On May 1, the Department of Education posted the final rule implementing student financial aid provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA, P.L. 119-21, PDF). The rule addresses several key issues relevant to medical students, including OBBBA loan limits, the rollback of loan limit exemptions for certain health professions, interim Grad PLUS legacy exceptions, new income-driven repayment plans, and other related provisions. One key change in the final compared to the draft rule is that the department reversed its prior interpretation and, starting July 1, Grad PLUS loans will count toward the lifetime federal loan cap, except for students who qualify for legacy exemptions.
The AAMC in February submitted comments to the department raising concerns about the draft version of this rule (PDF), as it related to medical school access and financing. The association also joined two March community letters, one from the health professions community highlighting concerns about loan limits and disparities across programs (PDF), and another from the broader higher education community focused on implementation timelines and the time institutions would need to respond (PDF).
- Washington Highlights