Humana, Mark Cuban in Talks on Potential Pharmacy Partnership to Simplify Drug Access

The move signals growing industry interest in reducing layers in the drug supply chain amid heightened scrutiny of PBM practices.

Humana Inc. and billionaire Mark Cuban are exploring a potential pharmacy partnership that could streamline drug access and increase pressure on major pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), executives said at the Forbes Health Care Conference on Thursday.

The companies did not disclose structural details, but the early discussions center on a collaboration between Humana’s CenterWell pharmacy division and Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs, which sells mail-order medications at transparent prices. The move signals growing industry interest in reducing layers in the drug supply chain amid heightened scrutiny of PBM practices.

Cuban said he has been in talks with Humana on building “direct-to-employer programs” designed to bypass traditional intermediaries. Such models aim to cut administrative complexities and offer employers more predictable drug pricing.

Humana CEO Jim Rechtin said the insurer is focused on simplifying how medications reach patients. “How do you get rid of all that complexity?” he said, noting the company’s broader push to streamline its pharmacy operations even as it continues to run a smaller PBM compared with competitors owned by large insurers.

Cuban, who has repeatedly criticized PBMs for opaque pricing and contractual structures, said Humana deserves credit for attempting to make drug pathways clearer and more efficient. A Humana spokesperson did not immediately provide additional information on the discussions or potential next steps.

If formalized, the partnership could intensify pressure on the dominant PBMs that control a large share of the market, adding momentum to ongoing efforts from employers, policymakers, and alternative drug-distribution players to introduce more transparency into prescription pricing.

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