Cancer still tops high-cost health claims but muscle and orthopedic conditions are making surprise surge: Sun Life report

13th-annual high-cost claims analysis highlights soaring healthcare expenses with cancer, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal leading the way

WELLESLEY, Mass., June 4, 2025 — Sun Life, the nation's leading independent stop-loss provider for self-funded employers, today released its 13th annual high-cost claim and injectable drugs trend analysis, examining more than 65,000 health claims from 3,000 employers between 2021 and 2024. Overall, million-dollar stop-loss claims are on the rise, increasing by 29% this year when looking at claims-per-million-covered employees, and are up 61% over the past four years.

The top 20 costliest claim conditions

The top 20 costliest injectable drugs