“This Week” with Rep. Denny Hoskins

Speaker Pro Tem Denny Hoskins is a two term representative from Warrensburg.

Just this week, he filed to officially run for the Missouri Senate.

Representative Hoskins is our guest for “This Week.”

I start our conversation on the topic of former University of Missouri assistant professor Melissa Click. He says Click’s termination is justified.

Representative Denny Hoskins: “I think, um, her actions have been embarrassing, not only to the institution, but to the State of Missouri.”

Joey Parker: “Do you think it’s the right thing to do for the General assembly to threaten funds for the university over a personnel issue?”

Denny Hoskins: “You know, what we have is power of the purse. When I go back home and talk to my constituents, many of which are Mizzou Alumni, they think we need to do something. Power of the purse is one of the few options that we do have.”

Joey Parker: “In general, how long do you think it will be before the curators are installed, and Mizzou is back on track?”

Denny Hoskins: “You know our President, Ron Richard, has said that he will not appoint any; the Senate will not confirm anyone new to the Board of Curators until next session after we have had a new governor. So, Governor Nixon may try and do something. He may appoint someone in the interim but it will be at least next January before those appointees would be considered to be confirmed by the senate.”

Joey Parker: “Sounds a little reminiscent of the Supreme Court with the President right now.”

Denny Hoskins: “Yes, it does it does.”

Joey Parker: “HP 2029. Step therapy for prescription drugs this is important to you.”

Denny Hoskins: “Yes.”

Joey Parker: “And, why is it so important? First off, tell us what it is.”

Denny Hoskins: “You know, 2029 deals with step therapy. And when we talk about step therapy with prescription drugs, right now many times, say you’re a diabetic, and when the first time you’re diagnosed with diabetes they may start you off on tier one called Metformin. Let’s say Metformin doesn’t work. You tried it for three months it doesn’t lower your blood sugar. You go to step two. That might be a drug called Januvia. (And if) Januvia doesn’t work, you go to step three, Invokana, Lnvokana works. Well, let’s say that you change jobs or you change prescription benefit managers and they say, “Okay, well you got to go back and try Metformin again,” that step one drug. You say, “Hey, I’ve already tried Metformin. It didn’t work well too bad. “We reclassified the level of drugs, tier drugs, and so you have to try that again.” Well, after you tried that for three months it doesn’t work again. Then they want you to try Januvia . Well, let’s say that doesn’t work again. In order to get to that third step, Invokana. What my bill basically says is “Hey, if you gone through the steps you’ve tried medicine one it didn’t work, you tried medicine two it didn’t work, finally you to medicine three and it works you should not have to go back to step one should a situation change in your insurance.” I think that’s only fair.”

Joey Parker: “Why is this so important to you?”

Denny Hoskins: “You know, I am a diabetic and I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago with type 2 diabetes. But I am on my step three drug right now and it works. But I think the overwhelming majority of Missourians, whether you have MS, whether you have Alzheimer’s, whether you have diabetes, I think the overwhelming majority would agree that “hey if you already gone through those steps and you’re stabilized on a drug should something change with your prescription benefit manager that you should not have to go back and try that step one drug again.” We just want people to be healthy and I think that the two people who know best about what drugs you should be on are yourself and your doctor, not the prescription benefit manager.”

Joey Parker: “1870. House Bill 1870 Big Government, Get Off My Back.”

Denny Hoskins: “yes.”

Joey Parker: “It’s a bill to keep big government, as you say, off your back. Tell us about that one.”

Denny Hoskins: “Yes. House Bill 1870, Big Government Get Off My Back Act. This is a bill that I actually passed, I believe six, seven years ago. And it says no new rules or regulations on our small businesses. Small businesses are classified as with fifty employees or less. You know, let’s let those small businesses concentrate on marketing and selling their product, not on new burdensome governmental paperwork. And the next step for 1870? Currently it’s passed out of the House and sitting in Senate and waiting for a hearing in Senator Will Kraus’s committee.”

Joey Parker: “You’re optimistic?”

Denny Hoskins: “I’m very optimistic this was one of the bills that was on the Senate calendar last year waiting to be passed and then the Senate had a filibuster the last couple of weeks and unfortunately it did not make it across the finish line.”

Joey Parker: “Speaker Hoskins thank you very much for joining us we appreciate it.”

Denny Hoskins: “Yes. Thank you. Glad to be here.”