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Blue Distinction Centers
Blue Distinction® is a designation awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare. The goal is to help consumers find quality specialty care on a consistent basis while enabling and encouraging health professionals to improve the overall quality and delivery of healthcare nationwide.
At the core of the Blue Distinction program are the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty CareSM. Specialty Care includes both quality-only (Blue Distinction Center) and quality and cost (Blue Distinction Center+) designations.
Types of Blue Distinction Centers
Blue Distinction Centers are providers recognized for their expertise in delivering specialty care.
Blue Distinction Centers+ are providers recognized for their expertise and cost-efficiency in delivering specialty care. Quality is key: only those providers that first meet Blue Distinction Centers’ nationally established, objective quality criteria are considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+.
Visit the BCBSA physicians and hospitals Blue Distinction Center page to learn about becoming a Blue Distinction Center.
Areas of care
Blue Distinction categories of specialty care include:
- Bariatric surgery
- Cardiac care
- Fertility care
- Knee and hip replacement
- Maternity care
- Spine surgery
- Transplants
Find a Blue Distinction Center
For a complete list of Blue Distinction Centers nationwide, visit the BCBSA website.