HealthFirst Bluegrass

What HealthFirst Bluegrass does

HealthFirst Bluegrass, Inc. is a private, non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) operating 16 clinical sites across the greater Lexington, Kentucky area and serving over 20,000 active patients. The organization originated as the Primary Care Center of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department in the late 1980s and became an independent entity in 2015. It delivers an integrated team-based care model spanning adult primary care, pediatrics, women's health (including prenatal care with delivery at CHI Saint Joseph Women's Hospital), behavioral health (including Medication-Assisted Treatment), dental care, and on-site pharmacy services, with two homeless-shelter clinics (Hope Center, Catholic Action Center), 11 school-based clinics in Fayette County Public Schools, telehealth for behavioral health, a mobile dental van, and free prescription delivery for Fayette County residents.

HealthFirst's technology stack centers on athenahealth for electronic health records and patient portal (portal.athenahealth.com), Microsoft SharePoint for internal operations, ADP Workforce for HR/recruiting, and 340B pharmacy management across its two in-house pharmacies. Its technology posture is recognized through the HRSA 2025 Advancing HIT for Quality award and the 2023 NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home designation. Care is delivered on a sliding-fee scale based on household income and family size, with income verification at first visit and annually thereafter; the minimum dental visit fee is $20. Governance is structured under a patient-majority board (51% of board members must be HealthFirst patients).

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: fee-for-service billing to Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance; federal HRSA Health Center Program grants under the U.S. Public Health Service Act; participation in the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program for discounted medications; and tax-deductible donations to the Patient Assistance Fund (Health and Hardship Initiative). The patient base is 67% racial minority, 33% served in a language other than English, and approximately 81% living at or below the federal poverty level, spanning uninsured/underinsured residents, immigrants and refugees, individuals experiencing homelessness, LGBTQIA+ patients, students through the school-channel, and women across the life stages including prenatal and postpartum care.

Name

HealthFirst Bluegrass

Legal name

HealthFirst Bluegrass, Inc.

Website

https://healthfirstlex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HealthFirst Bluegrass is a non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center operating 16 sites in Lexington, Kentucky, providing integrated primary care, pediatrics, women's health, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services to over 20,000 underserved patients on a sliding-fee scale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Center Services

NAICS

Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Community-Based Preventive & Health Promotion Clinics (HLAFAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

School-Based & Community Women’s/Children’s Health Clinics (HLAFAJAO), Mobile & Street Medicine Primary Care Programs (HLAFAGAH), Health Equity, Access & Social Determinants Programs (BPAIAJAO)

Keywords

• Community health center
• Federally qualified health
• Primary care services
• Behavioral health care
• School-based clinics

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Patient Services Revenue: HealthFirst Bluegrass generates revenue through fee-for-service billing for patient visits across primary care, dental, behavioral health, women's health, pediatrics, and pharmacy services. Services are billed to Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans. As an FQHC, the organization also receives federal grants under the HRSA Health Center Program, and offers a sliding-fee scale for uninsured or underinsured patients based on household income and family size.
2. 340B Drug Pricing Program: HealthFirst Bluegrass participates in the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program, which allows the organization to purchase medications at discounted prices and offer them at reduced costs to eligible patients. This program stretches federal resources and enables the organization to provide medications at little to no cost for qualifying patients.
3. Federal HRSA Grants: As a Federally Qualified Health Center, HealthFirst Bluegrass receives federal funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the U.S. Public Health Service Act. This grant funding supports operations and allows the organization to provide care regardless of patients' ability to pay.
4. Patient Assistance Fund Donations: HealthFirst Bluegrass accepts tax-deductible donations to its Patient Assistance Fund (PAF), also called the Health and Hardship Initiative, which supports community health workers who help patients overcome social determinants of health barriers such as food insecurity, housing, and transportation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HealthFirst Bluegrass is a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center that delivers integrated primary medical, women's health, pediatric, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy care to over 20,000 active patients across 16 locations in the greater Lexington, Kentucky area. Services are delivered regardless of patients' ability to pay, supported by a sliding-fee scale, federal HRSA funding, the 340B drug pricing program, and on-site pharmacies with free delivery to Fayette County residents.

