The North Carolina Department of State Treasurer announced a partnership between EmergeOrtho and the State Health Plan today. This further expands access to high-quality, no-cost surgical care for members across North Carolina through the Plan’s Lantern surgical benefit.
“This is the second big expansion in less than a week that brings high-quality, no-cost care to the communities where our members live and work,” said Treasurer Brad Briner. “EmergeOrtho is a prime example of how excellent care and lower costs can go hand in hand. The added bonus is that this also helps the Plan to protect long-term financial sustainability.”
EmergeOrtho is one of the largest physician-owned orthopedic practices in the state, with more than 100 board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians and advanced practice providers delivering care at locations throughout North Carolina. This partnership means Plan members will have access to comprehensive orthopedic services including joint replacement, sports medicine, spine care and other specialized surgical procedures at no cost through Lantern.
“This collaboration reflects what’s possible when health care organizations come together around a shared commitment to patients,” said Allison Farmer, CEO of EmergeOrtho. “By partnering with Lantern and the North Carolina State Health Plan, EmergeOrtho is helping ensure state employees and their families can access high-quality orthopedic and surgical care close to home — through EmergeOrtho’s network of more than 60 offices across North Carolina — without the financial barriers that too often stand in the way. It’s a meaningful step toward a more sustainable and patient-centered health care system for our state.”
Through the Lantern surgical benefit, eligible Plan members are connected with top-performing surgeons and facilities for certain procedures at no cost to them. The program also helps coordinate care from consultation through recovery, improving the patient experience while helping to control rising health care costs for the Plan.
In addition to our surgical partnership, EmergeOrtho is engaged in our broader Preferred Provider Program. This means members pay the lowest specialty copay to visit their providers — which is approximately 50% less than the standard copay. By being a Preferred Provider, EmergeOrtho doctors are also not subject to prior authorizations — a benefit that improves the timely delivery of care for our members.
The State Employees Association of North Carolina also welcomed the partnership. “Big health care providers have been overpaid by the State Health Plan for too long, while state employees and retirees have had to do without proper funding to do their jobs,” said Ardis Watkins, SEANC Executive Director. “We are extremely thankful to Treasurer Briner and the team at the State Health Plan for taking a bold and creative approach to bring down these payments while maintaining quality of care to state employees and retirees. The Treasurer’s efforts with Lantern are a huge win for state employees and all taxpayers.”
About the North Carolina State Health Plan
The State Health Plan, a division of the Department of State Treasurer, provides health care coverage to more than 750,000 teachers, state employees, retirees, current and former lawmakers, state university and community college personnel, and their dependents.
About EmergeOrtho
From the mountains to the coast, EmergeOrtho is North Carolina’s premier provider, recognized for offering world-class, comprehensive, and compassionate care. As the largest physician-owned orthopedic practice in the state, EmergeOrtho’s medical team includes upwards of 370 highly trained orthopedic specialists and physicians, as well as advanced practice providers. Our subspecialty orthopedic teams offer advanced expertise in conditions of the bones, muscles, and joints.
Providing multiple locations, extensive orthopedic services, and focusing on continuity of care are among the top priority of EmergeOrtho. Now with over 65 office locations, EmergeOrtho is linked by one Electronic Health Records system. This enables our patients to see an orthopedic specialist at various EmergeOrtho locations, without having to transfer their medical records from one location to the next. If while on vacation in another part of the state, for example, records can be accessed and communicated to your primary EmergeOrtho physician.
Our subspecialty orthopedic services are currently offered in these five regions Blue Ridge, Foothills, Triad, Triangle Region and Coastal. For added convenience, the EmergeOrtho patient portal provides 24-hour access to personal health information, as well as the ability to securely communicate with providers. The portal also enables user to request an appointment, update their current medications, request a prescription refill, and review provider recommendations.
Our ultimate goal is to help our patients Emerge Stronger. Healthier. Better.