Wellmark recognizes Iowa substance use treatment and recovery facilities for demonstrating quality care
DES MOINES, IA – Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced six facilities in Iowa are now designated as Blue Distinction® Centers for Substance Use Treatment and Recovery — a new designation under the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) are nationally designated facilities that show a commitment to delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the community and leading accreditation and quality organizations.
The BDC Substance Use Treatment and Recovery program requires designated facilities to deliver coordinated multidisciplinary care to patients and provide timely access to quality medical and psychosocial care in all phases of treatment. Designated facilities must also offer medication-assisted treatment — a way to treat opioid addiction that includes both a medication component and behavioral therapy.
Treatment and recovery facilities will be designated on a rolling basis. To-date, the following Iowa facilities have received a BDC Substance Use Treatment and Recovery designation:
| Facility | City |
|---|---|
| City Area Substance Abuse Council | Cedar Rapids |
| Community and Family Resources | Fort Dodge |
| Heartland Family Service | Council Bluffs |
| Jackson Recovery Centers & Adolescent Center | Sioux City |
| Jackson Recovery Centers Inc. | Sioux City |
| New Opportunities Inc. | Carroll |
"The Blue Distinction Specialty Care program helps our members find quality care and encourages health care professionals to improve the overall delivery of care," said Laura Jackson, Wellmark's chief health officer. "By designating proven, patient-centered treatment facilities as Blue Distinction, we’re improving a patient’s path to recovery."
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, substance use treatment and recovery, and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the care they deliver.
For more information about the BDC program and a complete listing of the designated facilities, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction External Site.
