There are some high-stakes deadlines looming that could disrupt President Joe Biden’s plans, shutter the federal government and even upend the global financial system.

Physicians are among the everyday heroes keeping our families healthy, our communities out of harm’s way, and our livelihoods protected during this pandemic. Now is not the time to ask them to take a reimbursement cut.

In every other sector of our economy, Americans have pricing information so they can shop for the best deals. But not when it comes to healthcare.

Social factors that can harm health are wide-ranging, and they impact towns of all sizes and in diverse locations across America.

The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic opened the eyes of many to a problem that had slowly snowballed into one of monumental proportions: America’s reliance on foreign supply chains for our basic medical needs.

Despite the tremendous progress we’ve made on coverage and access, many Americans still struggle to pay for the care they need.

While debating ways to make innovation more affordable, Congress must keep in mind patients are demanding that we accelerate development of treatments—not jeopardize them.

Our nation’s recovery from this pandemic will be trying, and many of the consequences will stick with us for years to come, but we have the tools to transform our healthcare system into one that the American people deserve.

What I have found over and over again—whether I’m in a restaurant, on a farm or at a town hall—is that people are being crushed by their healthcare costs.

Because of our bipartisan work, we’re on the cusp of finding cures to some of the world’s cruelest diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, Sickle Cell Disease and so many others.

Although many Americans think of the rural-urban divide in terms of “red states” versus “blue states,” the problem of healthcare disparity crosses party lines and affects every state.

By lifting an antiquated cap on training slots for medical school graduates, we would be making progress toward ensuring access to quality care for all.

Americans with serious and life-threatening diseases don’t have time to wait for the slow pace of Washington, D.C. For the millions of families fighting terminal illnesses, access to experimental treatments is their only hope.

Research into new drugs and new treatments is vital. But these advancements won’t have much value if patients are unable to afford them or go bankrupt paying for them.

The U.S. is in the midst of a caregiving crisis. Seniors and people with disabilities across the country struggle to find reliable home and community-based services to preserve their quality of life.