Chris EllisCo Founder

United States - Austin, Texas

Throughout my life, I've always been enthusiastic to make an impact on our healthcare system. I started off my career as a cancer researcher at MIT. I sold, built, and marketed clinical software products before founding Thatch with my incredible co-founder Adam Stevenson in 2021.

You know how your employer chooses your health insurance for you? It doesn't make a lot of sense that companies should decide what doctors you get to see.

With Thatch, you're not bound to your company's insurance network. You get a monthly healthcare budget, so you can design your healthcare plan around the doctors that work best for you. For example, a pregnant mom can pick a plan that covers the OBGYN she wants. Anything you don't spend on insurance, you can apply towards personal health expenses like therapy, your kid's braces, or prescriptions.

Thatch is powered by a new law called ICHRA that says employers shouldn't decide your health insurance and benefits for you. Instead, they can set aside some tax-free money that you can use how you want. After all, it's hard to find one pair of shoes that fits the whole team - the shoe that fits everybody fits nobody.

Just how Airbnb is a room for you, not a one-size-fits-all hotel room; and Uber is a ride that meets you where you are, so you're not stuck on a busy street hailing a cab; and just how Netflix recommends a show for you, when you want it; Thatch is the first benefits solution that makes healthcare about you.

We envision a world where you are in control of your healthcare decisions, where you get to decide what health insurance you get and what doctors you see. Health insurance companies should be competing for your attention, and not the other way around. If this vision resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you!