Communications

(Dec. 24, 2025) – The American Hospital Association has urged the U.S. Department of Education to adopt a broad definition of "professional degree programs" as it implements the One Big Beautiful Bill Act student loan provisions effective July 1, 2026. While the Department's RISE Committee recommends limiting professional degree status to a narrow set of disciplines, AHA warns that excluding nursing and other essential health professions (including physician assistants, physical and occupational therapists and social workers) would significantly worsen existing workforce shortages. A narrower definition would subject many post-baccalaureate health care students to lower federal loan caps, increasing financial barriers to advanced education, reducing enrollment and ultimately limiting access to care—particularly in primary care, rural, maternal and behavioral health settings. AHA emphasizes that federal statute provides flexibility to include these professions and urges the Department to ensure continued loan access to sustain the health care workforce pipeline.
--Terry Siek