Caps on Student Loans Tilt Costs Toward Traditional Medical Programs

Proposed caps from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would limit graduate loan borrowing to $100,000 and professional-degree borrowing to $200,000, a change Education Department officials say would curb tuition growth but critics warn it favors established medical schools over nontraditional programs like naturopathic, herbal, and other alternative therapies, potentially worsening healthcare workforce shortages; lawmakers and trade groups across health fields are lobbying to adjust the rules, while Kennedy’s health agenda faces opposition from conventional medical groups and some nursing advocates.