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Health Care Legislation Before Congress
Joel Fremstad
Legislative Counsel for Rep. Earl Pomeroy
 A key staffer for Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) announced at the conference a joint effort by the congressman and NCPERS to draft legislation that would address the growing problem of health care coverage for retired public employees. Joel Fremstad discussed the proposal during the opening session.
Fremstad noted that access to health care is an increasingly important issue for retirees in both the public and private sector. Retirees’ share of health care costs is accelerating at a faster rate than the costs themselves, he noted, and most employers expect to increase the employee’s share of retirement and health care costs.
To address this situation, Pomeroy is pursuing a new approach with NCPERS. His bill will allow public employees and retirees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health insurance, including long term care insurance.
Fremstad noted that Pomeroy and NCPERS have supported several versions of the pension bills introduced by Reps. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Ben Cardin (D-MD). The price tag for their bill, however, makes its passage uncertain. As a result, Pomeroy has decided to introduce a bill that offers a simpler, less expensive approach that, if successful, could be a model for future legislation covering a larger audience.
As legislative counsel for Rep. Pomeroy, Fremstad covers a broad legislative portfolio including pension and retirement, social security, tax, and financial services. Prior to moving to Capitol Hill in 2003, Fremstad was a practicing attorney and a law clerk to a Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court. Rep. Pomeroy is a member of the influential Ways and Means Committee.
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