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
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Fracture Stabilization
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylosis
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Failed Back Syndrome
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Kyphosis
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Cord Compression
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Fusion Failure
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylolysis
- Spondylosis
Procedures I perform
- Back Pain Treatment
- Cervical Corpectomy
- Cervical Laminectomy
- Cervical Spine Stabilization
- Discectomy
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Laminectomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Pedicle Screw Fixation
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- 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
- HumanaChoice PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- IH-Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- IH-Open HMO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Medicare FFS
- Choice POS II
- IH-POS Plus
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- IH-EPO Plus
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- OA Plus
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Choice Fund PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CareFirst EPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- HighMark
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Choice POS
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Optimum Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst Administrators
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Sentara Health
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Network OA
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- TRICARE for Life East
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Beech Street PPO
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Navigate
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Student Resources
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- UHC Passport
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- IH-POS
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- POS OA
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CIGNA PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic 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