Medicare and Medicaid are not handouts. They are promises to seniors who worked their whole lives, to families caring for loved ones with disabilities, and to working people who need access to care. Yet politicians in Washington keep trying to cut benefits, raise the retirement age, or privatize the system for the benefit of insurance companies. In North Carolina alone, more than 2.5 million people rely on Medicaid and Medicare, and any attack on these programs would devastate families and rural hospitals that are already stretched thin.

Jacob knows healthcare is not a privilege reserved for the wealthy, it is a right. He will fight to protect and strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, push for lower prescription drug costs, and ensure no senior or working family has to worry about losing care. Looking forward, Jacob supports moving toward universal healthcare so that every American, no matter their income or zip code, can access the care they need. Protecting these programs and expanding access is about protecting the backbone of our communities.