CRNAs Excluded From $200K Student Loan Cap; AANA Advocates for Inclusion

As was reported in the Nov. 13 issue of Anesthesia Essential, the U.S. Department of Education’s Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee has finished draft regulations to implement the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), H.R. 1, which included new caps on student loans.

Programs deemed “professional” would qualify for a higher loan limit of $200,000 in aggregate, compared to $100,000 in aggregate for graduate programs. All DNP and DNAP educational programs are excluded from the “professional” student definition. This deeply concerning exclusion threatens the pipeline of future CRNA/nurse anesthesiologists and could worsen existing provider shortages—limiting patient access to care, especially in underserved areas.

AANA is actively pursuing a multipronged strategy to ensure CRNAs are included in the definition of professional students before the policy takes effect on July 1, 2026. Our efforts include:

• Direct engagement with the U.S. Under Secretary of Education
• Direct engagement with Congressional champions
• Grassroots advocacy targeting Congress and the Department of Education
• Coalition-building with national nursing organizations and program directors to amplify reach and opportunity

Several members received a CRNAdvocacy Alert from AANA President Jeff Molter earlier this week with instructions to take immediate action. Please participate in this critical action if you were called to do so. If you are not in one of these states/districts, you will be asked to participate once the proposed rule has been released, so stay tuned to AANA channels for the latest information.