Pharmacy First

What Pharmacy First does

Pharmacy First is a privately held, independent Pharmacy Services Administrative Organization (PSAO) headquartered in the Kansas City metro area (Overland Park / Shawnee Mission, KS), founded around 2001. It provides back-office administrative services to independent community pharmacies, including PBM network credentialing, contracting, claims reconciliation, and a suite of operational and clinical services. According to the company, it has reconciled $53 billion in pharmacy claims over its roughly 20-year operating history and reports 100% compliance with PBM Network Audits, with a stated customer base of 2,100+ independent pharmacies prior to its AlignRx deal.

The company's core offering is a PSAO services platform centered on credentialing and contract management with multiple PBMs, claims reconciliation against expected reimbursement, and a member portal for account access (authentication tied to pharmacy NCPDP identifiers). The product surface is extended by add-on modules for credentialing, claims reconciliation, and clinical services. Pharmacy First differentiates by being unaffiliated with any wholesaler or buying group, allowing pharmacies to retain freedom of choice in procurement. Its go-to-market is direct enterprise/field sales targeting mid-market independent pharmacies, supported by phone (800-460-1575), email, LinkedIn, and Twitter presence.

The business model is recurring administrative fees paid by pharmacy network members, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Revenue mechanics are opaque from the public record. On April 1, 2023, Pharmacy First became a joint owner of AlignRx alongside Pharmacy Providers of Oklahoma and Arete Pharmacy Network, expanding its combined network to 5,600+ community pharmacies and positioning AlignRx as the largest PSAO in the segment. No institutional investors, parent company, or venture capital ownership is disclosed.

Name

Pharmacy First

Legal name

Pharmacy First

Website

https://pharmacyfirst.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pharmacy First is an independent, privately held PSAO based in Overland Park, KS that delivers credentialing, contracting, claims reconciliation, and clinical services to 2,100+ independent community pharmacies (5,600+ combined with AlignRx). It generates revenue through recurring administrative fees from pharmacy network members without wholesaler affiliation requirements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmacy Services Administration

NAICS

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Pharmacy Benefit/Channel Services (PSAO, 340B Admin, Chargebacks/Rebates Ops) (CRAOAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) & Pharmacy Network Administration (HLAFALAI)

Keywords

• Pharmacy services administration
• Pharmacy claims reconciliation
• PBM credentialing services
• Pharmacy contracting services
• Independent pharmacy support

Headquarters

HQ city

Overland Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. PSAO Administrative Services: Pharmacy Services Administrative Organization providing backend administrative services to independent pharmacies including credentialing, contracting, network management, and claims reconciliation. Revenue derived from administrative fees charged to pharmacy network members.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pharmacy First is an independent Pharmacy Services Administrative Organization (PSAO) that provides administrative services to independent community pharmacies. Its core services include PBM credentialing, contracting, claims reconciliation, operational support, and clinical services, delivered through a pharmacy-centric business platform.

Product overview

Pharmacy First is a premier Pharmacy Services Administrative Organization (PSAO) offering a unified platform with multiple integrated service modules. The core PSAO Services Platform provides credentialing, contracting, and claims reconciliation capabilities, complemented by a Member Portal for administrative access and Clinical Services for operational support. Collectively, these services serve over 2,100 network pharmacies with a track record of reconciling $53 billion in pharmacy claims and maintaining 100% PBM Network Audit compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PSAO Services Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% Compliance with PBM Network Audits
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AlignRxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Pharmacy First became a joint owner of AlignRx alongside Pharmacy Providers of Oklahoma, Inc. (PPOk) and Arete Pharmacy Network LLC on April 1, 2023. The partnership combines AlignRx's 3,500+ network pharmacies with Pharmacy First's 2,100+ network pharmacies, creating the largest PSAO serving over 5,600 community pharmacies. Both organizations share the mission of ensuring long-term prosperity and relevance of community pharmacy in healthcare.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (AmerisourceBergen): Wholesaler-affiliated PSAO network under AmerisourceBergen/Cencora serving independent pharmacies with credentialing, contracting, and clinical support — a much larger but wholesaler-tied competitor to Pharmacy First's independent positioning.
• Cardinal Health Pharmacy Services: Wholesaler-affiliated PSAO and pharmacy network administered by Cardinal Health, providing credentialing and contract management for independent pharmacies. Competes with Pharmacy First at scale but lacks the independent-ownership angle.
• McKesson RxOwnership / PSAO Services: Wholesaler-affiliated PSAO and pharmacy ownership solutions offered by McKesson to independent pharmacies, combining distribution with administrative services as part of a broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• Aspen RxHealth: Tech-enabled clinical services network for pharmacists, adjacent to PSAO offerings. Not a direct PSAO competitor but increasingly relevant as independent pharmacies seek clinical services revenue alongside administrative support.

Direct peers

• Arete Pharmacy Network: Independent PSAO and joint owner of AlignRx. Provides credentialing, contracting, and other administrative services to independent pharmacies, directly overlapping with Pharmacy First's core offering and member base.
• AlignRx: PSAO jointly owned by Pharmacy First, PPOk, and Arete Pharmacy Network serving 3,500+ network pharmacies. Operates the same PSAO business model (credentialing, contracting, claims reconciliation) for independent community pharmacies and is now structurally intertwined with Pharmacy First.
• Independent Pharmacy Cooperative (IPC) / PBA Health: Independent pharmacy services organization (formed via PBA Health / IPC combination) offering PSAO-style services, group purchasing, and member support to independent community pharmacies nationally.
• Pharmacy Providers of Oklahoma (PPOk): Independent PSAO based in Oklahoma and the third joint owner of AlignRx. Offers contracting and administrative services to community pharmacies with a comparable business model and customer segment.

Others

• Pharmacy Times / Pharmacy Networks Coalition: Industry media and advocacy group closely tied to the PSAO and independent pharmacy ecosystem; provides context on competitive dynamics and regulatory issues affecting Pharmacy First's market.
• NCPA (National Community Pharmacists Association): Trade association representing independent community pharmacies — Pharmacy First's core customer base. NCPA shapes policy and advocacy that materially affects Pharmacy First's regulatory and reimbursement environment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Pharm_First
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pharmacyfirst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Pharmacy First