McCarthy Stevenot Agency is an independent Ohio small business health insurance broker serving employers with 2–50 employees. We help businesses review renewals, compare quotes, and evaluate ACA, MEWA, level-funded, and ICHRA options when appropriate.
The options available to one company may not be available to another. Employee participation, eligibility requirements, employer contributions, underwriting, and the characteristics of the group can all affect which approaches are realistic.
Since 1991, we have helped Ohio small employers understand those trade-offs before making important health insurance decisions.
How Ohio Employers Usually Start
Employers often begin by requesting quotes. Quotes matter, but they are most useful after the realistic options have been identified.
A short initial conversation typically covers the number of employees, current coverage, renewal timing, employer contribution, employee participation, and what the business hopes to improve.
When appropriate, a health insurance prescreen helps identify realistic options before carriers provide final pricing.
Depending on the situation, that process may include comparing ACA small group plans, Ohio MEWA health plans, level-funded plans, ICHRAs, and other group health insurance approaches.
The review may uncover alternatives worth exploring, or it may confirm that the current arrangement remains competitive. The objective is not to create unnecessary disruption. It is to help the employer make a decision based on a clearer picture of the available options.
Not sure how to compare brokers? Our guide on How to Choose a Small Business Health Insurance Broker in Ohio explains what to look for, what questions to ask, and why renewal planning and ongoing service often matter as much as the initial quote.
Common Reasons Ohio Employers Contact Us
Our health insurance renewal increased. What should we do?
A higher renewal does not automatically mean the current plan should be replaced. The first step is to understand why the rates changed, review the current plan, and determine whether other carriers or plan structures deserve comparison.
Read what to do when a small business health insurance renewal increases in Ohio.
Can we get a second opinion without changing our current plan?
A second opinion can review pricing, plan design, employer contributions, and available alternatives without committing the employer to an immediate carrier or broker change.
Learn how a small business health insurance second opinion works.
We have never offered health insurance before. Where do we start?
Start with the number of eligible employees, expected participation, budget, employer contribution, and the type of workforce being covered. A health insurance prescreen can then help narrow the options worth evaluating.
Compare Health Insurance Options for Your Business
Tell us a little about your business, current coverage, and renewal timing. We will use that information to help identify which health insurance options are worth evaluating before final quotes are requested.
Questions? Call 513-891-9888.
Still researching? Start with our Ohio Small Business Health Insurance Guide to understand how ACA plans, MEWAs, level-funded plans, and ICHRAs compare.
Who We Help
We work with Ohio small businesses with 2–50 employees that are evaluating their health insurance options.
Employers often contact us when they are reviewing their current plan, preparing for renewal, comparing coverage for the first time, or considering alternatives such as a MEWA, level-funded plan, or ICHRA.
As a family-owned small business, we understand the responsibility of running a company while trying to provide useful benefits for employees. Unlike large national brokers that often concentrate on larger organizations, our primary focus is helping Ohio small employers.
Learn more about our background and approach on our About page.
We also speak with employers in edge cases, including one-employee companies and husband-and-wife businesses. Traditional group coverage may not apply in every situation, but other approaches may be available depending on how the business and workforce are structured.
Read more about health insurance options for businesses with five or fewer employees.
What We Help Employers Compare
We help employers evaluate the main ways to provide health insurance:
- ACA small group plans: Traditional group coverage with community-rated pricing and standardized small-group requirements
- MEWA and association plans: Chamber-based arrangements that may offer different pricing opportunities for eligible groups
- Level-funded plans: A funding approach that may provide savings opportunities based partly on the health characteristics and claims risk of the group
- ICHRA options: A reimbursement-based alternative that allows employees to obtain individual health insurance coverage
Each approach has eligibility requirements, advantages, limitations, and practical trade-offs. We help employers understand which options fit the business before asking them to make a decision.
Explore our health insurance services and plan options for Ohio employers for a broader overview.
How an Ohio Small Business Health Insurance Broker Helps Before and After Enrollment
Working with McCarthy Stevenot Agency generally includes:
- An initial conversation about your business, employees, current coverage, renewal timing, and goals
- A health insurance prescreen when appropriate so realistic carriers and plan approaches can be identified before final pricing
- Side-by-side comparisons explaining costs, plan design, networks, funding structure, and practical trade-offs
- Enrollment support for the employer and employees
- Help with enrollment, billing, and difficult carrier issues when they arise
- A structured annual renewal review rather than waiting until the last moment to examine alternatives
Learn more about what a small business health insurance broker should do before and after enrollment.
Why Ohio Small Businesses Work With Us
- Primary focus on small businesses with 2–50 employees: Small business health insurance is not one of many unrelated services we offer. It is the main focus of our agency.
- Ohio market experience: We help employers evaluate ACA plans, MEWAs, level-funded plans, and ICHRAs available to Ohio businesses.
- Independent guidance: We are not tied to one insurance carrier, allowing us to evaluate different carriers and plan approaches based on the employer’s situation.
- Direct service before and after enrollment: Employers continue working directly with our agency for enrollment questions, carrier issues, and renewal planning.
- No separate agency fee in most cases: For the group health plans we place, broker compensation is generally built into the premium rather than billed to the employer as an additional agency fee. We explain any compensation or fees that apply to the plan being considered.
If the current plan remains the strongest available fit, we will explain that too.
See an example of a detailed health insurance renewal review and the questions examined before a recommendation was made.
Ready to Review Your Options?
Whether you are preparing for renewal, comparing coverage for the first time, or considering a different plan approach, the next step is a short conversation about your employees, current coverage, timing, and goals.
Use the form above, call 513-891-9888, or contact McCarthy Stevenot Agency.
Still researching? Read our Ohio Small Business Health Insurance Guide.