TED Health Mark Cuban and Dr. Fumiko Chino Try to F-Up Healthcare | from Before We Go
Nov 11, 2025
Mark Cuban, a renowned entrepreneur and healthcare disruptor, teams up with Dr. Fumiko Chino, a passionate radiation oncologist and advocate reshaping cancer care. They dive into the emotional toll of medical debt, sharing personal stories that highlight the urgent need for cost transparency. Mark explains how his Cost Plus Drugs initiative is dramatically reducing medication prices while tackling industry complexities, including the role of pharmacy benefit managers. Together, they embody the intersection of empathy and innovation in healthcare.
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Transparency As The Root Fix For Drug Prices
- Mark Cuban identifies lack of price transparency as the core failure in the drug market.
- He launched Cost Plus Drugs to publish actual costs plus a 15% markup with flat pharmacist and shipping fees.
From $10,000 To Under $300 For A Drug
- Mark recounts a college friend's referral about a paralyzed man who'd lost insurance and faced $10,000 quarterly drug costs.
- Cost Plus sourced the drug and charged about $279 for three months, later lowering price as volume grew.
How PBMs Lock In Opaque Pricing Power
- Mark explains PBMs act as opaque middlemen negotiating rebates and steering formularies, often profiting on both sides.
- This structure blocks challengers and keeps many brand drugs off transparent platforms like Cost Plus.