Adams, 78, was first elected to represent the 12th district in 2014 and is serving her fifth full term. A native of New Jersey, she has her bachelor’s, masters and Ph.D. in art education and taught art at Bennett College for 40 years. She previously served on the Greensboro City Council, the Greensboro school board and in the N.C. House.
Our Q&A with Alma Adams
The following answers were provided by Alma Adam’s campaign:
What would be your plan for ensuring the future security/ strength of Medicare?
With providers still struggling after the pandemic and with rising inflation, we need to ensure that Medicare provider reimbursement rates are rising with inflation. We should also find ways to make the Medicare system easier to navigate and more streamlined for both providers and patients.
What would you support in Congress as a plan to help control health care/ pharmaceutical costs?
Congress must continue to support the work set out by the Inflation Reduction Act’s drug price negotiation program. There is also a lot of talk in Congress about a PBM reform bill. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are the middlemen between drug manufacturers and consumers and have a lot of control over drug prices. I believe more oversight and transparency would greatly help lower costs.
Where do you stand on time limits for Medicaid and work requirements for the program?
Access to medical care is one of our most basic human rights. I believe that all people deserve access without contingencies such as work requirements. I oppose time limits and work requirements and will actively fight against those efforts in Congress.
What can the federal government do to support rural hospitals?
Over the past decade, more than 100 rural hospitals have closed, and it is estimated over 30% in our country are at imminent risk of closing. The answer is simple. Congress must direct substantial funding to these hospitals to keep them open. They are a lifeline for rural communities, and funding needs to be a priority.
Where do you stand on restoring funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program?
I absolutely believe that the program must be restored. Earlier this year, I joined many of my colleagues calling for President Biden to find a way to restore and expand the funding for this important program. High speed internet has become a necessity for students and families. Since its inception, the ACP has helped provide affordable broadband for more than 23 million households.
PFAS contamination is a country-wide issue; How do you balance public safety and business interests with this issue?
Businesses have long had the upper hand when it comes to PFAS (“PEE-fass”), at the peril of human and environmental health in ways that we are only beginning to understand. Bringing balance to the issue would build on the EPA and North Carolina’s work to, for example, clean up communities contaminated by PFAS under existing laws, develop a drinking water threshold for PFAS, and strengthen reporting of PFAS use. Developing a green economy in North Carolina that does not wholly depend on the use of these ‘forever chemicals’ could spark private sector innovation, create jobs, and generate revenue.
Is the federal government ready for the next pandemic?
No, I don’t think we are. We in Congress need to make major investments in medical research and public health infrastructure.
In 2009, Congress required more transparency from hospitals on their charitable work: Do you think the federal government should enforce stricter requirements for nonprofit hospitals to justify their tax exemptions? Why or why not?
I believe federal oversight and stricter requirements is a positive thing that can ensure more rigorous standards and overall higher access to care for patients.
Where do you stand on federal abortion limits? What gestational limits, if any, would you set?
Before fetal viability, I believe the government should not restrict access to abortion. After fetal viability, I believe abortions should still be allowed when necessary to protect a patient’s life and health.
How can Congress improve access to child care? What states are leading the way that you think could be a good federal model? Support for the EITC/ child care tax credit?
We need major, sustained funding in the childcare workforce. During the pandemic, Congress invested $52 billion in relief funding to sustain the childcare industry. This kept providers in business and lowered costs for families. I think Minnesota is setting a great example. It is investing millions of dollars in Early Learning Scholarships to help families pay for childcare and increasing the number of subsidized child care slots. I strongly support both the Earned Income Tax Credit and the childcare tax credit. They have shown to lower the poverty rate nationally and are good for families and the economy.
What steps would you take to improve access to mental health services and to address the opioid overdose crisis?
We need to expand Medicaid coverage of mental health services nationally, as well as invest more in the mental health workforce. There is a shortage of providers, especially in rural areas.
We need to de-stigmatize Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. Despite it being highly effective, accessing treatment still has many barriers.