Fewer physicians, less healthcare
Dear Editor
When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law one year ago, it included cuts to student loan programs that are certain to exacerbate the physician shortage here in Illinois and across the nation.
Effective July 1, future physicians will face a lifetime cap of $257,000 for undergrad and medical school combined. While that’s certainly a formidable sum, it’s no match for the current cost of medical school, which averages between nearly $300,000 and $408,000.
Meanwhile, a separate program called Grad PLUS that closes the gap between federal loans and the full cost of attendance has been eliminated, cutting off a crucial lifeline when future doctors need it most.
What does this mean for patients?
When prospective doctors are forced to choose between high-interest private loans or skipping medical school entirely, it can only result in one thing: fewer physicians in the pipeline to help treat you.
The effects of the shortage are already measurable: Appointment wait times are up 48% since 2004, according to one analysis. And the AAMC predicts a shortfall of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, just as the population of Americans over 65 is projected to exceed 77 million — sending care demands skyrocketing. At the state level, it is estimated Illinois will face a shortage of 6,200 doctors by 2030.
That’s why I urge Congress to act quickly to reverse these changes and craft policies that strengthen the physician workforce so Americans can access necessary care for decades to come.
Dr. Tripti C. Kataria, Chicago, President of Illinois State Medical Society