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Billionaire entrepreneur and Shark Tank star Mark Cuban opened up about challenges in the healthcare system during a February 2025 podcast interview with Nayeema Raza. When asked about his personal experiences, Cuban shared his mother's story at St. Clair Hospital in Pittsburgh.
"My mom had lung cancer and died two years, three years ago next month. We got her to the hospital and she needed a PET scan. She had been in the hospital for a few days and I'm at the hospital. Doctor says she needs a PET scan, and I'm like well, let's, we're here at the hospital, let's just get her the PET scan," Cuban recalled.
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He went on to describe the hospital's response, stating:
"’No, she has to check out of the hospital, go home for 3 days at least and then come back.’ I'm like, 'are you f--king kidding me.'"
This medical care challenge occurred during Shirley Cuban's final battle with lung cancer, which ended with her passing on February 4, 2022, at age 84 in her Mount Lebanon home. The podcast discussion marked the Shark Tank star’s first public comments about his mother's treatment experience at the hospital where he spent his childhood.
Shark Tank's Mark Cuban discusses his mother's lung cancer treatment experience
The medical crisis began when Shirley Cuban was admitted to St. Clair Hospital for treatment in early 2022. The Shark Tank star attempted to use his local connections and status to modify this requirement. Describing his experience, he shared:
“This is the hospital right where I grew up. Literally, I used to play baseball in the St. Clair Hospital. I used to play baseball in the back. I'm like, 'Are you f**king kidding me? This is insane.'”
He continued:
“But if I can't get it changed, you know other people are suffering far, far, far worse. But that it's not necessarily just the insurance companies. It's the fact that the interest of the patient, the people who provide the care, and the way it's paid for do not align, not even a little bit.”
He even contacted hospital administrators directly. Cuban recalled playing baseball on the hospital grounds during his youth, highlighting his deep ties to the institution. However, the administration stood firm on their protocols, refusing to make exceptions despite Cuban's prominence and his mother's condition.
In the same podcast, the discussion turned to employer-provided healthcare systems. When Raza questioned the connection between employment and healthcare access in America, the Shark Tank investor detailed his company's healthcare strategy.
Cuban explained his method for securing employee healthcare through direct hospital arrangements. His companies bypass traditional insurance structures by offering immediate cash payments to hospitals. This system eliminates prior authorizations and removes employee deductibles, with Cuban's companies covering 100% of costs.
The arrangement includes specific financial terms. Cuban negotiates rates at approximately 120% of Medicare pricing, which he maintains provides fair compensation to hospitals while remaining cost-effective for his businesses. This approach aims to solve common healthcare payment issues, such as delayed reimbursements and claim denials that hospitals typically face with insurance companies.
The Shark Tank investor referenced 1955 as a model year for his healthcare system, suggesting a return to more straightforward healthcare delivery.
Shirley Cuban's background
Born as Shirley Rita Feldman in 1937, she came from a Jewish immigrant family in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. She built an impressive career in healthcare services after graduating from Carlow College, now Carlow University, in Pittsburgh. Her professional life centered on helping others through various roles in the medical field.
She worked as a massage therapist and dedicated significant time to an addiction rehabilitation center, establishing herself as a respected healthcare professional. The Cuban family underwent several significant relocations tied to Mark's business success. After Mark acquired the Dallas Mavericks NBA franchise, Shirley and her husband, Norton, moved to Dallas in the early 2000s to be closer to their son.
They remained in Texas until Norton's death in 2018, after which Shirley returned to her Pittsburgh roots, settling in the suburban community of Mount Lebanon. Throughout her final years, she maintained strong connections to both cities, regularly attending Mavericks games while keeping her home base in Pennsylvania.
Shark Tank season 16 is airing on ABC network.
