Eli's Rehab Report

Published on Wed Sep 10, 2008 PDF

If you or your therapists provide care to children, adolescents or veterans, you're one step closer to student loan relief. The Senate passed the College Opportunity and Affordability Act (H.R. 4137) on July 31, which would make therapists who treat these populations eligible for authorized student loan repayment programs.

"We urge President Bush to sign this bill into law, said American Physical Therapy Association President R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD, in a press statement. "As a result of the extensive education and clinical training required to become a physical therapist, students often begin their careers with significant levels of debt. By relieving some of that burden to bring more physical therapists to clinically underserved communities, this legislation will provide lasting benefits for years to come."

Details: The federal loan forgiveness program would allow up to $2,000 in a year for no more than five years, and $10,000 in the aggregate of outstanding loans would be forgiven, clarifies an email from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. Experts expect the president to sign the bill into law.