Yet the legal action by the American states may well cause regulators, not only in America but also in other countries, to take a closer look at how drug companies are trying to shield their most important products from lower-priced copycats.

ECONOMIST: The bitter pills | The

"The need for a smaller network with lower pricing was critical, " said Juan Davila, an executive vice president at Blue Shield of California, which said it hopes to offer a preferred-provider-organization plan for individuals on the exchange.

WSJ: Hospitals Forge New Deals With Insurers