Lantern and Marathon Health have expanded their collaboration with the launch of an integrated care management model designed to connect primary and specialty care services for employers seeking better healthcare outcomes and cost control. The new offering combines Marathon Health’s advanced primary care capabilities with Lantern’s specialty care platform to streamline patient navigation, improve care coordination and reduce unnecessary procedures. Employers working with Marathon can now access Lantern’s services through a simplified purchasing process. The initiative follows a pilot program focused on orthopedic care, where participating organizations recorded referral increases ranging from 37% to 100%. According to the companies, referrals generated through Marathon contributed to a 47% rise in completed or averted surgical procedures.
The companies first shared details of the partnership with Fierce Healthcare. Chris Pricco, CEO of Marathon Health, said the organizations share a common objective of helping patients access appropriate treatment in the right setting. “Lantern and Marathon have very common philosophies around getting patients to the right care at the right kind of service setting,” Pricco said. Pilot program findings also showed substantial financial benefits for participating employers. The companies reported that employers achieved average savings of 53% compared with network rates for necessary procedures while also avoiding unnecessary interventions.
John Zutter, CEO of Lantern, said the company currently manages specialty care for approximately 12 million members nationwide, providing access to a broad provider network focused on quality and cost efficiency. “Through a highly integrated partnership like we have with Marathon, you can pass along those benefits of greater utilization and a better and more seamless experience, to the employer and the member, respectively, and that’s exactly what we saw in the pilot,” Zutter said. Beyond surgical cost management, the Integrated Care Management approach is intended to position primary care as the entry point for specialty services. Marathon’s employer-based clinics are expected to play a central role in identifying patient needs and connecting individuals with Lantern’s specialty care resources.
The companies said the program will initially remain focused on musculoskeletal care and will be available to employer clients this year. They noted that musculoskeletal services continue to represent a significant area of healthcare spending for employers. Pricco added that Lantern’s established provider network gives Marathon clinicians confidence when making specialty referrals. “This lines right up with what we’re about in our value proposition to our employers around strong primary care, good management of the specialty downstream care, making sure consumers understand what their options are,” he said.
