New health insurance company joins marketplace, gets at the 'root' of provider issues

Emily Broadbent Dr. Ben Hagopian, a direct primary care doctor, at Maine Integrative Family Care.

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Taro Health insurance has partnered with MaineHealth and will debut its plans on Maine's Affordable Care Act Marketplace on Nov. 1.

"We are thrilled to be working with MaineHealth to deliver a first-of-its-kind health plan that fully integrates independent direct primary care with MaineHealth's comprehensive network of specialists, facilities, and hospitals," said Frank Wu, co-founder and CEO of Taro Health. "By combining our direct primary care-centered health plans with the security of access to MaineHealth's robust statewide network and our existing nationwide emergency network, we can offer our members comprehensive coverage."

Mainers who enroll with Taro Health will be able to choose an in-network direct primary care doctor as well as a network of specialists, hospitals and medical facilities through the MaineHealth network.

"Our communities are healthiest when we work together to expand access, so we are excited to collaborate closely to be in-network for Taro Health members," said Andy Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth.

According to Taro Health, Maine hasn't had a new insurance company in over a decade, and the state has had only two or three health insurance carriers in the history of the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

Taro Health insurance plans offer affordable health insurance plans for individuals, families and small businesses. The company was named Taro for the starchy vegetable originally cultivated in Asia, as a nod to fixing the "root" causes of the health care system, including access, cost of care and physician burnout.

Taro Health insurance benefit includes no-cost access to direct primary care doctors, who build a stronger relationship with their patients by offering more extended visits, increased appointment availability, and concierge-like access.