Caleb Rudow is a Buncombe County native. He represents WNC in the NC General Assembly as District 116’s Democratic State House Representative. Rudow earned a masters degree in Global Policy Studies from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zambia and a researcher in Honduras.
Our Q&A with Caleb Rudow
On healthcare in general, Rudow said, “Every American deserves access to high-quality and truly affordable healthcare and a healthcare system that prioritizes health over corporate profits,” on his campaign website.
What would be your plan for ensuring the future security/ strength of Medicare?
No answer was provided by Rudow’s campaign.
Rudow said he plans to “expand and support programs like Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to provide affordable health insurance to working families,” according to his campaign website.
Rudow plans to support “Medicare for seniors,” according to his campaign website.
What would you support in Congress as a plan to help control health care/ pharmaceutical costs?
No answer was provided by Rudow’s campaign.
Rudow plans to “stop pharmaceutical companies from price gouging life saving medications like insulin and “hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable for the opioid crisis,” according to his campaign website.
Where do you stand on time limits for Medicaid and work requirements for the program?
The candidate did not respond to this question, but he voted in favor of a bill in the legislature that would increase awareness of school-based health services that are reimbursable under Medicaid and that would have required that the state Department of Health and Human Services to evaluate the success of the integrated Care for Kids Medicaid pilot program.
What can the federal government do to support rural hospitals?
No response available. NC Health News could not find anything in the public record on this topic.
Where do you stand on restoring funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program?
He did not answer this question, but at the legislature, Rudow voted in favor of a bill that would have provided funding to complete a program to provide broadband access to 37 of North Carolina’s counties.
PFAS contamination is a country-wide issue; How do you balance public safety and business interests with this issue?
Rudow did not answer this question, but he was a co-sponsor of a bill that would have banned the manufacture, use and distribution of PFAS and PFAS-containing products in North Carolina. The bill would also have implemented measures to prevent and address contamination from the chemicals being discharged in the state.
Is the federal government ready for the next pandemic?
No answer was provided by Rudow’s campaign.
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?
No answer was provided by Rudow’s campaign.
When it comes to for-profit hospitals, Rudow said he plans to “rein in anti-competitive for-profit hospital monopolies by strengthening federal antitrust laws,” according to his campaign website.
Where do you stand on federal abortion limits? What gestational limits, if any, would you set?
No answer was provided by Rudow’s campaign.
Rudow said, “The people in Appalachia understand that it isn’t the government’s business to interfere in your personal life and I believe we need to limit the overreach that is keeping citizens from being able to live how they want to live,” on his campaign website.
He said he plans to “Enshrine reproductive rights into federal law to reinstate the legal protections granted by Roe v. Wade,” according to his campaign website.
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?
No answer was provided by Rudow’s campaign.
Rudow said he would work to “reinstate the Child Tax Credit,” according to his campaign website.
He also co-sponsored a bill at the General Assembly that would have created a pilot program to increase access to high-quality, affordable child care by using public/ private partnerships. Language such as this ended up in the state budget passed in the summer. He also co-sponsored a bill to provide $300 million to extend stabilization grants to child care centers.
What steps would you take to improve access to mental health services and to address the opioid overdose crisis?
No answer was provided by Rudow’s campaign.