The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently submitted comments to the Department of Education around its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), which includes a proposed change to the definition of what counts as a professional degree consistent with the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Negotiated Rulemaking Committee recommendation.
If this rule is finalized, certain types of health practitioner degrees, such as those for being an advanced practice nurse or physical or occupational therapist, would be excluded from the professional degree determination, which would significantly and adversely impact loan amounts. AHCA/NCAL, along with almost 40,000 national organizations, providers and others, have provided comments to the Education Department with feedback and concerns thus far.
Comments on the NPRM are due this Monday, March 2, 2026.