Launched in 2015, Blue Distinction^® Total Care (BDTC) identifies physicians, group practices, and hospitals participating in local value-based programs designed to improve health outcomes and lower cost trends through better coordination of care. BDTC-designated providers receive value-based payments associated with both quality and cost outcomes rather than traditional fee-for-service payments. Independence’s BDTC-designated program, the Quality Incentive Payment System (QIPS), is a primary care provider incentive program based on the management of PPO members, including National BlueCard^® PPO members. Providers currently participating in QIPS for the management of PPO members, are identified as BDTC providers.

Introducing BDTC+

As of January 1, 2019, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), an association of independent Blue Cross^® and Blue Shield^® plans, has expanded the BDTC program. It will now include a plus (+) designation to recognize those BDTC providers who demonstrate higher quality care at a lower cost than the other BDTC program participants. Independence’s BDTC+ providers were identified using an established methodology that considered BCBSA’s national selection criteria and their performance in the QIPS program during measurement year 2017 (top 50% in quality and utilization and top 50% in cost efficiency measures).

Providers who meet the qualifications to be designated as BDTC+ will be sent a recognition letter in January. This recognition will last for one year. BDTC providers will be evaluated annually for the BDTC+ designation.

Identifying BDTC+ providers

As with BDTC, members will be able to search for BDTC+ providers on Independence’s Find a Doctor online tool, as well as the BCBSA’s National Doctor and Hospital Finder. BDTC+ practices and their physicians will be identified with the following distinct BDTC+ icon on both the Independence and BCBSA provider finders in January.

For more information on BDTC, visit the BCBSA website. 

Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.