“The Department of Education’s decision to recategorize essential health degrees—including for nursing, public health, social work, physician associates, audiology, and physical therapy—as non-professional sends a troubling signal that these vital fields are somehow less valued. This recategorization, combined with their new lower federal loan limits, threatens to deepen our nation’s health workforce crisis at the very moment when communities—predominantly Latino, rural, and underserved communities—can least afford it.
The U.S. is already facing a projected shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, and a 10 percent shortage of registered nurses by 2027. These shortages disproportionately harm Latino families, who are more likely to live in medically underserved areas, rely on safety-net providers, and experience cultural and linguistic barriers to care. Restricting access to graduate-level training will further negatively impact Latino families in the decrease of health programs being offered. Latino health professionals – trusted messengers who play a critical role to reducing chronic disease and improving community health. This will ultimately increase healthcare costs for families already facing barriers to care.
A provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act imposes stricter limits on federal student loans for students pursuing professional degrees. It eliminates the Grad PLUS program, which has long ensured that students—many of them first-generation and from low-income backgrounds—can finance the full cost of attendance, including living expenses.
This proposal cannot move forward. We call on Congress, governors, state legislatures, education leaders, and public health institutions to act now to protect access to these career pathways and ensure a strong, diverse, and equitable healthcare and public health workforce for the future. The Department of Education will issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the coming weeks, and NHHF will join our partners in forcefully speaking out.”
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About the National Hispanic Health Foundation
The National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF) aims to improve the health of Hispanics and underserved communities by supporting educational advancement, leadership development, and scientific excellence. Through its signature scholarship program and annual galas, NHHF fosters the next generation of culturally competent health professionals committed to working toward a more thriving and equitable healthcare ecosystem.