Lantern has welcomed Specialist Management Solutions (SMS) to the Lantern Specialty Care Platform, accelerating its mission to improve healthcare affordability by redefining specialty care for employers and their members.
With this combination, Lantern will now serve more than 12 million members nationwide, making it the largest Specialty Care Platform in the U.S. and one of the most impactful—delivering an average of $20 PEPM in savings for employers.
Throughout the transition, stability remains the top priority for Lantern and SMS clients and members. Lantern is resourcing its teams to ensure continuity of service and a seamless experience across the platform.
Why this combination matters
The addition of SMS strengthens Lantern’s ability to deliver even greater value:
- Enhanced member engagement: SMS’s AI-driven member outreach model complements Lantern’s best-in-class engagement strategy, enabling earlier identification of members and improved access to high-quality, local, and affordable care.
- Expanded platform scale: SMS adds 4 million members to Lantern’s Specialty Care Platform, supporting continued network growth, improved pricing leverage, and broader access across the country.
- Strengthened partnerships: UnitedHealthcare and Optum have committed to ongoing support in key areas, reinforcing the combined organization’s capabilities and reach.
- A growing, mission-driven team: SMS brings more than 100 talented professionals who share Lantern’s commitment to redefining specialty care and improving affordability for employers.
This milestone caps the most significant year of growth in Lantern’s history. Lantern looks forward to engaging with partners to share priorities for 2026, including the expansion of its cancer program, continued investment in network quality and growth, and a preview of its next-generation member outreach model.
Lantern values its health plan and benefits ecosystem partnerships and welcomes continued collaboration and feedback as it enters this next phase of growth.
