{"id":2537853,"date":"2026-01-15T12:27:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T17:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mark-cuban-slams-hospitals-for-inflating-healthcare-costs\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T12:30:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T17:30:31","slug":"mark-cuban-slams-hospitals-for-inflating-healthcare-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mark-cuban-slams-hospitals-for-inflating-healthcare-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Cuban slams hospitals for inflating healthcare costs"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmark-cuban-slams-hospitals-for-inflating-healthcare-costs%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2537853&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Mark Cuban, founder of Cost Plus drugs, blasted hospitals and insurers for inflating U.S. healthcare costs after a report accused UnitedHealthcare of &#8220;gaming&#8221; the Medicare Advantage program. Cuban accused hospitals of boosting patient bills when they believe insurers will pay more, which then drives up costs for self-insured employers, and urged insurers to divest noninsurance assets and be broken up. His comments followed a report from Sen. Chuck Grassley,based on more than 50,000 pages of documents,alleging UnitedHealthcare manipulates risk adjustment to make patients appear sicker and secure higher Medicare payments. Grassley called for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-stonewalling-investigation-into-afghanistan-spending\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Stonewalling Investigation Into Afghanistan Spending\">aggressive congressional oversight<\/a>, saying the practices harm taxpayers and the Medicare Advantage program.The coverage also noted broader public anger at insurers, which resurfaced after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian thompson in December 2024 and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >prompted critical social media reactions<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Mark Cuban slams hospitals for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/illinois-patient-relies-on-aca-tax-credits-experts-warn-they-drive-higher-premiums\/\" title=\"Illinois patient relies on ACA tax credits, experts warn they drive higher premiums\">inflating healthcare costs<\/a><\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2465010\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mark-cuban\/\">Mark Cuban<\/a>, the billionaire investor behind Cost Plus Drugs, criticized hospitals for inflating healthcare costs after a report exposing <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/unitedhealth\/\">UnitedHealthcare<\/a> for &ldquo;gaming&rdquo; the Medicare system was released.<\/p>\n<p>Cuban called for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mcuban\/status\/2011305309831389354\">insurance companies to divest<\/a> all &ldquo;noninsurance assets,&rdquo; arguing that it&rsquo;s time to &ldquo;break em up.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/economy\/4419891\/brooke-rollins-cost-effective-dinner-suggestion\/\">Rollins makes a cost-effective dinner suggestion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4419155\/alcohol-induced-er-visits-double-20-years-cdc\/\">Alcohol-induced ER visits double in past 20 years, CDC says<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4418708\/coerced-abortion-center-stage-senate-hearing-pills\/\">Coerced abortion takes center stage in Senate hearing on abortion pills<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;Our healthcare has become a game of who can rip off who and get away with it,&rdquo; Cuban wrote on X. &ldquo;Too Big To Care &ndash; all of it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Want another reason why healthcare costs are insane ? <\/p>\n<p>Hospitals will not only charge a facility fee and other random costs BUT ALSO , if they believe the insurance company is willing to pay MORE THAN WHAT WAS ON THE PATIENT BILL,  THEY WILL INCREASE THE BILL to the insurance&hellip;<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mark Cuban (@mcuban) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mcuban\/status\/2011563491807936571?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 14, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The billionaire entrepreneur said healthcare costs are &ldquo;insane&rdquo; because hospitals increase the costs of care if they believe insurance companies will pay more of the bill.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Hospitals will not only charge a facility fee and other random costs BUT ALSO , if they believe the insurance company is willing to pay MORE THAN WHAT WAS ON THE PATIENT BILL,&nbsp;THEY WILL INCREASE THE BILL to the insurance company,&rdquo; he continued.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Of course the insurance company then charges the self insured employer the higher amount,&rdquo; Cuban added.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/restoring-america\/community-family\/4412118\/congressional-debate-obamacare-subsidies-sidesteps-deep-drivers-medical-inflation\/\"><strong>CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE OVER OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES SIDESTEPS DEEP DRIVERS OF MEDICAL INFLATION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Cuban&rsquo;s X post comes after Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chuck-grassley\/\">Chuck Grassley<\/a> (R-IA) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/uhg_report_-_final.pdf\">released a report<\/a> on Monday that showed UnitedHealthcare has been allegedly taking advantage of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/medicare\/\">Medicare <\/a>Advantage program to increase profits.<\/p>\n<p>Grassley&rsquo;s staff reviewed over 50,000 pages of UnitedHealthcare documents received as part of his congressional oversight requests.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The report revealed that UnitedHealthcare&rsquo;s approach to assessing healthcare costs results in the company receiving more money from Medicare than its competitors, since the company allegedly makes patients appear sicker.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Grassley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Congress has a &ldquo;responsibility&rdquo; to conduct &ldquo;aggressive&rdquo; oversight on Medicare.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Bloated federal spending to UnitedHealth Group is not only hurting the Medicare Advantage program, it&rsquo;s harming the American taxpayer,&rdquo; he<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/news\/news-releases\/grassley-report-details-unitedhealths-record-of-appearing-to-game-the-medicare-advantage-system-turning-risk-adjustment-into-its-own-business\"> said <\/a>in a press release. &ldquo;My investigation has shown UnitedHealth Group appears to be gaming the system and abusing the risk adjustment process to turn a steep profit.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Taxpayers and patients deserve accurate, clear-cut and fair risk adjustment processes,&rdquo; he wrote.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Since the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3249314\/unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-shot-killed-manhattan\/\">Brian Thompson<\/a> in December 2024, the company and the insurance industry have faced renewed frustrations over high costs.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/restoring-america\/community-family\/4417634\/healthcare-not-broken-health-insurance-is\/\"><strong>HEALTHCARE ISN&rsquo;T BROKEN. HEALTH INSURANCE IS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Thompson&rsquo;s death sparked social media users to voice their negative experiences with insurers and outline justifications for his death.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I heard he died (because) the ambulance had to find an in network (emergency room),&rdquo; one user <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/EltonDemeti\/status\/1864318904543121751\">wrote <\/a>on X. Another user<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/LoneStarLegendX\/status\/1864308008181801333\"> wrote<\/a>, &ldquo;Maybe stop ripping the American People off.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mark Cuban: Hospitals driving up healthcare costs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3984,"featured_media":2537854,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25206812909817.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[34630,41035,71023,37388,48729],"class_list":["post-2537853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-healthcare-costs","tag-healthcare-reform","tag-hospital-pricing","tag-mark-cuban","tag-price-transparency"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25206812909817.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3984"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2537853"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537853\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2537861,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537853\/revisions\/2537861"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2537854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2537853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2537853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2537853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}