The AAMC joined 56 national and state health care organizations in a June 17 letter to Senate leadership urging the protection of critical student financial aid programs (PDF) for health professions students in budget reconciliation legislation. The letter emphasized the need for financial support for medical school borrowers, the importance of preserving the Grad PLUS loan program, increasing the proposed aggregate borrowing limit for federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and maintaining the Pell Grant program and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
The letter highlighted the impact of reduced financial aid options for the health care workforce. “By greatly reducing federal support for higher education, and in particular for graduate study, the House budget reconciliation bill substantially limits access to some of the most high-demand careers over the next decade, including in the healthcare fields. This will fall the hardest on low-income and first-generation students, who have traditionally relied on federal support to finance their education.”
The AAMC reiterated its main priorities and concerns related to the budget reconciliation process in a June 5 letter, including urging the Senate to preserve federal student aid programs for health professions students such as the Grad PLUS program and the PSLF program [refer to Washington Highlights, June 6]. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee released reconciliation legislation on June 10 [refer to Washington Highlights, June 13].
- Washington Highlights