About me
Dr. Lemma is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon, specializing in the surgical treatment of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disorders. He sees patients in Bel Air, Rosedale / White Marsh, and in Baltimore at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. He currently serves as division chief of spine surgery as well as director of minimally invasive spine surgery at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital.
Pursuing a career in orthopaedic surgery seemed a natural fit to Dr. Lemma's background as a mechanical engineer. After completing his residency and fellowship training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, he served as division chief of Johns Hopkins Orthopaedic and Spine Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital, prior to transitioning to MedStar Orthopaedic Institute in 2014.
Dr. Lemma's areas of intellectual interest and clinical expertise center around minimally invasive spine surgery. Using tubular retractors in lieu of traditional open surgery, state-of-the-art technologies, and computer-assisted navigation allows Dr. Lemma to deliver to his patients the best solutions with the least amount of invasion. A large portion of his practice also focuses on spinal problems in the elderly, rheumatoid arthritis of the spine, spinal deformity, and revision spinal surgery.
Dr. Lemma remains active in resident and surgeon education, and was honored to be the recipient of the Teacher of the Year Award from the Johns Hopkins University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in 2014. He has also been involved in developing innovative spine surgical techniques and new technologies and relates his experiences to other surgeons, both from the podium as well as in smaller teaching seminars. It has been a privilege for Dr. Lemma to be listed by both U.S. News and World Report's and Castle Connolly in their lists of Top Doctors in the U.S., as well as being named among the Top 100 Spine Surgeons in the U.S. by Becker's Healthcare. He was repeatedly named a Top Doctor by Baltimore magazine, most recently in 2023.
Clinical areas of focus
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Fracture Stabilization
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Bone Density Disorder
- Bursopathy
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Cervical Spine Osteoarthritis
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Failed Back Syndrome
- Fractures Of The Neck
- Head Injury
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Intraspinal Granuloma
- Kyphosis
- Limb Deformity
- Lordosis
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Myelopathy
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Lumbar Spine Osteoarthritis
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Spinal Cord
- Mononeuropathy Of Lower Limb
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Neck Sprain
- Neoplasm Of Uncertain Behavior
- Nerve Root Disorders
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Nervous System Disorders
- Osteoporosis
- Paralytic Syndrome
- Rib And Sternum Fracture
- Scoliosis
- Shoulder Burns
- Skull Base Tumor
- Spinal Cord Compression
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Fusion Failure
- Spinal Infection
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylolysis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
- Thoracic Spine Instability
Procedures I perform
- Back Pain Treatment
- Cervical Corpectomy
- Cervical Facet Joint Denervation
- Cervical Laminectomy
- Cervical Spine Stabilization
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Discectomy
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Fibula Osteotomy
- Flap Surgery
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Laminectomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Lumbar Spine Stabilization
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Ostectomy
- Osteotomy
- Pedicle Screw Fixation
- Percutaneous Discectomy
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Cord Tumor Treatment
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Infection Treatment
- Spinal Instability Treatment
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spine Fracture Stabilization
- Spondylolysis Treatment
- Thoracic Spine Stabilization
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Navigate
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna HMO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- POS OA
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- UHC Passport
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Medicare Direct
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- HighMark
- Choice POS II Open Access
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- HealthyBlue PPO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice
- Choice POS II
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Network OA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Employee Health Plan
- IH-POS Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Beech Street PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- OA Plus
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- IH-Open HMO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- TRICARE East Select
- IH-HMO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- TRICARE for Life East
- Aetna Classic 5000
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Choice POS
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CareFirst NASCO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- IH-Network Only Plus
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University (2003)
Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2002)
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry (1997)
Awards
- 2015-2021, 2023 Baltimore Magazine Top Doctors
- 2015-2016 Best Doctors in America
- 2014 Teacher of the Year Award, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- 2014 Becker's Top Spine Surgeons in the US
- 2011 Becker's Top 100 Spine Surgeons in the US