N.C. State Health Plan Partners With Lantern on Surgery Network

The North Carolina State Health Plan has signed a partnership with Dallas-based Lantern, a specialty care platform, to give its members who need surgery access to Lantern’s network of the region’s surgeons and specialists at no cost to them. 

The State Health Plan, a division of the Department of State Treasurer, provides healthcare coverage to more than 740,000 teachers, state employees, retirees, current and former lawmakers, state university and community college personnel, and their dependents.

Under the new agreement, set to begin in October, plan members will have access to a new surgical benefit at no cost to them as part of the effort to reduce costs for members and help overcome the budget deficit. Along with vetting providers and facilities to ensure the highest quality in its Network of Excellence, Lantern also pairs members with a dedicated care team, including care advocates and nurse navigators, for the entirety of their care journey.

"We’re excited to offer members access to Lantern’s premier network of rigorously vetted surgeons," said state Treasurer Brad Briner, in a statement. "Our team has talked to a lot of members over the last year, and we are committed to improving our plan design through higher quality choices at better rates. Investing in more primary care and waiving the cost of surgery for members through this new partnership is something we’re really excited about.”

To support the state’s 550,000 active members and their families, Lantern will expand its surgical network that includes OrthoCarolina and Raleigh Orthopedics with additional surgeons in Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro, Hickory and other cities to achieve a statewide network. Plan members are incentivized to use the Lantern network to ensure better outcomes and bigger savings.

“I’ve seen firsthand how access to high-quality, affordable surgical care makes all the difference in someone’s recovery,” said Steve Lucey, M.D., a Greensboro-based orthopedic surgeon and member of Lantern’s Medical Advisory Board, in a statement. “This is a win/win relationship where the state will save money, and patients will have far less out-of-pocket costs with the Lantern network of exceptional surgeons.” 

Lantern says it works with many of the nation’s largest employers to deliver care to more than 6 million members across the country.