Mark Cuban said he believes "healthcare is a right," but argued that simply switching the United States to a universal system is not a plug-and-play solution for a country built around expensive, modern medicine.

In a recent post on X, the billionaire entrepreneur said "the easy answer is to say Universal Healthcare," but contended nations that adopted universal coverage did so "before medical science introduced advanced expensive equipment," making a U.S. conversion harder without hurting providers. He added the "hard part" is getting everyone care "in a way that is fair, while not bankrupting providers and doctors."

Cuban’s post quoted an X user defending Universal Healthcare and the ACA.

Health economists like Paul B. Ginsberg have long said a U.S. single-payer model could lower administrative costs and prices paid to providers, but the transition would shift trillions onto federal ledgers and hinge on lower payment rates that could squeeze hospitals and physicians.

The Congressional Budget Office in 2019 outlined those trade-offs, noting effects on access, provider income and potential congestion during a transition. The Urban Institute in 2018 likewise estimated big federal spending increases, even if national spending falls with heavy provider rate cuts.

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Cuban sketched a tentative path that sidelines insurers as "the fulcrum," eliminates premiums, expands cash-pay options with published prices, and uses taxpayer guarantees to cover the portion patients can't afford. It is worth noting that the former ‘Shark Tank’ investor has previously separately urged letting patients choose cash-pay providers at upfront prices.

His comments land as research continues to paint a mixed picture. According to KFF findings, Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act improved hospital margins and reduced rural closures, while deep payer cuts have been linked to new financial stress for providers.

Experts also claim that health insurance premiums are only poised to get pricier in Affordable Care Act marketplaces next year once enhanced ACA tax credits lapse at the end of 2025.

Photo Courtesy: Kathy Hutchins on Shutterstock.com

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