Mark Cuban isn't interested in patching up the healthcare system with duct tape and buzzwords. He wants to rip it open, throw it under a spotlight, and ask what a lot of Americans are already thinking: Why is this entire industry allowed to operate in complete darkness?
In a February fireside chat with Hospitalogy founder Blake Madden—later revisited in April—the billionaire behind Cost Plus Drugs didn't hold back. He took aim at insurance companies, hospitals, consultants, and just about anyone profiting off the confusion. And yes, he said it: "I don't think there's a reason that health insurance should exist."
Don't Miss:
- Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share!
- Invest in the future of digital engagement: Own a piece of the $100 billion Metaverse for just $500.
Cuban's not looking to compete with insurers. He just wants to make them irrelevant. "We're going to try to make it so that self-insured employers have no reason to work with insurance companies," he said. In his view, insurers approve plans that restrict access and bury costs behind layers of red tape. Worse, they don't even ask the most basic questions.
"Why is the health of our entire country based on providers who don't know their own f*cking costs?" he asked.
Hospitals don't get a pass either. Cuban blasted their refusal to publish general ledgers or disclose what procedures and services actually cost. He called out the culture of secrecy, noting that executives are afraid of what transparency might reveal. "People don't want to do that because they're scared of what it would do for their business."
Trending: Maker of a life-changing asthma device with 12,000+ patients waiting, FDA clearance, and a 67% drop in attacks — now taking final investors at just $1.52 per share.
To Cuban, that's more than just bad management—it's a moral failure. "This isn't the Dallas Mavericks," he said. "This is the health and welfare of our entire country."
And while he proudly calls himself a capitalist, he draws a line when it comes to healthcare. "You don't have to just grab every nickel that you can get when there's this at stake."
If the industry refuses to act on its own, Cuban believes it's time for regulators to step in. Not to micromanage. Not to take over. Just to require the basics.
"You've got to open the books," he said.
He's pushing for laws that would force hospitals and insurers to disclose actual costs, margins, and spending—something he says should be standard practice in any business that deals with life-and-death decisions. If transparency threatens the business model, Cuban's argument is simple: maybe that business shouldn't exist in the first place.
Read Next:
- Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — invest pre-IPO from $0.60 per share now.
- BlackRock is calling 2025 the year of alternative assets. One firm from NYC has quietly built a group of 60,000+ investors who have all joined in on an alt asset class previously exclusive to billionaires like Bezos and Gates.
Image: Shutterstock
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.