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Blue Distinction Specialty Care

The Blue Distinction® program is a national centers of excellence program recognizing health care facilities and / or providers.
How can Blue Distinction help you?

Whether you're a member, an employer, or a provider, the Blue Distinction program highlights facilities that have shown fewer complications and readmissions.

Members

Find the top-rated, most affordable specialty care.

Employers

Guide your employees to better care options at a lower cost.

Providers

Be recognized for practice quality, outcomes, and cost.
What is the Blue Distinction program?

Blue Distinction Specialty Care is a national centers of excellence program recognizing health care facilities and/or providers with a proven track record for exceptional specialized care and better patient outcomes.

To earn a Blue Distinction designation, providers and / or facilities must meet strict, pre-determined quality standards developed by medical experts and providers. This national evaluation criteria makes it easy for patients to choose quality-focused specialty treatment.

 
Providers with exceptional specialized experience
Highest level of patient support at all stages of treatment
Fewer complications and better outcomes after treatment
20–34% average cost savings on specialty procedures
Types of Blue Distinction Specialty Care

The program includes two levels of designation:

Blue Distinction Center – quality care, treatment expertise, and better overall patient results

Blue Distinction Centers+ – more affordable care in addition to quality care, treatment expertise, and better overall patient results

The Blue Distinction program recognizes centers that deliver care in several crucial specialty care areas:

  • Knee and hip replacement
  • Bariatric surgery
  • Cardiac care
  • Transplants
  • Spine surgery
  • Maternity care
  • Substance use treatment and recovery
How is eligibility for each specialty determined?

Review the selection criteria for each area of specialty care on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association website to see how providers qualify for the designation.
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Disclosures:

Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met overall quality measures for patient safety and outcomes, developed with input from the medical community. A Local Blue Plan may require additional criteria for facilities located in its own service area; for details, contact your Local Blue Plan. Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable healthcare. Each facility’s cost of care is evaluated using data from its Local Blue Plan. Facilities in CA, ID, NY, PA, and WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans’ areas, resulting in two evaluations for cost of care; and their own Local Blue Plans decide whether one or both cost of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ national criteria. National criteria for BDC and BDC+ are displayed on www.bcbs.com. Individual outcomes may vary. For details on a provider’s in-network status or your own policy’s coverage, contact your Local Blue Plan and ask your provider before making an appointment. Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for non-covered charges or other losses or damages resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in its health programs and activities. Learn more about our non-discrimination policy and no-cost services available to you.

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© 2025 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. ®, SM Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans. All other marks and names are property of their respective owners. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.