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Blue Distinction® Centers

Blue Distinction® CenterBlue Distinction® Center designation is awarded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) to providers that meet quality-focused criteria that emphasize patient safety and outcomes.

Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) designation is awarded to providers that meet the same quality-focused criteria, as well as cost-of-care measures.

The goals of Blue Distinction designation are to:

  • Encourage health care professionals to improve the overall quality and delivery of health care, resulting in better overall outcomes for patients.
  • Support consumers as they identify the care and treatment that best meets their needs.

The Blue Distinction program recognizes hospitals and provider entities for their distinguished clinical care and processes in the areas of:

  • Bariatric Surgery
  • Cardiac Care
  • Cancer Care
  • Cellular Immunotherapy-CAR-T
  • Fertility Care
  • Gene Therapy-Ocular Disorders
  • Maternity Care
  • Knee and Hip Replacement
  • Spine Surgery
  • Transplants

The following New Jersey hospitals and provider entities are recognized by the BCBSA as Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) or Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) in the specialty area(s) indicated.

Bariatric Surgery

Hospital

Designation

Designation Date

Atlanticare Regional Medical Center

BDC+

January 2018

Chilton Medical Center

BDC+

May 2021

Cooper University Hospital

BDC+

January 2018

Englewood Hospital and Medical Center

BDC+

November 2020

Hackensack University Medical Center

BDC+

January 2018

Hackensack UMC at Pascack Valley

BDC

May 2022

Inspira Medical Center Vineland

BDC+

January 2018

JFK Medical Center

BDC+

January 2018

Kennedy Memorial Hospital Stratford, NJ

BDC+

November 2020

Morristown Medical Center

BDC+

February 2020

Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center

BDC

January 2018

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

BDC+

March 2018

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

BDC+

October 2020

Saint Clare’s Denville Hospital

BDC+

December 2020

The Valley Hospital

BDC+

January 2018

University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro

BDC+

January 2018

Virtua Memorial Hospital

BDC+

September 2020

Virtua-Marlton Hospital

BDC

September 2020

Cardiac Care

Hospital

Designation

Designation Date

Atlanticare Regional Medical Center

BDC

January 2019

Cooper University Hospital

BDC+

January 2019

Morristown Medical Center

BDC+

March 2019

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

BDC+

March 2019

The Valley Hospital

BDC+

January 2019

Cancer Care

Provider Entity

Designation*

Designation Date

AHS - Atlantic Health System

BDC

May 2018

CINJ (Cancer Institute NJ-Robert Wood Johnson)

BDC

May 2018

Cooper MD Anderson

BDC

May 2018

Hackensack University Medical Center - Hackensack Meridian Healthcare

BDC

May 2018

Regional Cancer Care Associates

BDC

May 2018

Summit Medical Group/MD Anderson

BDC

May 2018

* Because the BCBSA is not measuring actual cost of cancer care on a national basis at this time BDC+ designation is not available as part of the Cancer Care program.

Cellular Immunotherapy – CAR-T

Hospital

Designation

Designation Date

Hackensack University Medical Center

BDC

May 2021

Fertility Care

Provider Entity

Designation*

Designation Date

Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine & Fertility

BDC+

January 2019

Damien Fertility Partners

BDC

January 2019

Delaware Valley Institute of Fertility and Genetics

BDC+

January 2019

Diamond Institute for Infertility

BDC+

January 2019

Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science, Saint Barnabas Medical Center

BDC

January 2019

Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey

BDC

January 2019

Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey

BDC

January 2019

Valley Hospital Fertility Center

BDC+

January 2019

Knee and Hip Replacement

Hospital Designation Designation Date
Atlanticare Regional Medical Center BDC January 2020
Chilton Medical Center BDC+ January 2020
Hackensack University Medical Center BDC+ January 2020
Hunterdon Medical Center BDC January 2020
Inspira Medical Center Elmer BDC January 2020
Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill BDC January 2020
Jersey City Medical Center BDC October 2020
Jersey Shore University Medical Center BDC+ January 2020
JFK Medical Center BDC+ January 2020
Morristown Medical Center BDC+ December 2020
Newton Medical Center BDC January 2020
Ocean Medical Center BDC+ January 2020
Overlook Medical Center BDC+ May 2020
Raritan Bay Medical Center BDC January 2020
Riverview Medical Center BDC+ January 2020
Southern Ocean Medical Center BDC January 2020
University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro BDC+ January 2020
Virtua Memorial Hospital BDC January 2020
Virtua Marlton Hospital BDC+ January 2020
Virtua Voorhees Hospital BDC+ January 2020

Maternity Care

Hospital

Designation

Designation Date

Capital Health Medical Center Hopewell

BDC+

January 2018

Centra State Medical Center

BDC+

November 2020

Chilton Medical Center

BDC+

November 2020

Cooper University Hospital

BDC+

January 2018

Englewood Hospital and Medical Center

BDC+

December 2020

Hackensack University Medical Center - Mountainside

BDC

November 2020

Hackensack University Medical Center - Palisades

BDC

November 2020

Hunterdon Medical Center

BDC

January 2018

Inspira Medical Center Elmer

BDC

January 2018

Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill

BDC

January 2018

Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill

BDC

January 2018

Jersey Shore University Medical Center

BDC

November 2020

Kennedy Memorial Hospital

BDC

January 2018

Morristown Medical Center

BDC+

November 2020

Newton Medical Center

BDC+

November 2020

Ocean Medical Center

BDC

November 2020

Overlook Medical Center

BDC+

November 2020

Riverview Medical Center

BDC

November 2020

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

BDC+

January 2018

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - Somerset

BDC+

November 2020

University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro

BDC+

January 2018

Virtua Marlton Hospital

BDC

January 2018

Virtua Memorial Hospital

BDC

January 2018

Spine Surgery

Hospital Designation Designation Date
Hackensack University Medical Center BDC January 2020
Jersey Shore University Medical Center BDC January 2020
Ocean Medical Center BDC+ January 2020
Riverview Medical Center BDC January 2020
Virtua-Memorial Hospital BDC+ January 2020

Substance Use Treatment and Recovery

Facility Designation* Designation Date
Hoboken University Medical Center BDC January 2020
Stress Care of New Jersey - Matawan BDC January 2020
Summit Oaks Hospital BDC January 2020

Transplants

The Blue Distinction Centers for Transplants are designated facilities across the nation that meet stringent quality criteria established by national organizations and expert clinician panels.

Physicians referring a Horizon BCBSNJ member for a transplant should call us for information about participating local and national transplant facilities. Dedicated case management is available to help you and your patient. For more information, call 1-888-621-5894, ext.46404.

CMS requires that Medicare and Medicare Advantage members must receive transplant- related services only at Medicare-approved transplant facilities.

Hospital

Designation

Designation Date

Hackensack University Medical Center

BDC for Adult Bone Marrow/Stem Cell
BDC+ for Pediatric Bone Marrow/Stem Cell
(Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital)

January 2022

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

BDC for Adult Kidney (Live & Deceased Donor)
BDC for Pediatric Kidney
BDC for Adult Bone Marrow

October 2022