In an effort to directly alleviate healthcare costs for its members, the North Carolina State Health Plan is making moves. According to a recent announcement, beginning in October, the Plan will roll out a no-cost surgical benefit in partnership with Lantern, a Specialty Care Platform. This initiative aims to both reduce members’ expenses and address the budget deficit troubling the program.
According to the North Carolina State Treasurer's office, State Treasurer Brad Briner is enthusiastic about the prospect of granting members free access to an expanded network of top surgeons. "We’re excited to offer members access to Lantern’s premier network of rigorously vetted surgeons," Briner stated. The partnership is set to significantly to expand Lantern's already substantial surgical network across North Carolina.
This agreement is poised to benefit the State Health Plan's 550,000 members and their dependents by providing no-cost surgeries, which are expected to yield better outcomes and significant savings. Mobility in this form of medical access is paramount: the idea is that surgery shouldn’t just be affordable—it should be high-quality and convenient. Briner additionally calls on high-quality surgeons and health systems to join this partnership, expanding the network and benefits for members.
"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," remarked Dr. Steve Lucey, a member of Lantern’s Medical Advisory Board, supporting the notion that financial and medical benefits go hand in hand. The program’s introduction is also set to include personalized care—with a dedicated care team for each patient—without the necessity for additional enrollment proceedings or downloads for the Plan members.
Lantern CEO John Zutter expressed his company's commitment to the partnership with the North Carolina State Health Plan. "We are honored to partner with the North Carolina State Health Plan to deliver excellent surgical care to the dedicated public servants of North Carolina," Zutter said. It's detailed that each participant will not only benefit from a network of top surgeons but will also be paired with a dedicated care team to navigate their treatment from start to finish.
The State Health Plan, under the Department of State Treasurer, provides coverage to a wide array of State employees and dependents, totaling over 740,000 individuals. Lantern, on the other hand, is a Specialty Care Platform that focuses on reducing employer healthcare costs in specialty care, serving more than 6 million members nationwide with its Network of Excellence.
