By COLLIN BINKLEY and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press
A coalition of nursing and other health care organizations are pushing back against a Trump administration plan that could limit access to student loans in some cases. Students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing, physical therapy and some other fields would face tighter federal student loan limits under the plan because it doesn't consider them professional programs. The revamp is part of an overhaul passed by Congress in Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill." Under current rules, graduate students can borrow loans up to the cost of their degree. But the new rules would set caps depending on whether the degree is considered a graduate or professional program. The Trump administration believes the changes could reduce tuition costs.
More than 2,400 Kaiser Permanente psychologists, therapists, social workers and other mental health workers in Southern California have begun an open-ended strike over increased workloads and staffing shortages. The workers' union say the increases have created a "substandard" system of care. The National Union of Healthcare Workers is negotiating a new contract with the Oakland-based health giant. It says the strikers demand Kaiser hire more people to ease the burden put on the current staff. Kaiser says Monday that the union has been "slow-walking" negotiations, despite the strong proposals the health care company has put on the table. Picket lines are up in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and San Diego counties.
