Lantern

Lantern is a specialty care company that connects members with care for surgery, cancer and infusion therapy. The business began in 2011 as SurgeryPlus, focusing on surgical care, and was formerly known as Employer Direct Healthcare. In 2024, Employer Direct Healthcare became Lantern as the company expanded its specialty-care offering. The company’s stated mission is to help members access excellent specialty care when they need it most.

Lantern’s platform is designed for employers, health plans and other organizations seeking specialty-care benefits for their members. Its services focus on complex, high-cost care, with programs for surgery, cancer and infusions. Lantern says it curates a nationwide Network of Excellence by selecting providers, and connects members to local specialists suited to their needs. The company reports serving members through employer and health-plan partnerships.

For surgical care, Lantern helps members find specialists and navigate the care process. Its cancer offering provides access to oncology nurse navigators and connections with community cancer centers and national cancer institutions. Its infusion service helps members identify care settings and providers, including at-home options where appropriate. These offerings are intended to make specialty care easier to access while helping organizations manage costs.

Member support is part of Lantern’s service model. The company describes Care Advocates and clinical specialists as guides throughout a care journey, assisting with matters such as provider matching, appointments, medical records and questions about treatment. For cancer care, its nurse navigators can help members understand diagnoses and treatment plans. The company presents this support as personalized assistance from diagnosis and treatment through follow-up.

Lantern’s customers and partners include employers, benefits consultants, health plans, public-sector entities, labor unions and specialists. Its contact and service information distinguishes member support for surgery, cancer and infusions, while its business offerings are presented to organizations looking to improve specialty-care access and affordability. Lantern describes its approach as connecting members with high-quality care close to home.

The company identifies Dallas, Texas, as its home base and lists its headquarters at 2100 Ross Avenue, Suite 1900, Dallas. It also says employees work across the United States. Lantern’s documented history traces its origins to 2011, when it focused on surgery; it later added cancer care and then infusion therapy, before adopting the Lantern name in 2024.

Lantern describes its workplace values through the acronym LIGHT: Logic, Inclusion, Grit, Humanity and Truth. Its careers materials say these values inform both the care it provides and how employees work together. The company also highlights a growing workforce and benefits including paid vacation, health coverage, parental leave and retirement savings. These details are based on Lantern’s own public company and careers information.