Legal Pressure to Overturn Student Loan Rule Mounts as AAPA and PAEA Prepare Challenge to Protect Future PA Workforce
Lawsuit by 25 states and D.C. adds momentum to opposition over a rule excluding PAs from higher borrowing limits for professional programs
ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) and the PA Education Association (PAEA) released the following statement in response to a lawsuit announced today by 25 states and the District of Columbia challenging the Department of Education’s (ED) Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) rule.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Maryland, comes three weeks after ED finalized a rule lowering the amount graduate students can borrow from the federal government. Following the release of the final rule, AAPA and PAEA immediately announced separate plans to challenge it in federal court, with an expectation to file in a matter of weeks.
The RISE rule places physician associate/assistant (PA) students and other vital healthcare professionals into a lower “graduate” borrowing tier for federal student loans, limiting annual federal loans to $20,500 beginning July 1, 2026. For most PA programs, the cap falls far short of tuition alone, creating an immediate and significant barrier to entering the profession.
“Today’s action by 25 states and the District of Columbia demonstrates that a growing coalition of stakeholders and state legal authorities recognize what AAPA and PAEA have said from the start – the Department of Education overstepped its authority and created a policy that threatens the future of America’s healthcare workforce and will have a negative impact on patient care. The law is clear: The PA profession unequivocally meets a three-point test established in the OBBB. PA programs prepare students to begin practice in a profession, require education beyond a bachelor’s degree, and require professional licensure. We welcome today’s legal challenge and will continue leading this fight until this harmful rule is overturned and future healthcare providers are treated fairly under the law.”
About the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)
AAPA is the national membership organization for all physician associates/assistants (PAs). PAs are licensed clinicians who practice medicine in every specialty and setting. Trusted, rigorously educated and trained healthcare professionals, PAs are dedicated to expanding access to care and transforming health and wellness through patient-centered, team-based medical practice. PAs have more than 590 million patient interactions per year. Learn more about the profession at aapa.org and engage through Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and X.
About the PA Education Association (PAEA)
The PA Education Association (PAEA) is the national organization representing PA educational programs in the United States and the professional home for PA educators. The Association brings educators together to connect, learn, and lead, and supports faculty, staff, students, and applicants with resources, development, and advocacy that strengthen PA programs and advance the profession. Learn more at PAEAonline.org.
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SOURCE American Academy of Physician Associates
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