[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 165 (Thursday, September 23, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6668-S6669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                    RECOGNIZING BLUMINE HEALTH, LLC

 Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize 
an outstanding

[[Page S6669]]

Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial 
spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize BluMine Health, LLC 
of Louisville, KY, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.
  Headquartered in Louisville, KY, BluMine Health began operations 6 
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, IN, 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 
fifth 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 healthcare 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.

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