CMS Announces $275 Million Nursing Home Nurse Initiative

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced a $275 million initiative offering financial incentives to nurses who commit to work at qualifying nursing homes for three years, aiming to recruit and retain staff in areas facing shortages. The Nurses for Nursing Homes program is jointly funded by CMS and states. CMS has committed $100 million, while states are contributing at least $175 million, according to the agency’s announcement. The funding comes from civil monetary penalties collected by CMS and states from nursing homes. Eligible participants may receive up to $40,000 in student-loan repayment and, where applicable, a $10,000 stipend. The maximum combined support is $50,000. Nurses must work an average of at least 30 hours a week at a qualifying facility and meet licensing requirements. Those seeking loan repayment must have qualifying student debt; nurses without qualifying debt may be eligible for the stipend if they graduated within the previous two years. CMS said the program is expected to support more than 4,000 nurses nationwide. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are participating. Rural nursing facilities are eligible, as are additional...