The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that its much-anticipated nursing home staffing incentive program will not be operational until at least the spring of 2026. The program, part of CMS’s nursing home staffing campaign, is designed to recruit and retain registered nurses (RNs) for work in long-term care facilities and state survey agencies. It will offer participants up to $40,000 in tuition reimbursement and a $10,000 stipend in exchange for a three-year work commitment.
According to CMS, Financial Incentive Administrators will not be selected until spring 2026, after which they will create the infrastructure needed to distribute the funds. Despite the delay, the campaign remains fully funded with approximately $75 million allocated for these incentives. CMS also posted a letter to Governors urging states to invest their civil monetary penalty funds into this campaign. CMS will proportionally match what states contribute, with those funds allocated back to recruiting nurses for nursing homes. Mass Senior Care will continue to engage with CMS and state officials to ensure that members are informed about opportunities to participate in this initiative and to advocate for timely implementation to address the ongoing workforce crisis.