The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company and Seattle-based Zócalo recently announced a new collaboration that's out to eliminate health inequity for the U.S. Latino community by improving access to primary care services and affordable prescription drugs.

Erik Cárdenas, CEO and cofounder of Zócalo Health, told MobiHealthNews in an email:

We're excited to be joining forces with Cost Plus to further improve access and lower costs for critical medications for the Latino community.

A key partnership

Zócalo Health, founded in 2021 by Cárdenas and Mariza Hardinuno, former Amazon executives, was one of 10 participants in the 2022 Amazon Web Services Healthcare Accelerator focused on health equity.

To expand its own portfolio, the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (MCCPDC) has also announced numerous partnerships in the past six months, including collaborations with diabetes and chronic disease management company Diathrive Health and cancer care support company OncoPower.

The new alliance with Zócalo will create a comprehensive primary care experience, combining Zócalo Health services with MCCPDC's transparent pricing and convenience, all supported by Zócalo's culturally competent care navigation team, giving patients access to the pharmacy with more favorable prices from within the virtual experience.

Cost Plus Drugs is excited to offer branded medications, manufactured by @JanssenUS.

Invokana® (Canagliflozin)
Invokamet® (Canagliflozin-Metformin HCl)
Invokamet® XR (Canagliflozin-Metformin HCl)

Sign up and ask your provider to send your Rx to Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. pic.twitter.com/2Jm11mnjBR

— Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (@costplusdrugs) April 3, 2023

Zócalo Health users in Texas and California will have access to all medications available through MCCPDC on the Zócalo platform.

“The company also offers a virtual urgent care clinic with same-day and next-day appointments for common conditions, such as urinary tract infections, COVID-19, rashes, skin infections and more. Users can pay a monthly membership fee to access continued virtual care or meet with a provider for a one-time visit for a flat fee,” said reps from Zócalo Health.

Important data points

About 30% of people who take prescription drugs struggle to pay the cost, with the most serious burden affecting those who earn less than $40,000 a year and drugs that cost more than $100.

These factors disproportionately affect Latinos, who are more likely to need medication for chronic conditions and often cannot afford pharmacy prices.

Latino patients are forced to pay higher drug costs, with fewer resources, forcing them to choose between life-saving drugs and putting food on the table.

“This collaboration is one step (in many) focused at eliminating disparities for Latino patients in the U.S. We are excited to bring this much-needed level of transparency and experience to our community,” added Cárdenas.