He said "I'll work with you!"

I met with Representative Randy Grau this morning at Panera Bread. It did seem normal and easy, except for the fact that I was meeting another man for breakfast and friends from church were eating nearby. But I hoped they saw his House of Representatives lapel pin and notebook.

I explained our story, our insurance saga, how I knew full well that any legislation passed would not affect me (prayerfully and hopefully Jackson will have outgrown some allergies by then), what the problems with the insurance company are, and then I asked, "I would like you to author a bill mandating insurance companies to cover and reimburse for amino acid-based elemental formulas, regardless of delivery, so long as said formula is administered by a licensed health care professional."

And then I waited.

And he said, "You've skipped a step."

"Oh," I said, "I'm new. What do I do now?"

Well first he will probably ask a representative friend on the insurance committee to author the bill. That way it will be heard by that committee. He will probably co-sponsor the bill. He will also chat with Senator Clark Jolley, who I am meeting with in mid-October, to discuss the bill going through the senate first (a senator can author as many bills as he wants, reps can only author 8 bills - I didn't know this until today) and then when it makes it over to the house he will support the bill and help push it through.

If things go as scheduled then it wold be authored, heard, hopefully signed by the governor into state mandate in June and made law on November 1, 2012. So by this time hopefully, prayerfully Jackson will have outgrown some allergy or have gone through some successful food challenges!

But the step we skipped was what he can do for me. I am emailing him the particulars of my insurance case so he can make a call to the vice-president of legislation for our insurance company and ask where we are on the McCook case.

And if that doesn't get the formula paid for then Randy Grau will get the Insurance Commissioner on the case.

WOW!! I was not expecting this!!

Oh me of little faith.

He asked if I could email him all these things by 10am. (It was approaching 9:30am.) "No, probably not, but I can get it to you just after 12:30." This is when Jackson lays down for a nap.

So blog friends, thank you so much for the high-fives, the prayers, your listening ears and your own ideas of how I should present my case.

And as the particulars become "official" I will keep you posted and I will be high-fiving everyone from here to No Man's Land.

Catherine - thank you for watching Jackson!! I couldn't have done this without you!

Again, thank you all!! I'm super excited!!