FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 23, 2021
Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, recognized BluMine Health, LLC of Louisville, Kentucky, as the U.S. Senate Small Business of the Week.
Dr. Paul entered the following into the Congressional Record:
Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, as Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize BluMine Health, LLC of Louisville, Kentucky, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.
Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, BluMine Health began operations six years ago as Alternative Health Solutions. Led by Michael Dees, BluMine Health was established to meet a demand for individualized, easily accessible medical care. Through its direct primary care (DPC) model, BluMine Health provides local businesses with affordable healthcare services. As an alternative to fee-for-service insurance billing, BluMine Health’s DPC charges employers a flat monthly per-employee fee. This fee covers primary care services, including clinical and laboratory services, consultative services, and comprehensive care management. DPC allows family physicians to care for the whole person, reducing the overhead and negative incentives associated with fee-for-service third-party-payer billing. Through onsite care clinics and shared on-site care centers, BluMine Health provides a practical alternative to the third-party insurance coverage system.
Today, BluMine Health has become a regional leader in direct primary care. They continue serving communities across Kentucky, with locations in Brandenburg, Lexington, Madisonville, Elizabethtown, Somerset, Richmond, Shelbyville, Shepherdsville, and Dunnville. BluMine Health provides care to dozens of clients, covering 20,000 individuals and their families. Since 2019, BluMine Health has partnered with Baptist Health, the leading healthcare provider in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, to provide additional services such as hospital care and physical therapy to its clients. BluMine Health is expanding its services throughout the Ohio River Valley, establishing a clinic in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and announcing an expansion into Ohio in August 2021.
Like many small businesses, BluMine Health is active in its community. Locally, BluMine Health regularly supports nonprofit organizations and sponsors charity events, such as the Kentucky Harvest 5th Annual Golf Tournament. They are actively involved with industry and business organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce and the Health Enterprise Network, Louisville’s regional health care business network. As a healthcare provider, BluMine Health stepped up to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. They continued to offer in-person care and adapted to provide telemedicine service, with telehealth appointments surpassing 40 percent of their medical delivery. Through their partnership with Baptist Health, BluMine Health provided a COVID-19 workplace reopening service, enabling local businesses to create and maintain healthy workplaces as lockdowns lifted.
BluMine Health, LLC is a notable example of the critical role that small, community-oriented healthcare providers play in their communities. Local medical practices like BluMine Health form the heart of towns across Kentucky, regularly stepping up to support their communities in times of crisis. Congratulations to Michael and the entire team at BluMine Health, LLC. I wish them the best of luck and look forward to watching their continued growth and success in Kentucky and beyond.
As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Paul continues the tradition of honoring America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs. The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship oversees proposed legislation on matters relating to the Small Business Administration and investigates all problems relating to America’s small businesses.
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