As the 119th Congress takes shape, Republicans in both the House and Senate are planning to use budget reconciliation, a fast-track budgetary tool, to advance the party’s priorities. This mechanism allows legislation to bypass the Senate filibuster and pass with a simple majority vote in each chamber. Timing and number of reconciliation bills (one vs. two) are uncertain. While Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has proposed two reconciliation bills to separate tax from border security, defense and energy, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) has indicated the House plans to use a single bill to extend the tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and address items like border security and the debt limit.

To help fund these policies, the reconciliation package could contain troubling provisions from last year’s College Cost Reduction Act (CCRA), H.R. 6951, including eliminating the Grad PLUS Loan Program, capping federal loan amounts to $200,000 per borrower and establishing new risk-sharing payments for institutions of higher education. The reconciliation package will encompass many policy areas and may also contain healthcare provisions that benefit or disadvantage osteopathic medicine.

AACOM is opposing inclusion of any harmful higher education provisions in reconciliation and will monitor the process and advocate for the interests of the osteopathic medical education (OME) community.

As Congress prepares to assemble a budget reconciliation bill, provisions that could hurt osteopathic medical students and colleges of osteopathic medicine that were in last year’s CCRA are under consideration. These provisions propose to eliminate the Grad PLUS Loan Program, cap federal loans at $200,000 per borrower and establish new risk-sharing payments.

Grad PLUS loans help make OME more accessible by offering flexibility to students to borrow up to the full cost of their education, uncapped. At a time when there is a physician shortage, it is important that we do not place economic barriers on eligible students who want to pursue a medical education. Advocate today to help preserve Grad PLUS and oppose borrowing caps and risk-sharing payments.

Take Action!

Join AACOM and its Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents this Thursday, January 30, 2025, from 7:00–8:00 PM ET for an educational webinar on osteopathic student advocacy!

Participants will hear directly from student leaders and members of AACOM’s Government Relations team on how they can get involved in policy and advocacy and contribute to the growth of the OME profession.

AACOM’s Osteopathic Health Policy Internship (OHPI) program is an eight-week virtual internship available to current second- and third-year students who will be on their clinical rotations during the 2025-26 academic year. Participants will learn about health policy by working with AACOM's Government Relations team to advance AACOM's legislative and regulatory advocacy priorities. Apply by February 21, 2025. To learn more about the OHPI program, watch the video below from current OHPI Annie Hoffman, OMS III, Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, or visit the OHPI webpage.

• On December 31, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the earnings thresholds used to calculate the earnings premium measure in its financial value transparency and gainful employment (FVT/GE) rules.
• The earnings premium measure determines the extent to which the typical graduate of a program outearns the typical individual with a high school diploma or equivalent.
• The FVT/GE rules were finalized in October 2023 and went into effect on July 1, 2024. However, the accompanying deadline to report required information had been delayed several times and are now set to go into effect on February 18, 2025. For more information on the FVT and GE rules, see ED’s webpage.

Applications Open for Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program: Applications are being accepted for HRSA’s Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program, which increases diversity in the healthcare workforce by providing financial awards to eligible osteopathic medical schools for use in awarding scholarships to students from underserved backgrounds. Apply by February 19, 2025. Learn more and apply.

Applications Open for HRSA Primary Care Training Grants: HRSA recently opened applications for its Primary Care Training and Enhancement - Residency Training in Street Medicine program, which provides funding for primary care residencies in street medicine. Street medicine is the practice of providing medical care to those experiencing homelessness outside of healthcare facilities, on the streets, where the patient lives unsheltered. Apply by March 20, 2025. Learn more.

Applications Open for CMS Medicare-Funded GME Positions: Apply for new residency graduate medical education (GME) slots available through Section 126 and Section 4122. Each program is awarding a total of 200 full-time equivalent Medicare-funded positions to qualifying hospitals effective July 1, 2026. More information and the application for both programs can be found on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ direct GME website under the Section 126 and Section 4122 tabs. Apply by March 31, 2025. Learn more.

Applications Open for the Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program: HRSA is accepting grant applications to develop new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited rural residencies through their RRPD Program. Qualified applicants must train residents in rural areas for greater than 50 percent of residency training, as defined by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Learn more and apply by April 10, 2025.