Nurses React to Nurses for Nursing Homes; Get the FAQ Brief

Nursing groups reacted positively to the news that CMS is now taking applications for the Nurses for Nursing Home program announced on Oct. 23 but maintain that recruiting via the $275 million loan initiative is one step, with the second being retention.

“AAPACN welcomes the launch of CMS’ Nurses for Nursing Homes incentive program as a positive step toward addressing the longstanding workforce challenges facing nursing homes. Offering financial incentives to attract nurses to long-term care is an important investment in a sector that needs a strong, stable nursing workforce,” said Amy Stewart, chief nursing officer for the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing.

“However, recruitment is only one part of the solution. Attracting nurses to nursing homes gets them through the door; creating a workplace where they feel supported, valued, and empowered is what will keep them there. Sustainable staffing requires strong nursing leadership, manageable workloads, opportunities for professional development, and a workplace culture where nurses want to build their careers.”

She added that “we are encouraged that CMS has taken steps to focus recruitment on nurses who are not currently working in nursing homes, rather than simply shifting an already limited workforce between facilities.”

The headline from the announcement is that nursing students and licensed nurses interested in working in a nursing home may now qualify for up to $40,000 in student loan repayment and/or a $10,000 stipend in exchange for a three-year commitment to serve in a qualifying nursing home in a rural or higher labor-shortage area. CMS said Nurses for Nursing Homes is expected to support more than 4,000 nurses nationwide.

Associations Applaud

In reaction to the development, Clif Porter, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, said, “We appreciate CMS’s partnership in fostering a strong, stable long term care workforce. The Nurses for Nursing Homes Initiative represents a meaningful investment in recruiting registered nurses and licensed practical nurses to serve our nation’s seniors, particularly in rural and underserved communities.”

In addition, he said the program can introduce more nurses to the rewarding career opportunities available in nursing homes and strengthen continuity of care for residents. “Providers across the country stand ready to help connect qualified nurses with fulfilling careers in long term care,” Porter said. 

LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan said, “Quality nursing home care and staffing are tightly connected. Having a sufficient supply of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses is vital to our nonprofit and mission-driven members’ ability to serve older adults. We’ve long advocated for federal collaboration and sustained investment in efforts to expand and strengthen the nursing home workforce.”

FAQs Highlights

Here are some key parts of the FAQs document CMS released:

What financial support is available?

Eligible participants may qualify for up to a maximum of $50,000 in support: Up to $40,000 in student loan repayment and/or a $10,000 stipend benefits are paid quarterly while participants continue to meet the participation requirements.

Who is eligible to receive funds for loan repayment and stipend?

To receive payments, participants must:

-          Be a licensed registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical or vocational nurse (LPN/LVN), be employed in a qualifying nursing home, and commit to three years of service. A limited number of state agency nursing home inspector roles also qualify. Nurses that have worked in a nursing home or state agency within the previous 60 days of opening an application account on the application website are not eligible (Exception: For the first 90 days of the initiative [Oct. 26, 2026, to Jan. 24, 2027], RNs or LPNs/ LVNs who started working in an eligible nursing home between July 28, 2026, through Oct. 25, 2026, are eligible). Applicants that are still in nursing school or are not currently working for a qualifying nursing home may still open an application account and begin their application. They become eligible by becoming employed by a qualifying nursing home and meeting all other eligibility requirements.

-          Work an average of at least 30 hours per week at a qualifying facility.

-          To receive the loan repayment funds and stipend, you must have qualifying student loan debt. If you do not have qualifying student loan debt, you must have graduated in the last two years to qualify for the stipend.

-          Please visit NursesforNursingHomes.cms.gov to quickly view the eligibility requirements, open an account, or apply.

Can I receive both student loan repayment and the stipend?

Yes. Eligible nurses with any eligible student loan debt (regardless of when they graduated) may receive up to $40,000 in student loan repayment and a $10,000 stipend. Applicants must meet the requirements for each benefit.

Can I receive the $10,000 stipend if I don’t have student loan debt?

Yes. Nurses without student loan debt who graduated within the last two years when they apply may qualify for the $10,000 stipend if they meet the other time commitment and qualified employment requirements. The two-year period is calculated from the date of graduation.

Where can I work to qualify for Nurses for Nursing Homes?

Participants must work at a qualifying Medicare or Medicaid-certified long-term care facility. Visit NursesforNursingHomes.cms.gov to find open nursing positions. Participants can indicate their preferred location during the application process. A limited number of state agency nursing home inspector roles also qualify. Final placement depends on facility needs and availability.

How did CMS determine which facilities qualify for Nurses for Nursing Homes, and why aren’t all Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes automatically eligible?

CMS identified eligible nursing homes based on the amount of funds available for each state and estimated the number of nurses that could be recruited. We then designated all facilities in rural areas as eligible, as it is often more challenging to recruit nurses in rural areas. We then solicited input from states on any areas in their state that should be eligible. Finally, we ranked the remaining areas from worst to best with respect to the ratio of the general population of core-based statistical areas (CBSAs) to registered nurses in that area and estimated the number needed to have an adequate number of nursing homes eligible for the estimated number of potential recruits. We believe it is important to not have all nursing homes designated as eligible to prioritize nursing homes in areas with an evidence-based labor shortage. If all nursing homes were eligible, then applicants could gravitate to more attractive areas, and areas with higher labor shortages (e.g., rural America) would not benefit from the program. That said, we will continue to monitor the Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative and adjust the methodology for determining eligible facilities based on the results, if needed. For a list of all eligible facilities, please go here Nursing for Nursing Homes Oct-2026.

Why doesn’t CMS include all low-staffed nursing homes (e.g., those with a one or two staffing star rating) as eligible?

A nursing home may be low staffed for a variety of reasons. For example, a nursing home may face local labor shortages but also could be low staffed from budgeting decisions, corporate culture, or other management decisions outside potential recruitment supply. We cannot determine the precise reason a facility is low staffed from the data. Therefore, our methodology to identify eligible nursing homes is based on geographic data and not individual nursing home staffing data.

Can I change facilities during my three-year commitment?

Yes. If you need to leave your current facility during your three-year commitment, you may transfer to another qualifying facility with CMS approval. You must begin working at the new facility within 90 days of your last day at your previous facility. Loan repayment and stipend payments will be paused during any period between employment and will resume when you begin working at the new facility. Payment amounts may also be adjusted based on the location of the new facility. You must provide CMS with the required information before the transfer.

Does the three-year commitment period begin when my application is accepted, or when I start working at a qualifying facility?

The three-year commitment begins on the date you start working at a qualifying facility. You must complete three years of service to receive the full payment. For the first 90 days of the Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative, (Oct. 26, 2026, to Jan. 24, 2027), RNs or LPNs/ LVNs who started working in an eligible nursing home between July 28, 2026, through Oct. 25, 2026, are eligible. In this case, your payment will be prorated based on the amount of time you have already worked at the facility.

Registration and FAQ Links

Nursing students, recent graduates, and licensed nurses can visit www.nursesfornursinghomes.cms.gov to review eligibility requirements, open an account, find open positions at eligible nursing homes, and learn how to apply.

For more details, see the complete Frequently Asked Questions available at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/nurses-nursing-homes-frequently-asked-questions.pdf

Comments or questions? Contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.