Overview
- The program, which CMS and HHS announced Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, opens applications on Oct. 26 and includes a 90‑day exception window for nurses who began work at eligible facilities between July 28 and Oct. 25.
- CMS is committing $100 million and states will provide at least $175 million, with the full $275 million package drawn from civil monetary penalties that regulators collect from nursing homes.
- Eligible nurses and nursing students may receive up to $40,000 in student‑loan repayment and a $10,000 stipend in exchange for a three‑year work commitment that typically requires averaging at least 30 hours per week at a qualifying nursing home.
- The program covers all 50 states and the District of Columbia and prioritizes rural facilities and other areas with high nursing shortages; students can start applications but must graduate, obtain licensure, and secure qualifying employment before benefits are paid.
- Officials say the effort could support more than 4,000 nurses and ease staffing in hard‑pressed long‑term care sites, but its impact will hinge on how quickly states and workforce partners recruit participants and direct funds to the most under‑staffed homes.