  The empirical observation of near degeneracy of scalar mesons above 1 GeV,
namely, the mass of the strange-flavor scalar meson is similar to that of the
non-strange one, is at variance with the naive expectation of the quark model.
Qualitatively, the approximate mass degeneracy can be understood as a
consequence of self-energy effects due to strong coupled channels which will
push down the mass of the heavy scalar meson in the strange sector more than
that in the non-strange partner. However, it works in the conventional model
without heavy quark expansion, but not in the approach of heavy meson chiral
perturbation theory as mass degeneracy and the physical masses of $D_{s0}^*$
and $D_0^*$ cannot be accounted for simultaneously. In the heavy quark limit,
near mass degeneracy observed in the scalar charm sector will imply the same
phenomenon in the $B$ system. We have the prediction $M_{B_0^*}\approx
M_{B_{s0}^*}\approx 5715\,{\rm MeV}+\delta\Delta_S$ based on heavy quark
symmetry and the leading-order QCD correction, where $\delta\Delta_S$ arises
from $1/m_Q$ corrections. A crude estimate indicates that $\delta\Delta_S$ is
of order $-35$ MeV or less. We stress that the closeness of $B_{s0}^*$ and
$B_0^*$ masses implied by heavy quark symmetry is not spoiled by $1/m_Q$ or QCD
corrections. The mass-shift effect on $K_0^*(1430)$ is discussed.
