Mark Cuban Says You ‘Might Be Better Off’ Without Health Insurance At All If You Can’t Afford The Deductible
- Personal Finance
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- 9 minutes read
Mark Cuban didn’t start with the polite middle ground. He planted his flag in the weeds of a very real problem in the U.S. health system: insurance can cost money you never get to use.
In an August post on X, the billionaire entrepreneur and Cost Plus Drugs co‑founder laid out a blunt argument that has stuck with many Americans trying to navigate rising premiums and towering deductibles: if you can’t afford your deductible, insurance may not be protecting you at all.
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“It may sound counterintuitive , but if you can’t afford your deductible, you MIGHT be better off not getting insurance,” Cuban wrote. “When you need care, primary, preventive or worse, your doctor or hospital has financing plans.”
Rising Deductibles Leave Many “Without Insurance”
Cuban’s central point wasn’t a slogan — it was a direct critique of how health coverage works today. As deductibles rise, fewer people can afford to actually use their plans. They pay premiums, but the moment they need care, they face bills they simply don’t have the cash to cover. Cuban called this a structural flaw:
“The real health insurance scam is that they know as their deductibles go up, fewer people can afford to use their insurance. Which means they don’t have insurance. Despite having to pay premiums.”
Here, Cuban was talking about the math behind coverage: premiums, deductibles, negotiated pricing — and how the member ends up paying full rate on top of premiums they already paid.
Cash Pricing Can Be Cheaper Than Insurance Negotiated Rates
Cuban didn’t dismiss insurance entirely. He suggested that, in some cases, paying providers directly and working out payment terms could actually save money compared with high deductible plans that are rarely used.
“Their cash price that they finance will be cheaper than what your insurance company or employer negotiated,” he wrote. “Now is the time to find a doctor who is willing to work with you directly and let you pay them directly.”
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He acknowledged this approach isn’t fully polished yet — it’s still emerging and not seamless — but it’s happening in pockets of the system.
“There is still a lot of work to be done before this is easy and convenient. But it’s starting to happen.”
Cuban closed the post by inviting input: “This isn’t a perfect approach, so all feedback welcome!”
Cuban Responded Directly to Pushback
Users on X weighed in with their own experiences and counterpoints. One commenter argued insurers do negotiate steep discounts on lab work that individuals can’t achieve on their own.
Cuban replied directly, cutting to the central numeric reality:
“Cash price is almost always cheaper than insurance negotiated price. Go to a hospital website and look at the pricing they are required to pay.”
That answer underscores Cuban’s broader point: negotiated does not always mean lower, and transparency matters.
Other replies ranged from expressions of skepticism about insurance to personal experiences of high premiums and deductibles.
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The Real Issue at Hand
Cuban wasn’t urging everyone to cancel their coverage. He was pushing readers to think about value — not just cost. When premiums go up and deductibles climb faster than people’s ability to pay them, coverage can feel more like a fee than protection.
His message centered on one economic reality of the U.S. health system today:
- Paying for insurance doesn’t guarantee you can use it.
- Financing plans from providers and transparent cash pricing may cost less than out‑of‑pocket deductibles tied to high‑premium plans.
- Individuals should evaluate whether insurance offers more value than direct pay options based on their own finances and local network.
Cuban’s critique reflects a broader discussion happening among patients, employers, and some policymakers about how health care pricing and insurance design affect affordability in practice, not just in theory.
Where People Go From Here
Health insurance remains essential for many Americans — especially for major medical events or unpredictable emergencies. But Cuban’s point was about real usefulness, not theory.
For people trying to decide what path makes sense for their lives and finances, talking with a trusted financial advisor can help weigh the trade‑offs between premiums, deductibles, direct pay pricing, and long‑term risk.
Insurance shouldn’t be counted on if you can’t afford to use it. Cuban’s message was a clear, data‑informed challenge to the status quo — and an invitation to rethink how coverage, pricing, and care delivery fit together.
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