#United States #Charlotte #Amwins #Stealth Partner #Stop-Loss

Stealth Partner Group Unveils Comprehensive 2025 State of the Market Report

Stealth Partner Group, a prominent name in the stop-loss general agency sphere and a subsidiary of Amwins, has recently rolled out its extensive 2025 State of the Market Report. This publication serves as a crucial resource, furnishing brokers and employers with vital information regarding current market trends pertaining to healthcare and employer stop-loss insurance. The report outlines significant factors influencing the stop-loss market, providing in-depth commentary across various sectors, insights from insurance carriers, best practices, and benchmarking data derived from Stealth's comprehensive book of business.

With healthcare costs on the rise and catastrophic claims becoming more frequent, there is mounting pressure on plan sponsors and brokers to navigate these challenges with greater astuteness. Riva Dumeny, President of Amwins Group Benefits, remarked, "As healthcare costs and catastrophic claims continue to climb, we're seeing increased pressure on plan sponsors and brokers to make smarter, faster decisions. This year's report dives deep into the shifting dynamics of our market and provides actionable intelligence to help clients build stronger, more resilient plans."

The report illustrates several notable trends and insights:

• - Medical Costs Rising: Medical inflation is affecting both ground-level care and prescription drug costs, impacting employer-sponsored health plans.
• - Innovative Deductible Strategies: There is an uptick in the adoption of strategies like aggregating specific deductibles to alleviate premium burdens.
• - Legislative Impacts: The influence of ERISA fiduciary duties, data transparency requirements, and evolving state legislation is notably shaping the market.
• - Benchmarking Data: The report provides valuable comparative data across different industries, geographic regions, and group sizes.
• - Alternative Risk Arrangements: The growing popularity of captives and level-funded plans as alternative risk management solutions is highlighted.
• - High-Dollar Claim Management: Specific strategies aimed at managing costly claims arising from gene therapies, neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and GLP-1 medications are examined.

A notable addition in this year’s report is a detailed exploration of network contract disputes alongside the financial implications of burgeoning gene and cell therapies. Emerging specialty drug pipelines are also scrutinized, shedding light on their potential impact on healthcare costs.

Moreover, the report addresses cash-flow strategies tailored to assist employer fiduciaries in complying with transparency mandates and minimizing plan leakage. Tactics such as Stealth Advance, pre-payment audits, and dependent eligibility verification are evaluated for their effectiveness.

"We are seeing employers becoming more sophisticated buyers of healthcare," Dumeny further noted. Employers who utilize data analytics, creative plan design, and carve-outs are finding themselves better equipped to handle market fluctuations. Stealth Partner Group remains committed to supporting clients throughout this journey.

Additionally, Jeremy Fife, Regional President at Stealth Partner Group, pointed out the increased demands placed on brokers amid an increasingly intricate market landscape. The report aims to provide brokers with essential data and strategic insights, empowering them to deliver forward-thinking solutions to their clients. Fife explained, "Brokers are being asked to do more with less in an increasingly complex environment. This report equips them with the data and strategy needed to lead with confidence and deliver smarter, more proactive solutions for their clients."

The full 2025 Stop Loss State of the Market Report is readily available for download, marking it as a vital tool for stakeholders aiming to navigate the complexities of the current healthcare environment.

About Amwins

As the largest independent wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products in the United States, Amwins caters to retail insurance agents, providing top-tier property and casualty products, specialty group benefits, and administrative services. Situated in Charlotte, North Carolina, Amwins operates across more than 138 global offices and manages annual premium placements exceeding $44.5 billion.

About Stealth Partner Group

Founded in 2009, Stealth Partner Group has emerged as a leading specialized general agency within the insurance landscape, partnering with brokers, consultants, and third-party administrators. The firm excels in negotiating and managing medical stop-loss and ancillary benefits with premier carriers throughout the nation. With 15 offices located across the country, Stealth boasts over 150 years of collective expertise in the stop-loss insurance domain.