The 32BJ Health Fund introduces new program through partnership with Lantern Surgery Care

Because of the success of its current Centers of Excellence (COE) program — where thousands of 32BJ members have received high-quality $0 surgery — the 32BJ Health Fund will partner with Lantern Surgery Care, a national leader in managing COE healthcare. The new COE program takes effect on January 1, 2025, and will be available at no cost to plan participants for a broad range of surgeries.

Important features of the program include:

• Coverage for 32BJ members: Under the new benefit, there will be two categories of surgery for which 32BJ Health Fund plan participants will have a $0 copay for the procedure:

1. Mandatory procedures, specifically, bariatric surgery, joint replacement (newly expanded to cover hip, knee, ankle, and shoulder surgery), and spine surgery, which will only be covered when performed by a Lantern Surgery Care provider
2. Voluntary procedures, such as cardiac, gastrointestinal, gynecological, orthopedic (other than joint replacement), ear/nose/throat, and many general surgeries, which plan participants may choose to have with a Lantern Surgery Care provider

• To get started: Plan participants may call Lantern Surgery Care directly at 855-413-7197 to speak with a care advocate.
• Distance threshold: 32BJ Health Fund plan participants living within 50 miles of a Lantern Surgery Care provider must have a mandatory procedure, such as bariatric, joint replacement (hip, knee, ankle, shoulder), or spine surgery performed by a Lantern provider through the 32BJ Health Fund Centers of Excellence for Surgery program to be covered. Because Lantern Surgery Care’s network is nationwide, more than 90% of 32BJ Health Fund plan participants live within 50 miles of a participating provider.

Providers can easily identify 32BJ Health Fund plan participants by the unique prefix to their Anthem ID — ETRBJ. Any provider looking for more information about surgery for a 32BJ Health Fund plan participant — particularly anyone currently caring for those who may be candidates for bariatric, joint replacement (hip, knee, ankle, shoulder), or spine surgery — should tell their patients to call Lantern Surgery Care at 855-413-7197.