinging Affordable Care Act (ACA) penalties without breaking the bank. Because these plans sit at the lower end of the cost spectrum, there is a dangerous assumption that the service, support, and advocacy attached to them must also be "minimum." At Total Benefit Solutions, we think that’s… Read More

Medicare Secondary Payer Rules: A Quick-Start Guide for Employers with 65+ Staff

April 6, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

As we move further into 2026, the landscape of the American workforce continues to shift. More than ever, we are seeing valued team members choose to work well past the traditional retirement age of 65. While having that experience and institutional knowledge on your team is a massive win for your business, it does introduce a specific layer of complexity regarding your employee benefits strategy. The biggest question we get here at Total Benefit Solutions Inc is often some variation of: "My top salesperson just turned 65. Do they have to go on Medicare, and who pays their medical bills first?" The answer lies within the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP)… Read More

Reference Based Pricing Explained in Under 3 Minutes: The Secret to Affordable Group Health Insurance

March 30, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

If you’re a small to mid-sized business owner, you’ve likely watched your health insurance premiums climb year after year. You’re doing everything right: managing your overhead, growing your team, and taking care of your customers: yet your "second largest expense" keeps eating into your profit margins. It’s frustrating, and frankly, the traditional insurance model feels rigged against you. At Total Benefit Solutions, we don’t believe you should have to choose between providing quality benefits and keeping your business profitable. There is a better way to do this, and it’s called Reference Based Pricing (RBP). If you have three minutes, I can explain exactly how this "secret" works and why it’s… Read More

Don’t Get Burned by ACA Penalties: How Minimum Value Plans Save Your Bottom Line

March 30, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

If you’re running a business in 2026, you already know that the IRS doesn’t send "friendly reminders" when it comes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They send bills. And lately, those bills have been getting a lot more expensive. At Total Benefit Solutions, we’ve seen too many hard-working business owners get blindsided by the Employer Shared Responsibility (ESR) payments because they thought their "standard" plan covered them. The reality is that just "having insurance" isn't enough to satisfy the federal government. To protect your bottom line, your plan must meet a very specific threshold called Minimum Value (MV). If it doesn't, and even one of your employees goes to… Read More

ACA Compliance 101: Is Your Health Plan Actually Meeting Minimum Value?

March 23, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

If you are a business owner or an HR director, you’ve probably heard the term "Minimum Value" thrown around more times than you can count during open enrollment. But here is the reality: "Minimum Value" isn’t just a buzzword or a checkbox on a government form. It is a legal threshold that determines whether your business is protected from massive IRS penalties or if you are sitting on a ticking financial time bomb. As we move through 2026, the stakes have never been higher. At Total Benefit Solutions, we don’t just look at spreadsheets; we act as your frontline advocates. We’ve seen too many employers get sold "budget" plans that… Read More

ACA Employer Mandate penalties are the highest ever

March 20, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

ACA Employer Mandate penalties are the highest they have been since passage of the ACA. Here is a quick refresher for appliable large employers (or those close to hitting the 50 FTE threshold) on determining ALE status and tracking hours of its employees.

Medicare Secondary Payer Rules: 7 Mistakes Employers Are Making (And the CMS Penalties You Can’t Ignore in 2026)

March 20, 2026May 1, 2026Ed MacConnell

If you're an employer with 20 or more employees, you need to understand Medicare Secondary Payer rules, because CMS isn't asking nicely anymore. 2026 is shaping up to be a major enforcement year. CMS is tightening scrutiny on employers who mess up Medicare coordination, and the penalties aren't slaps on the wrist. We're talking mandatory reimbursements to Medicare, civil money penalties, and potential lawsuits that can drain your budget faster than any premium increase. The problem? Most employers have no idea they're even at risk until CMS comes knocking. At Total Benefit Solutions, we fight these battles every day, pushing back when carriers get the rules wrong, advocating when employers… Read More

Allegheny Health Network and Heritage Valley Health System Sign Affiliation Agreement

October 27, 2025October 24, 2025Aris Herrera

Organizations Pledge Expanded Access to High-Quality Care in western Allegheny County and greater Beaver County as Heritage Valley’s Hospitals, Outpatient Clinics and Physician Practices become part of AHN and Highmark Health. Beaver, PA (Oct. 16, 2025) – Officials from Heritage Valley Health System (HVHS), the Heritage Valley Health System Foundation, Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network (AHN) joined community leaders and hospital employees today to celebrate the signing of an affiliation agreement that will strengthen and expand the services that HVHS provides to residents in western Allegheny County, greater Beaver County and the surrounding region. Pending government approval of the transaction, the affiliation will establish Heritage Valley Beaver and Heritage Valley Sewickley as AHN’s 15th and 16th… Read More

Category: Partnership Announcements

Total Benefit Solutions is Now an Official Member of the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance

Like this:

Why Your Hospital Bills Are Total Fiction (And How Reference-Based Pricing Fixes It)

Like this:

Medicare Secondary Payer Rules: 15 Things You Need to Know to Avoid Penalties

Like this:

How to Choose the Best Group Health Benefits for Small Business (Compared)

Like this:

Level Funded vs. Fully Insured: Which Is Better For Your Trucking Company?

Like this:

Why Minimum Value Plans are a Game Changer for Home Health Agencies

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The Big Insurance Lie: Why your small business is probably overpaying for “peace of mind” (and how to stop)

Like this:

MVP vs. MEC: The Compliance Difference That Could Cost You Thousands

Like this:

The ‘Minimum’ Plan That Doesn’t Mean Minimum Advocacy

Like this:

Medicare Secondary Payer Rules: A Quick-Start Guide for Employers with 65+ Staff

Like this:

Reference Based Pricing Explained in Under 3 Minutes: The Secret to Affordable Group Health Insurance

Like this:

Don’t Get Burned by ACA Penalties: How Minimum Value Plans Save Your Bottom Line

Like this:

ACA Compliance 101: Is Your Health Plan Actually Meeting Minimum Value?

Like this:

ACA Employer Mandate penalties are the highest ever

Like this:

Medicare Secondary Payer Rules: 7 Mistakes Employers Are Making (And the CMS Penalties You Can’t Ignore in 2026)

Like this:

Allegheny Health Network and Heritage Valley Health System Sign Affiliation Agreement

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