Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs’ Biggest Benefit May Be Transparency, not Savings

Nearly 12% of generic prescription drugs could have had lower out-of-pocket costs if they were purchased through the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. (MCCPDC) rather than through a traditional pharmacy using health insurance, according to a recent JAMA Health Forum study. Karen Van Nuys, Ph.D., a leading health policy expert who was not involved in the study, tells AIS Health the Mark Cuban company is doing a “tremendous service” by making medication prices transparent, although she suggests that it remains to be seen whether the firm and other cash pharmacies will have a major impact on the prices plans and members pay for drugs. 

Mark Cuban, a billionaire, founded MCCPDC in 2022 to bring more transparency to drug pricing and improve access to medications. The company discloses the amount it pays for drugs and then adds a 15% markup, $5 pharmacy fee and $5 shipping fee.