An overshadowed aspect of congressional health care bills involves new provisions for student loans. As Ben Tracy reports, sweeping changes are in store throughout the US for college lending.

March 24 (Bloomberg) — Michael Taiano, an analyst with Sandler O’Neill, talks with Bloomberg’s Margaret Brennan about the impact of legislation overhauling student lending on companies like SLM Corp., known as Sallie Mae, banks and nonprofit lenders. Under the plan attached to the health-care bill and passed by the House of Representatives, a billion federal program that subsidizes private student loans would end and the loans would be made directly by the government. The House amendments now go to the Senate. (Source: Bloomberg)

By carefully choosing student loans, grants, and scholarships as part of your entire college financial aid package, you can avoid going into heavy college debt. Kimberly Palmer, senior editor for US News, discusses financial aid tips to help in paying for college and minimizing student debt and the differences between private loans and federal college loans. For more college financial aid advice go to www.usnews.com