Product overview

HealthFirst Bluegrass is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) offering an integrated care model through a network of 16+ locations in the greater Lexington, Kentucky area. The organization provides comprehensive primary and preventive healthcare services including Adult Primary Care, Pediatrics, Women's Health (OB-GYN), Behavioral Health, Dental Care, and on-site Pharmacies. Specialized programs include 10 School-Based Clinics serving Fayette County Public Schools students and Healthcare for the Homeless services at local shelters. The organization serves over 20,000 active patients and operates on a sliding-fee scale based on ability to pay, accepting Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Primary Care Primary medical care for adults including preventive care, acute care, chronic condition management, in-house labs, and radiology referrals. Available to all adult patients regardless of insurance status on a sliding-fee scale.
• Pediatric Care Medical care for children from birth to age 18, including well-child visits, vaccines, acute care, chronic condition management, behavioral health integration, and school and sports physicals. Delivered at Southland Pediatrics, HealthFirst @ The MET, and school-based clinics.
• Women's Health Obstetric and gynecologic care across all life stages, including routine gynecologic care, birth control, prenatal and postnatal care, mammogram referrals, and coordinated delivery at CHI Saint Joseph Women's Hospital.
• Behavioral Health Integrated behavioral health services for pediatric and adult patients including therapy, counseling, medication management, addiction recovery support, and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT). Available in-person and via telehealth.
• Dental Care Comprehensive dental services for all ages including routine exams, cleanings, extractions, fillings, pediatric dental care with nitrous sedation, and mobile dental van services across the Lexington area. Minimum fee $20 per visit on a sliding-fee scale.
• Pharmacy Services On-site pharmacies at Southland and MET locations offering affordable prescriptions through the 340B Drug Pricing Program, free prescription delivery for Fayette County residents, and 24/7 telephone prescription refilling.
• School-Based Clinics Health clinics embedded in Fayette County Public Schools delivering medical care, behavioral health, and dental services for students, and in some cases their families and teachers, directly on campus.
• Health Care for the Homeless Medical and behavioral health care for individuals experiencing homelessness, delivered at no cost through federal grant funding at clinics embedded within The Hope Center and the Goodwin Clinic at the Catholic Action Center.
• Patient Assistance Fund (Health and Hardship Initiative) Funded by tax-deductible donations, the Patient Assistance Fund supports Community Health Workers who connect patients with resources addressing social determinants of health such as food insecurity, housing, transportation, insurance enrollment, and other hardships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 active patients served across 16 locations in greater Lexington, Kentucky
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fayette County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthFirst Bluegrass operates 11 school-based health clinics within Fayette County Public Schools, providing medical care, behavioral health services, and dental care for students. Some clinics are also open to community members, parents, and teachers. This partnership increases school attendance and reduces health-related barriers to learning.
• Lexington-Fayette County Health DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthFirst Bluegrass was originally the Primary Care Center of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department before becoming its own entity in 2015. The organization continues to partner with the Health Department for school-based health services and community health initiatives.
• United HealthcareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthFirst Bluegrass partnered with United Healthcare to host a mobile mammogram unit offering free mammograms to established HealthFirst patients and non-patients in the community on November 12-13, 2025, at the Southland Drive clinic.
• CHI Saint Joseph Health - East Women's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthFirst Bluegrass partners with CHI Saint Joseph Health Women's Hospital to ensure a safe and professional delivery experience for pregnant patients. The hospital is where HealthFirst's prenatal patients deliver their babies.
• National Health Care for the Homeless CouncilcoreOthersHealthFirst Bluegrass is a member of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, which supports best practices and policy advocacy for health centers serving people experiencing homelessness.
• Kentucky Primary Care AssociationcoreOthersHealthFirst Bluegrass is affiliated with the Kentucky Primary Care Association (KPCA), the organization connecting and overseeing community health centers in Kentucky.
• Voices of HopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA substance use recovery organization whose recovery coaches are embedded in detention centers, hospitals, and courtrooms. They support HealthFirst patients struggling with addiction by connecting them to recovery programs and housing.
• God's PantryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood bank providing boxes of non-perishable food. HealthFirst distributes food boxes at several of its clinic locations.
• Catholic Action CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA shelter providing food, beds, and services for those experiencing homelessness. HealthFirst operates its Goodwin Clinic directly within the Catholic Action Center.
• The Hope CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA shelter providing food, clothing, transitional housing, health care, and substance use treatment programs. HealthFirst operates a clinic directly within The Hope Center.
• Legal AidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal service firm protecting families and ensuring fairness. HealthFirst refers patients to Legal Aid for civil legal matters including housing discrimination and consumer issues.
• LexTranminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLexington's public transportation authority. HealthFirst helps patients access LexTran's paratransit service (Wheels) for disabled patients and Federated transportation for Medicaid patients to reach medical appointments.
• Department of Community-Based Services (DCBS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKentucky's state agency for Medicaid and SNAP application assistance. HealthFirst's community health workers and enrollment specialists help patients apply for Medicaid and other benefits.
• UK HealthCareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor specialty and inpatient hospital to which HealthFirst refers patients for specialty care. Also a source of pharmacy preceptors and professional development.
• GreenHouse 17minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic violence shelter for women providing immediate shelter and case management to help women secure housing. HealthFirst refers patients in need of domestic violence support.
• Natalie's SistersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafe place for women who have been sexually trafficked or exploited, offering food, shelter, clothing, and referrals. HealthFirst refers patients to this organization.
• Arbor Youth ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral Kentucky's only emergency shelter for children up to 18 years old. HealthFirst provides healthcare services to youth in transition at this shelter.
• Surgery on SundayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit providing medically-necessary outpatient surgeries to eligible individuals. HealthFirst refers patients who need specialty surgical care.
• Mission LexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialty health clinic for uninsured people providing podiatry, vision care, and dentures. HealthFirst refers patients needing these specialty services.
• Chrysalis HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubstance use treatment program for pregnant women and new mothers with residential and outpatient options, children's services, and recovery housing. HealthFirst refers pregnant patients struggling with substance use.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Oak Street Health (CVS Health): Value-based primary care provider focused on older adults on Medicare, now part of CVS Health. Comparable focus on serving underserved populations with integrated care, though operating under a value-based commercial model rather than FQHC structure.
• ChenMed: Family-owned value-based primary care group serving low-income seniors through full-risk Medicare contracts. Comparable focus on complex, underserved patients with integrated multidisciplinary teams and on-site pharmacy and specialty services.

