About McCarthy Stevenot Agency, Inc.

Founded in 1991, McCarthy Stevenot Agency, Inc. is an independent, family-owned Ohio health insurance agency serving small businesses with 2–50 employees. We built the agency around a simple idea: small groups are not stepping stones. They are the cornerstone.

At a Glance

• Independent, family-owned Ohio agency founded in 1991
• Primary focus on Ohio employers with 2–50 employees
• Evaluation of multiple carriers and ACA, MEWA, level-funded, and ICHRA arrangements when appropriate
• Renewal planning and year-round help with enrollment, billing, claims, and carrier issues

Our Founding Story

We founded the agency after working at a larger benefits firm where small businesses were often treated as secondary to larger accounts. We saw an opportunity to do things differently.

Instead of using small groups as a stepping stone, we made them the primary focus.

During those early years, many agencies viewed small employers as accounts that would hopefully become larger someday. We saw those businesses differently. They were already important. That perspective shaped everything from how quickly we returned calls to how we handled renewals and employee questions. It continues to influence how we work today.

From the beginning, we designed our process around the needs of small employers. That meant returning calls, preparing clear proposals, reviewing renewals carefully, and giving straightforward advice even when the right recommendation was to keep the current plan.

That approach resonated with business owners, and the agency grew through referrals and long-term relationships. It also reinforced something we still believe: when a sale is not the goal of every conversation, it is easier to give clear advice. If an employer’s current plan remains the best available fit, we are comfortable saying so.

One of our earliest clients began as a two-person business in the early 1990s and has since grown into a company with several hundred employees. We have continued working together through each stage of that growth. Although our current new-business focus is Ohio employers with 2–50 employees, relationships like that reflect the long-term view on which the agency was built.

What We Believe

• Every client counts. Our primary focus is Ohio employers with 2–50 employees.
• Honesty comes first. If the current plan remains the best available fit, we say so.
• Service continues after enrollment. We help with renewals, eligibility, billing, claims, and employee questions throughout the year.
• Long-term relationships matter. We make recommendations with the employer’s long-term interests in mind, not just the immediate sale.

Who You’ll Work With

McCarthy Stevenot Agency was founded by Mike McCarthy and Ted Stevenot. As partners in the agency, we remain directly involved in the work. Employers know who is handling their account and who to contact when a question or problem arises.

What It’s Like to Work With Us

We work with Ohio small businesses that want clear guidance and a decision process they can understand.

If you are evaluating brokers as well as health insurance options, our guide to choosing a small business health insurance broker in Ohio explains the questions employers can ask when comparing advisors. For a practical explanation of the work involved before, during, and after enrollment, see what a small business health insurance broker does in Ohio.

Much of our work happens around renewal, when an employer must decide whether to keep the current plan or explore alternatives. We compare the renewal with available options, explain the trade-offs, and help the employer make a decision without pressure. Our small business health insurance renewal system explains that process in more detail.

Our role continues throughout the year. When billing, enrollment, eligibility, or claim questions arise, we help identify the issue, contact the carrier or administrator when appropriate, and work with the employer toward a resolution.

Our Broker’s Desk article, Sometimes the Problem Isn’t the Claim, provides one example of how an apparent coverage problem can turn out to be an administrative issue.

Independent Since 1991

We have remained independent since 1991.

We have not sold the agency to a national firm or shifted to a call-center service model. We evaluate multiple carriers and coverage approaches and remain directly accountable to the employers we serve.

Independence does not mean every option fits every business. It means we can compare the approaches available to an employer and explain why one may fit better than another.

Rooted in Ohio

Based in Southwest Ohio, we serve small businesses throughout the state. Many of our clients are located in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas, but our work extends across Ohio.

We have worked with Ohio employers since 1991, giving us firsthand experience with the state’s small-group health insurance market.

Related Resources

• Small Business Health Insurance Services in Ohio
  Learn how we assist employers with plan evaluation, enrollment, renewals, and year-round service.
• Ohio Small Business Health Insurance Guide
  Review the major coverage approaches and decisions facing Ohio employers.
• How to Get a Second Opinion on Your Small Business Health Insurance
  Learn what another broker can review before you decide whether any changes are needed.
• Health Insurance Prescreen for Ohio Employers
  See what preliminary information may be needed to evaluate available coverage options.

Start With a Conversation

You do not need to know which carrier, plan, or funding approach is right before speaking with us. We can begin with a preliminary conversation about your business, current coverage, renewal timing, and the questions that need to be answered. Contact McCarthy Stevenot Agency.