CareFirst and Thatch Announce Strategic Partnership to Expand Access to Health Coverage Through ICHRA Across the DMV Region
Partnership to shape a scalable ICHRA model across the DMV
Baltimore — CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), a not-for-profit healthcare organization serving the Mid-Atlantic region, today announced a strategic partnership with Thatch to build a scalable Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) model for brokers and their employer clients across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia (DMV).
The partnership is designed to broaden how employers and brokers approach health coverage, creating new avenues to reach and support a wider range of organizations. Through a defined contribution model, businesses can offer access to CareFirst individual market plans in a way that complements traditional group offerings and adapts to changing workforce dynamics. This added flexibility enables brokers to deepen client relationships, expand their portfolio of solutions, and unlock new opportunities for sustainable growth.
Through this partnership, CareFirst will work with Thatch to deliver a coordinated approach that equips brokers to guide employers through ICHRA strategies with greater confidence and navigate evolving market dynamics while maintaining access to trusted, local coverage.
“As employers look for greater predictability in their healthcare spending, we see a clear opportunity to meet that need without compromising—combining high-quality, locally anchored coverage with the strength, scale and trusted reliability of the Blue Cross Blue Shield network,” said Mike Rapach, CareFirst’s Senior Vice President of Government Programs. “This partnership allows CareFirst to thoughtfully support brokers advising clients on ICHRA strategies, while continuing to strengthen the individual market by offering employees meaningful choice and broad access to care in the communities we serve.”
As part of the implementation, the partnership streamlines key enrollment, eligibility verification and payment processes, delivering more efficient administrative experiences for brokers and employers while supporting compliance with relevant regulatory requirements.
“What makes this collaboration meaningful is the shared commitment to expanding access in a sustainable way,” said Gary Daniels, Chief Growth Officer at Thatch. “CareFirst brings deep regional expertise and a strong broker network, and together we’re building an operational model that supports long-term sustainability in the individual market while giving employers a modern path forward.”
ICHRA is increasingly equipping employers, particularly those without access to traditional group coverage, to offer benefits for the first time, expanding access and choice while bringing new employers into the individual market. Growing regulatory clarity has given employers greater confidence in how to structure ICHRA offerings across employee classes, contributing to broader market awareness and more informed adoption. In response, carriers nationwide are exploring ways to support defined contribution models within the individual market framework.
"Our approach to ICHRA is intentional. We selected Thatch as our partner to serve as a central hub because of their strong operational capabilities, rigorous compliance framework and close alignment with brokers—all of which are critical to supporting the ICHRA model at scale,” said Erin Laird, Director of ACA Individual Market at CareFirst. “In the DMV region, where ICHRA adoption is still maturing, this partnership creates a more coordinated and sustainable structure for brokers and employers and lays the groundwork for responsible growth as adoption expands.”
CareFirst’s collaboration with Thatch reflects its continued focus on meeting the evolving needs of brokers and employers while expanding access to affordable and equitable health coverage across the communities it serves.
About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
Nearing its 90th year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit healthcare company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.5 million individuals in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2025, CareFirst infused over $356 million to support regional community impact to improve overall health and advance accessible, affordable, equitable, high-quality healthcare. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit www.carefirst.com.
About Thatch
Thatch is an all-in-one platform that makes it easy for companies to offer personalized healthcare benefits using ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements). By combining fintech and healthtech solutions, Thatch empowers businesses to provide tax-free dollars their team members can use to purchase personalized health coverage. Since launching in 2021, Thatch has helped thousands of companies across every industry improve their healthcare coverage while controlling costs. For more information, visit Thatch.com.