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