CMS and States Launch 275 Million Dollar Program to Recruit and Retain Nurses at Nursing Homes

CMS announced on October 23, 2026, a 275 million dollar initiative designed to attract and keep nurses at Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes. The program, called Nurses for Nursing Homes, pairs 100 million dollars in CMS funding with at least 175 million dollars from state partners. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are participating.

Qualified registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who commit to three years at an eligible facility can receive up to 40,000 dollars in student loan repayment, a 10,000 dollar stipend, or both. Workers must log at least 30 hours per week. Rural nursing homes across the country are automatically eligible, along with facilities in other high-labor-shortage areas.

CMS said the program is expected to support more than 4,000 nurses nationally. Funding comes from civil monetary penalties already collected from nursing homes, not from general Medicare appropriations.

The announcement arrives during Medicare's annual open enrollment period, when beneficiaries select plans that include skilled nursing facility coverage. Medicare covers short-term skilled nursing care following a qualifying hospital stay of at least three days, and staffing levels at those facilities can affect both access to beds and the quality of care received. Applications will open after CMS selects financial incentive administrators to run each state program.