President Donald Trump announced on Friday, October 23, a new $275 million initiative to recruit and retain nurses in nursing homes, unveiling the program during a midterm rally in Fort Myers, Florida.
"Today I have breaking news for the benefit of American seniors," Trump said. "I'm pleased to announce that the Trump administration is investing in nurses and elder-care facilities all across America, including in the great state of Florida. You need them."
The Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative is expected to support more than 4,000 nurses and nursing students nationwide, according to a formal announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Nursing students and licensed nurses who provide hands-on care to nursing home residents may 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, working an average of at least 30 hours per week.
CMS has committed $100 million to the program, with states committing at least another $175 million. The initiative is funded through civil monetary penalties collected by CMS and states from nursing homes — not taxpayer appropriations. CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the program was built "without taking a dime from taxpayers."
All 50 states and the District of Columbia are participating. All rural nursing facilities are eligible, along with additional facilities in higher-need areas. Applications open October 26 at NursesforNursingHomes.cms.gov, and the program includes a 90-day retroactive window for nurses who began eligible work between July 28 and October 25.
"President Trump is strengthening the nursing workforce that millions of older Americans rely on every day," said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. "This initiative will recruit and retain thousands of nurses, expand care in rural and high-need communities, and create new pathways into long-term care careers."