BLUEBIRD KIDS HEALTH RAISES $31.5M TO TRANSFORM VALUE-BASED PEDIATRIC CARE

Bluebird Kids Health, a new healthcare services company designed to deliver value-based pediatric primary care, today announced the closing of a $31.5 million capital raise co-led by F Prime and .406 Ventures, with participation from AIF and founding partner Juxtapose.

Bluebird Kids Health brings an innovative approach to pediatric care. Today, roughly half of children in the US are enrolled in Medicaid and struggle to get appointments with doctors, often because those providers don't accept Medicaid or have located their practices far from low income neighborhoods—creating "pediatric care deserts." Bluebird Kids is addressing this disparity by building pediatric practices in access-starved neighborhoods, using a modern, tech-enabled approach to care delivery, and implementing a high-performing model built specifically for pediatrics and value-based care (VBC). By establishing VBC arrangements with commercial and Medicaid payers, Bluebird Kids drives more access to pediatric care, cost savings, quality improvements, and significantly better outcomes for patients.

“We are on a mission to provide access to high-quality, compassionate care, regardless of a family's income or location,” said Bluebird Kids Health CEO and Founder Chris Johnson. “This investment will help us launch new clinics in some of the most challenging pediatric care deserts in the country. We're excited to bring a tech-enabled, value-based approach to primary care, and scale this vision to communities that need it most.”

Johnson brings a unique set of experiences to building modern, patient-focused healthcare delivery. Prior to founding Bluebird Kids, he served as CEO of Landmark Health, which was acquired by Optum in 2021. Landmark provided in-home primary care to seniors in value-based care arrangements with payors.

Through Johnson’s vision, Bluebird Kids Health aims to combine a welcoming, community feel with modern medical practices. As an NCQA-designated patient-centered medical home, Bluebird Kids provides the physical, mental, and social care that children need to thrive. The clinics offer 24/7 access to care, exceptional pediatricians and care teams, and convenient locations with integrated virtual care.

"After nearly 20 years of backing innovative companies providing full-risk primary care for Medicare populations, we are thrilled to partner with Bluebird Kids Health as they apply this proven approach to pediatric care,” said Kathryn Taylor Reddy, Principal at .406 Ventures.

“Chris and his team are uniquely qualified to build a value-based delivery model that brings world-class care to underserved children."

In 2024, Bluebird Kids Health acquired a pediatric primary care practice in Palm Beach County. Today, the Bluebird Kids care model already results in some of the highest performing clinical practices in Florida. With three locations, Bluebird Kids now serves roughly 20,000 active patients and will expand by applying its care model to brand new, de novo practice locations. Construction is already underway in Jacksonville and more communities are on the horizon.

In addition, Bluebird Kids Health is introducing a proprietary tech platform to proactively manage and coordinate care, using AI to enhance and simplify the experience for its clinical team. As Bluebird Kids expands, it will build regional hubs that offer extended urgent care and specialized programs, with expanded 24/7/365 remote clinical care and support services.

“We are excited to partner with Bluebird Kids Health as they deliver exceptional care through a value-based model that makes it possible to achieve sustainable, high-quality outcomes in the pediatric space” said Brett Cook, Partner at F-Prime. “By expanding convenient access to integrated physical and mental healthcare, Bluebird is working to ensure that proactive, holistic care is available to more children in communities with limited access to care—meeting families where and when they need it most.”

"The unique approach from Bluebird Kids Health of combining value-based care with an underserved market represents a clear path to improving outcomes for children while reducing overall healthcare costs,” said Ben West, Partner at Juxtapose, a leading creation-oriented investment firm. “Seeing the early results, and the profoundly positive impact the company is having on children, I am convinced this is among the most important efforts in U.S. healthcare right now."