Update on Student Loan Relief Bill
Just wanted to updated all our readers on a subject we previously
blogged on. Congress has revised The College Opportunity and Affordability Act, H.R. 4137, which allows
certain occupations to be eligible for federal loan repayment support. The revised bill now includes the Physical Therapy field and allows Physical Therapists to apply for student loan forgiveness. This is very exciting news for the many PT’s who start their careers off swimming in student loan debt.
"Physical therapists (PTs) who choose to work with children, adolescents
or veterans would be eligible to apply for student loan forgiveness
under legislation approved Thursday, February 7, by the US House of
Representatives. Rep Joe Sestak’s (D-PA) amendment to the College
Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 (HR 4137) authorizes the US
Secretary of Education to forgive a portion of qualifying student loan
debt to PTs practicing in areas of national need."
Now that the PT profession has successfully become included in the above mentioned bill, Occupational Therapists are now pushing for inclusion. The AOTA has quickly banded its members together and are taking action to get their profession incorporated into the final bill. Now they wait on the Senate’s decision.
