About this episode

Mark Cuban discusses the disruption in the healthcare industry and the power of employers to reform it.

In this explosive episode of The Business of Benefits, host Chelsea Ryckis and Fiduciary Benefits Consultant Talia Hansen sit down with entrepreneur and billionaire Mark Cuban to discuss the massive disruption happening in the healthcare industry. Mark shares the origin story behind Cost Plus Drugs and Cost Plus Wellness, and why employers hold the ultimate power to fix the broken healthcare system. We cover how employers can stop overpaying for healthcare, the critical importance of aligned incentives, and why direct-to-employer programs are the future. Mark breaks down the hidden games played by traditional PBMs and carriers, and how taking an "outside-in" approach is the only way to truly advocate for patients. We also explore the value of having an internal "Healthcare CEO" to manage claims, and Mark shares his visionary idea for replacing health insurance premiums with a revolutionary healthcare banking model. What you’ll learn: • The "aha moment" that led Mark Cuban to start Cost Plus Drugs and expose the massive markups in the pharmaceutical industry. • Why the traditional RFP process is designed to protect incumbents and keep employers in the dark. • How to identify and…

People in this episode

Host: Chelsea Ryckis

Guest: Mark Cuban

Topics covered

• healthcare disruption
• employer power
• Cost Plus Drugs
• direct-to-employer programs
• healthcare management

Keywords

• healthcare
• Cost Plus Drugs
• employers
• direct contracting
• health insurance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cost Plus Drugs, Cost Plus Wellness, PBMs

More episodes of The Business of Benefits Podcast

• 76. The Doctor Who Cut the Middleman Out of Imaging w/ Cristin Dickerson · April 23, 2026 · 44 min
• 74. Benefits Consultant Reacts to Shady Contract Clauses w/ Chelsea Ryckis · March 26, 2026 · 33 min
• 73. From Peo to Independent Excellence: The GQR Wynden Stark Healthcare Story · March 13, 2026 · 49 min
• 72. Future Proofing Your Health Benefits: A Case Study in Multi-Year Planning w/ Julia Watt · February 26, 2026 · 59 min
• 71. The Hospital Programs Your Broker Never Mentioned: 501(r) & Hospital Bill Review with Patrick Haig · February 12, 2026 · 42 min
• 70. Redefining Benefits Leadership w/ Stephanie Porrino & Kristina Ewing · January 29, 2026 · 51 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Business of Benefits Podcast podcast page.