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Health insurance has become one of the largest budget items for many families. Marketplace benchmark premiums rose 21.7% in 2026, and one estimate puts the average cost for a family of four at roughly $2,230 a month before subsidies. For many households, that puts coverage behind only housing as a recurring expense.
Mark Cuban says the problem is bigger than drug pricing or one bad insurance company. His idea, called "the 10 Plan," would rethink how families pay for care in the first place. It is bold, but it also raises questions for families trying to get ahead financially.
Here's how Cuban's plan would work, and why some experts remain skeptical.
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Cuban wants to replace premiums with medical savings
Cuban's idea starts with a simple complaint: Medicare premiums disappear whether you use your health insurance or not. Under The 10 Plan, families would instead put that money into a restricted bank account that could only be used for approved medical expenses.
That makes the proposal different from traditional insurance. It also resembles a health savings account, but Cuban frames it as more flexible because it would not have to be tied to a high-deductible health plan.
The plan is capped at 10% of household income
The name comes from this proposed limit. A household's required contribution would be capped at 10% of income. The goal is to keep health care payments from swallowing a family's budget.
That cap is one reason the idea has attracted attention. Premiums today are not always neatly aligned with what a family can afford, especially for people who make just too much for subsidies but not enough to comfortably absorb four-figure bills.
Cuban's example uses a $2,100 monthly payment
Cuban has used a family paying around $2,100 a month as an example. Instead of sending that full amount to an insurer, the money would be divided into three pieces:
| Monthly amount | Where it goes |
| $300 | Stop-loss coverage for catastrophic costs |
| $200 | Direct primary care |
| $1,600 | Restricted medical savings account |
| $2,100 | Total monthly commitment; capped at 10% of household income |
That setup is meant to cover routine care, protect against a major medical event, and let unused money build over time.
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The savings account is the centerpiece
The biggest bucket in Cuban's example is the $1,600 monthly deposit into a family's medical account. If the family stays healthy, the money doesn't vanish into an insurance pool. It would remain theirs, earn interest, and keep rolling forward.
Cuban has said that if someone never needs to spend the money, they would keep the balance even after retirement.
Catastrophic costs would be handled separately
The plan would still include catastrophic protection. In Cuban's example, about $300 per month would go toward stop-loss coverage, with a $30,000 cap.
That part matters because a major hospitalization or cancer diagnosis can create bills far beyond what most families could cover. The stop-loss piece is meant to keep a serious illness from becoming financially devastating, while still moving everyday medical spending away from the traditional premium model.
Direct primary care would cover routine visits
Another $200 per month would go toward direct primary care. In that model, patients typically pay a membership fee for easier access to a primary care doctor, rather than routing every basic visit through insurance.
Supporters of direct primary care argue it can make routine care simpler and more predictable. But it does not replace specialists, surgery, hospital care, imaging, or expensive prescriptions. That is one reason Cuban's plan still needs a backstop for larger expenses.
The bank loan feature is where things get complicated
Cuban's plan also includes a loan mechanism. If a family has a medical crisis before building emergency savings, the bank could advance up to $30,000. Future monthly deposits would then go toward repaying that loan.
That feature could help families avoid an immediate cash crunch. But it also introduces a major concern: A family dealing with illness could also be dealing with medical debt, reduced income, and less future flexibility at the same time.
Critics worry the risk moves to families
This is the heart of the controversy. Traditional insurance spreads risk across a large pool of people. Cuban's model would let healthier families keep more of their money, but it could also leave sicker families facing more financial pressure.
The plan may work best for households with steady income, manageable health needs, and enough time to build savings. Families with chronic conditions or unpredictable income may face a tougher reality.
It does not fully solve why care costs so much
Cuban's proposal changes how families pay for care. It does not automatically lower hospital prices, reduce administrative costs, or fix the billing complexity that makes health care so expensive in the first place.
A new payment structure might make costs more visible, but that alone may not be enough to bring prices down.
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Bottom line
Mark Cuban's 10 Plan is getting more attention because it speaks to a frustration many families already feel. They pay more for health coverage each year, but many still aren't protected from big medical bills. His proposal could help some individuals keep more cash in their pocket by shifting premium dollars into a restricted account they can control.
Still, the trade-off matters. Any plan that gives healthier families more upside may also leave families with serious or recurring medical needs facing more risk. Until Cuban's idea becomes a formal product or policy proposal, households should focus on practical steps they can now take, such as comparing plans during open enrollment and reviewing prescription costs before choosing coverage.
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