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Did ama lobby for the professional degree loan change
Executive summary
The available reporting shows the American Medical Association (AMA) actively lobbied and submitted formal comments opposing proposed federal student‑loan changes that would cap professional‑degree borrowing and remove or restrict Grad PLUS loans—arguing those changes would make medical school unaffordable and worsen the physician shortage [1] [2] [3]. Multiple education and health‑care organizations likewise pushed back as the Department of Education and a negotiated RISE committee moved to define which programs qualify as “professional” for higher loan limits [4] [5] [6].
1. AMA letters and public statements: direct advocacy on loan caps
The AMA has publicly and directly criticized provisions in House/Senate reconciliation and related legislation that would cap Direct Unsubsidized borrowing for professional students (the House bill’s $150,000 cap was highlighted) and would eliminate/alter Grad PLUS—arguing those provisions threaten medical‑school affordability and the physician workforce; the AMA sent letters and comments to congressional leaders and produced analysis for members detailing these concerns [1] [2] [3].
2. What specifically did the AMA ask for or against?
In its written advocacy, the AMA opposed the $150,000 aggregate cap on professional school borrowing contained in the House reconciliation draft and urged preservation or reform of Grad PLUS and of Public Service Loan Forgiveness rules that affect residents; the AMA’s communications sought to educate Congress about projected impacts on recruitment into medicine and residency financing [1] [2] [3].
3. The context: rulemaking over “professional degree” definitions
Separately, the Department of Education and a negotiated RISE committee worked to define which degree programs count as “professional” and thus qualify for higher loan limits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). That rulemaking narrowed the eligible list (initially to 10–11 primary programs) and has attracted intense interest because it determines who gets up to $200,000 aggregate in professional loan limits versus lower graduate caps [4] [5] [6] [7].
4. Coalition pressure beyond the AMA: other health professions and higher‑ed groups
The AMA’s advocacy occurred alongside objections from other professional associations and higher‑education groups who warned that excluding fields (nursing, audiology, speech‑language pathology, etc.) from the “professional” definition would force students toward private borrowing or deter enrollment. Groups such as the American Nurses Association, ASHA, AAMC, and university associations publicly opposed the Department’s narrow lists and urged inclusion or reconsideration [8] [9] [10] [4].
5. Competing rationales: limiting debt vs. preserving access
Supporters of tighter definitions argue constraining “professional” status limits excessive borrowing in lower‑pay fields and protects taxpayers; critics (including the AMA) say medicine and many allied professions require higher borrowing capacity because of actual tuition and living costs—citing median med‑school debt around or above proposed caps and four‑year costs that exceed the new limits—thus risking reduced entry into medicine and worsening shortages [10] [1] [7].
6. What the Department of Education has done and why it matters
ED’s draft proposals and negotiated rulemaking attempted a multi‑part rubric tying “professional” status to program codes, doctoral level, licensure, and a short list of fields—a change that would make many programs ineligible for higher loan limits despite similarity in cost or licensure requirements. That drafting has prompted warnings of lawsuits, transition rules, and uncertainty for students and schools as implementation moves forward [5] [6] [11].
7. Gaps and limitations in available reporting
Available sources document the AMA’s letters, member messaging, and participation in advocacy but do not provide a complete timeline of every direct meeting between AMA lobbyists and specific congressional offices or ED negotiators; those granular lobbying logs or meeting records are not found in current reporting (not found in current reporting). Also, while the AMA frames effects on physician supply, final policy outcomes are still subject to rulemaking and potential litigation [1] [6].
8. Bottom line for the original query — did AMA lobby for the change?
Yes: the AMA actively lobbied against the proposed loan caps and related changes—issuing formal letters, policy statements, and member guidance to Congress and stakeholders to oppose caps and the elimination of Grad PLUS because of expected impacts on medical‑student financing and the physician workforce [1] [2] [3]. This advocacy was part of a broader coalition of professional and education groups contesting how “professional degree” status is defined [4] [8] [9].