# CMS and States Commit $275 Million to Nursing-Home Nurse Recruitment

The October 23 initiative offers conditional loan repayment and stipends tied to service at qualifying facilities.

By Will Langan | 24X7 News
Published: 2026-10-26T21:07:15.362Z
Updated: 2026-10-26T21:08:27.486Z
Section: Health
Format: News
Canonical: https://24x7news.us/articles/cms-nursing-homes-nurse-recruitment-initiative-october-23-2026

Launch Catch-Up — Initiative Announced October 23, 2026

Federal and state officials announced a $275 million initiative October 23 intended to recruit and retain nurses in nursing homes, including facilities in rural communities and areas with workforce shortages.

The Nurses for Nursing Homes program may provide eligible nursing students and licensed nurses with up to $40,000 in student-loan repayment and/or a $10,000 stipend in exchange for a three-year commitment to serve at a qualifying facility.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services committed $100 million, while states committed at least another $175 million. Funding comes from civil monetary penalties collected from nursing homes, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Officials expect the initiative to support more than 4,000 nurses nationwide. That is a program projection, rather than a count of nurses already recruited or retained.

The announced maximum payments do not mean every nurse qualifies or receives the full amount. The service commitment and facility requirements are central conditions of the program.

Sources:
HHS — October 23 initiative announcement: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/cms-launches-275-million-nurses-nursing-homes-initiative.html

## Sources
- HHS/CMS — Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/cms-launches-275-million-nurses-nursing-homes-initiative.html