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Healthcare

Getting Healthy with SXCI

July 14, 2009
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Getting Healthy with SXCI

My investment idea today is a company that’s getting a boost from government healthcare policies.  It’s SXC Health Solutions (SXCI), an Illinois company that provides pharmacy benefit management (PBM) and healthcare IT software. Flash Player 9 or higher is required to view the chart Click here to download Flash Player now View the full SXCI chart at Wikinvest SXC Health Solutions’ suite of prescription management programs includes software that smooths claims management, speeds payment and billing, gives desktop access to patient information, and a wagon-load of other services to lower cost, speed processing and ensure accuracy and safety. After...

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ESRX: A Healthcare Stock for our Changing Times

July 9, 2009
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ESRX: A Healthcare Stock for our Changing Times

Last week, the market told us that investors in medical stocks are afraid that Obama will pull the rug out from under stocks in an attempt to reduce the country’s health care bills.  They’re dropping some of these stocks–especially drug stocks and medical device stock–just like they were dropping financial stocks a year ago! But there is one sub-sector of medical stocks that’s still attractive, and that’s the companies that are expected to help rein in those medical costs in the future. One of them is Express Scripts, the company that provides pharmacy benefit management services to managed care...

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MELA: A Speculative Stock with Huge Potential

July 7, 2009
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MELA: A Speculative Stock with Huge Potential

My stock suggestion today is in the spirit of adventure. It’s a medical technology company that doesn’t really have revenues, much less earnings, and it doesn’t have a product approved for sale. What it has is a great idea for a hand-held device that will enable dermatologists to scan skin lesions to determine whether they are melanomas. The company is Electro-Optical Sciences (MELA), and the device-called the MelaFind-uses light at various wave-lengths to scan the suspicious lesion. It then uses its database of melanoma images to calculate a diagnosis. Flash Player 9 or higher is required to view the...

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BDSI: An Opportunity in Small-Cap Stocks

June 17, 2009
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BDSI: An Opportunity in Small-Cap Stocks

After writing so much about healthcare lately, I wanted to give you a recommendation of a favorite medical stock.  But I can’t today, and the reason is simple.  The group’s performance stinks. Technology stocks are looking good today.  Commodity stocks are strong.  And Chinese stocks are on fire.  But medical stocks are languishing. Does this poor performance in the midst of a broad bull market reflect fears investors have about the future profitability of the medical industry?  I’d have to say it does.  Investors fear uncertainty, and there are huge uncertainties today about the future of the medical industry,...

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Healthcare … Reader Stories and Suggestions

June 14, 2009
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Healthcare … Reader Stories and Suggestions

Back on Monday, I tackled the big challenge of our healthcare system once again, beginning with a few personal stories–including the $840 bill for my wife’s sliced thumb–and finishing with a prediction that the big pharmaceutical companies were in for tough sledding once Washington begins a serious effort to reduce costs. The responses to the column were numerous and excellent, and I share the best with you here. — I can remember back to 1956.  Ding-dong, Dr. Houston is at the front door. Saw all three of us kids.  Pulled a prescription out of his case for all of...

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