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Need for self-care as cost-cutting tool will take $21 billion OTC industry higher
WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Even as Justice Antonin Scalia suggested that mandating all Americans buy healthcare insurance was akin to Big Government saying to Joe Consumer, "Hey, eat your broccoli," one underlying theme became apparent: Health care isn't cheap and won't be getting any cheaper — unless everybody does in fact eat their broccoli. And that makes the value inherent in self-care, the cost-savings readily associated with the use of over-the-counter medicines and nutritional supplements, an evergreen proposition.
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Express Scripts struck a match to the merger debate after suggesting approval imminent
WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — When Express Scripts filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission that its merger with Medco could close as early as the week of April 2, that seemed to set off a firestorm of activity. Reports were published suggesting the Federal Trade Commission decision was imminent, and what's more that the agency would decide in favor of the merger. Speculative day traders Wednesday morning pushed the opening stock prices across both Express Scripts and Medco higher by 3.9% and 5%, respectively.