Wellmark recognizes local health care professionals for demonstrating quality, more affordable fertility care

DES MOINES, IA – Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced that two physicians in Iowa are designated as Blue Distinction® Centers+ under the Blue Distinction Centers for Fertility Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated providers who show expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations.

Between 1987 and 2015, one million babies were born through the use of in vitro fertilization (IVF) or other assisted reproductive technology treatments, according to a study published in the 2015 Assisted Reproductive Technology National Summary Report¹. The Blue Distinction Centers for Fertility Care program evaluates physicians on several quality measures, including requiring physicians to follow the American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidelines on single embryo transfer, which decreases the multiple pregnancy rate associated with IVF. Physicians must meet quality measures and standards set by the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology – the country's leading organization for assisted reproductive technology. Physicians receiving a Blue Distinction Center+ designation must also demonstrate better cost-efficiency compared to their peers.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies across the nation have recognized more than 200 physicians under the Blue Distinction Centers for Fertility Care program. Only those physicians that first meet nationally established quality measures for Blue Distinction Centers are considered for designation as Blue Distinction Centers+.

The following physicians have been designated under the Blue Distinction Centers for Fertility Care program:

Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, cellular immunotherapy, fertility care, gene therapy, knee and hip replacements, maternity care, spine surgery, and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the care they deliver. Research shows that, compared to other providers, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients. On average, Blue Distinction Centers+ are also 20 percent more cost-efficient than non-Blue Distinction Center+ designated providers.

For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated providers, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction External Site.

¹ 2015 Assisted Reproductive Technology National Summary Report External Site