Mark Cuban’s fix for healthcare in response to Musk’s question. Can’t say he is wrong:
1. You Don’t Even Own Your Own Data
When businesses sign with big PBMs, they give up access to their own claims data, meaning they can’t even see where their money is really going. No data means no power to negotiate better deals.
2. The Drugs Your Employees Get? Not Your Choice
PBMs — not the companies paying the bill — decide which drugs employees can access. This often means prioritizing expensive medications over more effective, cheaper alternatives.
3. ‘Specialty Drugs’ Are a Pricing Scam
Cuban called out one of the biggest rip-offs in healthcare — so-called “specialty drugs” that aren’t actually special. PBMs mark up the price, forcing employers to pay more, even when identical alternatives exist at a fraction of the cost.
4. Your Sickest Employees Are Subsidizing the System
PBMs structure rebates so that the sickest and oldest employees end up shouldering the highest costs, leading to higher deductibles, bigger co-pays and worse health outcomes.
5. Independent Pharmacies Get Crushed — And That Hurts Everyone
PBM contracts reimburse independent pharmacies at rates lower than their actual costs, forcing them out of business. Fewer pharmacies mean less competition — which means higher prices and less access for consumers.
6. CEOs Are Handcuffed from Negotiating Better Deals
PBM contracts ban direct negotiations with drug manufacturers, blocking companies from securing better pricing for employees.
7. You Signed a Contract That Silences You
These contracts come with NDAs, meaning even if a CEO wants to talk about the company’s PBM deal, they legally couldn’t. This secrecy keeps CEOs in the dark and prevents businesses from exposing the system.
