Specialty care platform Lantern and employer-sponsored healthcare provider Marathon Health have announced a partnership designed to integrate primary care and specialty care services for employers, labor organizations and their members. The collaboration seeks to streamline patient referrals, improve care coordination and support better health outcomes through a more connected care model.
Under the agreement, Marathon Health’s primary care providers will be able to identify patients who require specialist intervention and refer them directly into Lantern’s specialty care network. The initial phase of the partnership will focus on orthopedic surgery, an area that often requires extensive care coordination before and after procedures.
Once a referral is made, Lantern Care Advocates will engage with members to guide them through the specialty care journey. This includes helping patients select an appropriate clinician, coordinating appointments and treatment plans, and providing support throughout recovery. Clinical information generated during the specialty care process will also be shared with Marathon Health, enabling ongoing primary care engagement and post-surgical coordination.
The integrated offering is expected to become available this year for organizations that utilize both Marathon Health and Lantern services.
Commenting on the partnership, Chris Pricco, CEO of Marathon Health, said, “Having worked in the specialty and acute care world where the downstream costs and consequences of fragmented care are most visible, I can tell you that primary care is the highest leverage point we have.”
He added, “When you integrate it with specialty care, you don't just reduce cost. You change the trajectory of someone's health. That's what we've built for employers, and we’re honored to partner with Lantern to accelerate that impact.”
The announcement reflects broader efforts by both organizations to expand coordinated care offerings. Marathon Health has recently pursued partnerships and acquisitions aimed at strengthening value-based primary care services, including its merger with Everside Health and collaboration with musculoskeletal care platform Medbridge.
Lantern has also expanded its specialty care ecosystem through partnerships with organizations such as Quantum Health and Pelago. Earlier this year, the company secured $30 million in funding to support growth among public and private employers as well as health plans. The new collaboration with Marathon Health represents another step toward integrating navigation, specialty care and primary care services within employer-sponsored healthcare programs.
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