Direct peers

• Cumberland Family Medical Center: Kentucky FQHC providing comprehensive primary care, dental, behavioral health, and school-based health services across multiple counties. Closely comparable operating model with similar school-based clinic footprint and patient-majority governance structure.
• HealthPoint Family Care: Federally Qualified Health Center serving Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati with primary care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services. Comparable as a regional FQHC with integrated service lines and sliding-fee operations in an adjacent Kentucky market.
• White House Clinics: Kentucky-based Federally Qualified Health Center operating multiple primary care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy locations across central Kentucky. Directly comparable as a community-governed FQHC serving similar rural and underserved populations in the same state regulatory environment.
• KentuckyCare: Kentucky-based FQHC providing primary medical, dental, and behavioral health care across multiple counties, including school-based and community clinic models. Directly comparable scope and target population.
• Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation: Kentucky FQHC operating primary care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy locations across southeastern Kentucky, including school-based and community sites. Comparable integrated FQHC operating model with comparable patient demographics.
• Grace Health: Federally Qualified Health Center in southeastern Kentucky delivering primary care, pediatrics, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services on a sliding-fee scale. Direct peer given shared FQHC status, integrated service lines, and similar underserved-patient focus.

Broad incumbents

• UK HealthCare: Lexington-based academic health system and HealthFirst's primary referral partner for specialty care. Operates in the same geography at significantly greater scale and represents both a partnership channel and a broader competitive incumbent for complex care.
• CHI Saint Joseph Health: Kentucky regional health system and HealthFirst's delivery partner for prenatal patients. Larger established incumbent in the same market with overlapping women's health, primary care, and inpatient services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Healthfirst.Bluegrass

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HealthFirst Bluegrass