About me
Alexandra B. Lachner, PA-C, is a board-certified breast surgery physician assistant at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center. Working under the supervision of Dr. Meghan Milburn, Dr. Amy Fernow, and Dr. Maen Farha, PA Lachner sees patients with breast-related concerns, such as breast pain and breast lumps, and performs breast cancer risk assessments.
Her scope of practice includes screening, evaluating, and referring her patients for breast-related conditions. As a breast pain specialist, she conducts clinical breast exams, takes comprehensive family and lifestyle histories, and orders screening or diagnostic imaging as needed. She supports breast cancer patients throughout their cancer journey, offering post-operative care and follow-up treatments.
A strong advocate for patient education and empowerment, PA Lachner teaches patients how to perform self-breast exams and counsels them on when to seek medical evaluation. She manages the cases of patients at a high risk for breast cancer, collaborating with them to determine whether a more proactive or conservative approach is best for their lifestyle and health goals.
Her clinical and research interests lie in screening high-risk breast cancer patients and providing education in risk reduction, including the use of low dosages of hormone therapy medication when appropriate.
PA Lachner earned her Bachelor of Science in geology from Towson University and a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, where she was inducted into the Alpha Eta Honor Society.
She is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the American Academy of Physician Associates, and she is a US Air Force combat veteran.
Philosophy of Care
“I find great satisfaction in providing a calm and safe space where patients feel comfortable sharing their concerns and anxieties. I welcome questions and encourage patients to be their own health advocates and take the initiative in their own care. My patients can expect me to advocate for and support them throughout their journey, whether it is discussing their imaging results, assessing cancer risks, or addressing breast pain.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Abnormal Breast Imaging
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer Risk Assessment
- Breast Cancer Risk Reduction
- Breast Lump
- Breast Pain
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breast Imaging
- Abnormal Mammogram
- Abnormal Mammogram Results
- Absent Breast Tissue
- Acquired Absence Of Breast
- Acquired Absence Of Organs
- Areola Deformity
- Asymmetric Breasts
- Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia
- Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia (ADH)
- Axillary Web Syndrome
- Benign Breast Disease
- Benign Breast Tumor
- Brca1 And Brca2 Genetic Mutation
- Breast Abscess
- Breast Asymmetry
- Breast Calcifications
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer Complications
- Breast Cancer Recurrence
- Breast Capsular Contracture
- Breast Cysts
- Breast Deformity
- Breast Density
- Breast Disorders
- Breast Disorders And Nipple Discharge
- Breast Hypoplasia
- Breast Infections
- Breast Inflammation
- Breast Lesions
- Breast Lump
- Breast Lymphedema
- Breast Mass
- Breast Pain
- Breast Reconstruction Complications
- Breast Sarcoma
- Breast Skin Irritation
- Breast Tenderness
- Breastfeeding
- Capsular Contracture
- Circulatory System Complications
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Congenital Breast Deformities
- Congenital Malformations Of Breast
- Deformed Breast
- Dense Breast Tissue
- Dorsalgia
- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
- Ductal Ectasia
- Enlarged Breast Lymph Nodes
- Estrogen Receptor Status
- Family History Of Breast Cancer
- Family History Of Malignant Neoplasm
- Fibroadenoma
- Fibroadenoma Of Breast
- Genetic Predisposition To Breast Cancer
- Hematoma
- Her2neu Receptor
- Infections Of Breast
- Infections Of Breast Associated With Pregnancy And Lactation
- Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS)
- Lymphedema
- Male Breast Enlargement (GYNECOMASTIA)
- Mammary Dysplasia
- Mastitis
- Microcalcifications
- Nerve Damage After Breast Surgery
- Nipple Areola Reconstruction
- Nipple Discharge
- Nipple Inversion
- Papillary Carcinoma Of Breast
- Personal History Of Diseases And Conditions
- Phyllodes Tumors
- Poland Syndrome
- Radiation Therapy Complications
- Reconstructed Breast Deformity Revision
- Sebaceous Adenoma
- Seroma
- Seroma Of Breast
- Skin And Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders
- Unusual Breast Changes
Procedures I perform
- Breast Cancer Chemoprevention
- Breast Cancer Pain Management
- Breast Cancer Risk Assessment
- Breast Cancer Risk Reduction
- Breast Cancer Screening
- Breast Cancer Surgery
- Breast Cancer Treatment
- Breast Cyst Removal
- Breast Infection Treatment
- Breast Seroma Aspiration
- Clinical Trials For Breast Cancer Treatment
- Diagnostic Breast Imaging
- Diagnostic Mammography
- Digital Breast Tomosynthesis
- Fish Testing For Breast Cancer
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-Open Network Only Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- First Health PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- IH-POS Plus
- IH-Indemnity
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- IH-EPO Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- CareFirst NASCO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- OA Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Optimum Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Tricare Reserve Select
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna VA Exchange
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- TRICARE East Prime
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- United Student Resources
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Choice POS II
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Choice POS
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- IH-POS
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- IH-Open HMO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- IH-HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Navigate
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- UHC Passport
- Medicare FFS
- Employee Health Plan
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Basic
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Medicare Direct
- POS OA
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Network OA
- HighMark
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Administrators
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- IH-PPO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
Education
Board Certification: National Committee on Certification of Physician Assistants,
Graduate: Texas Tech University (2025)