Humana, Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs Working On Partnership

Humana, a leading health insurer for older adults in the United States, and Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs are exploring potential collaboration to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for American employers.

The discussion around this partnership took place at the annual Forbes Healthcare Summit, where Humana’s CEO, Jim Rechtin, and entrepreneur Mark Cuban shared insights on improving the patient experience in the pharmacy setting. Cuban mentioned that the initial focus of their collaboration is on direct-to-employer programs, aiming to bypass traditional pharmacy benefit management entities. He specifically mentioned engaging with Humana’s CenterWell healthcare services business, which includes a specialty pharmacy.

This partnership holds significant promise for Cost Plus Drugs, as Humana boasts over 8 million health plan members, with a substantial portion enrolled in their Medicare Advantage plans. These plans are particularly popular among individuals aged 65 and above.

While specific details of the collaboration remain undisclosed and are still in the early stages, both parties are actively working towards streamlining the pharmacy experience for patients. Rechtin emphasized the importance of simplifying the prescription process and eliminating unnecessary steps between drug manufacturers and patients.

Cuban highlighted the holistic approach they are taking, focusing on treating the individual as a whole, including their financial well-being. This aligns with Humana’s ongoing efforts to innovate in the pharmacy space.

One of Humana’s recent initiatives includes expanding their CenterWell healthcare services to include direct-to-patient specialty pharmacy services. This expansion caters to the growing demand for weight loss drugs like GLP-1 inhibitors. CenterWell now fulfills and ships orders for popular medications like Wegovy, prescribed through telehealth platforms such as Hims & Hers Health, Inc., LifeMD, and Ro.