Loan Defaults Disqualify 1,402

WASHINGTON--The Department of Health and Human Services has disqualified 1,402 health-care professionals from payments by the Medicare and Medicaid programs for failure to repay money borrowed under the Health Education Assistance Loans (HEAL) program. The total included 149 allopathic and 28 osteopathic physicians.

Chiropractors led the list with 737 disqualifications, followed by 246 dentists. Other disciplines included podiatrists (82) pharmacists (35), clinical psychologists (28), and optometrists (14).