Maryland consumers searching for Medicare plans from CareFirst can now shop for coverage through an online health insurance marketplace.

The parent company of eHealthInsurance .com, eHealth, has added Medicare supplement plans from the Owings Mills, Md.-based insurer to its new online retail website eHealthMedicare. com.

The site helps customers learn and get access to Medicare health plan options, according to California-based eHealth.

The CareFirst plans are the first Medicare products made available for purchasing in Maryland, or anywhere else in the country, through the new online portal.

Bruce Telkamp, eHealth’s executive vice president of business and corporate development, said in a statement that the goal is to give America’s seniors “the information, choices and personal assistance” needed to make the best decision for their coverage needs and provide “a comprehensive selection of products” comparable to the offerings on eHealthInsurance. com.

“Adding Medicare supplement plans from CareFirst is a significant first step for us in this journey, and we are very pleased that our first online Medicare product offering is available from a premier provider like CareFirst,” he said.

Jeff Valentine, a spokesman for CareFirst, said the insurer “continuously seeks opportunities to increase access to quality, affordable health care.

“eHealth is a widely recognized online marketplace for individual insurance products, and our inclusion as a Medicare supplemental insurance carrier on the eHealth platform is another step forward to helping more people find the coverage they need,” he said.