The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched a $275 million nationwide initiative Friday aimed at recruiting and retaining nurses for nursing homes.
Licensed nurses and students interested in working in nursing homes may qualify for up to $40,000 in student loan repayment and/or a $10,000 stipend if they agree to commit three-years to working in qualifying institutions. Nursing homes in rural or higher labor shortage areas are the target for the program—aptly named Nurses for Nursing Homes.
Those accepted into the initiative must meet eligibility requirements, including:
- Commit to three years of service at an eligible Medicare-, Medicaid-, or dually certified long-term care facility.
- Hold an active RN or LPN/LVN license at the time of employment.
- Work at least 30 hours per week at a qualifying nursing home.
- Have eligible student loan debt; or for those without loans, have graduated within the past two years for a stipend.
Interested nurses must also not have worked in a nursing home for at least 60 days before opening an application account and starting an application. However, CMS notes an exception will apply from Oct. 26 to Jan. 24, 2027, for nurses who began working in eligible facilities between July 28 and Oct. 25.
“When we offer student loan repayment through Nurses for Nursing Homes, we’re not just giving nurses and nursing students future financial relief; we’re supporting families who want their loved ones to receive quality care in nursing homes,” said Mehmet Oz, M.D., CMS administrator, in a statement. “Without taking a dime from taxpayers, CMS is empowering the next generation of nurses to pursue their dreams and helping residents form deep bonds with caregivers so they can live happier, healthier lives.”
The agency predicts the effort will support more than 4,000 nurses nationwide, according to the Oct. 23 announcement.
CMS has committed $100 million towards the initiative, funded by civil monetary penalties collected by the agencies and states from facilities. States committed at least an additional $175 million towards Nurses for Nursing Homes.
“This initiative will recruit and retain thousands of nurses, expand care in rural and high-need communities, and create new pathways into long-term care careers,” said Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., HHS Secretary, in a statement. “We are putting resources directly behind the nurses who care for our seniors and strengthening the quality, stability and dignity of nursing home care across America.”