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.
Read Dr. Lemma's CV.
Conditions I treat:
- Disc herniation with neck or arm symptoms
- Cervical stenosis/myelopathy
- Rheumatoid arthritis in the cervical spine
- Cervical instability
- Cervical trauma
- Spinal tumors in the neck
- Revision cervical surgery
Mid-back (Thoracic):
- Scoliosis
- Complex fractures
- Spinal tumors
Lower back (Lumbar):
- Disc herniation with low back or leg symptoms
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Lumbar spondylolisthesis/instability
- Low back pain
- Scoliosis/deformity
- Failed spinal surgery
Procedures I perform:
Neck (Cervical):
- Artificial disc replacement
- ACDF (Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion)
- Stand-alone ACDF (no plate)
- Cervical laminectomy
- Cervical instrumentation/fusion
- C1-2 fusion
Mid and lower back (Thoraco-Lumbar):
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
- 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
- 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 Infection
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylolysis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
Procedures I perform
- Back Pain Treatment
- Cervical Corpectomy
- Cervical Laminectomy
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Discectomy
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Fibula Osteotomy
- Flap Surgery
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Ostectomy
- Osteotomy
- Pedicle Screw Fixation
- Percutaneous Discectomy
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Cord Tumor Treatment
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spondylolysis Treatment
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
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Medicare Direct
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- IH-Open POS II
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-HMO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- United Student Resources
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst EPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- IH-PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Navigate
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Police and Fire Clinic
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-POS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CIGNA EPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Classic 3500
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CIGNA PPO
- HighMark
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- IH-EPO Plus
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst NASCO
- IH-POS Plus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- OA Plus
- Choice POS II
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- POS OA
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Beech Street PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Choice POS
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Administrators
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Optimum Choice
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- UHC Passport
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Network OA
- Sentara Health
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- TRICARE East Select
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Blue Choice Advantage
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- TRICARE for Life East
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- First Health PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Core Essential (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna HMO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
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