Health Care · Report · File No. 261027-016
Trump announces $275 million Nurses for Nursing Homes plan, paid from facility fines
The program offers up to $40,000 in loan repayment to nurses who commit to three years at a nursing home. Trump announced it at a Florida rally 11 days before the midterms. The money comes from fines on nursing homes, not new appropriations.
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President Trump announced a $275 million program to recruit and keep nurses in nursing homes at a midterm rally in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday, Oct. 23 1. It is called Nurses for Nursing Homes. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) say it is expected to support more than 4,000 nurses nationwide 1.
Trump told the crowd: "Today I have breaking news for the benefit of American seniors." 1
What the program offers
Eligible nurses can receive up to $40,000 in student-loan repayment, a $10,000 stipend, or both 1. In return, they must commit to three years and work an average of at least 30 hours a week at a qualifying nursing home 1. The program focuses on rural communities and areas with higher labor shortages 1.
Applicants need an active license as a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical or vocational nurse (LPN or LVN) 12. The nursing home must be certified by Medicare or Medicaid 1. Nursing students can apply before they graduate 1. Generally, applicants must not have worked in a nursing home in the 60 days before opening an application account 2. The loan repayment requires qualifying debt, and the stipend requires graduation within the past two years 3.
From Channel GOPTrump on the Alaska ballot and the DOJ suitDonald Trump · 213 plays · captioned, with the source named
Applications opened Monday, Oct. 26, at NursesforNursingHomes.cms.gov 1. CMS says all 50 states and the District of Columbia are taking part 1.
Where the money comes from
CMS has committed $100 million, and states are committing at least $175 million 1. The money comes from civil monetary penalties, which are fines that CMS and states collect from nursing homes 12.
CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the money is not new taxpayer spending. The quote is in the box below.
Without taking a dime from taxpayers, CMS is empowering the next generation of nurses to pursue their dreams
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement: "President Trump is strengthening the nursing workforce that millions of older Americans rely on every day" 3.
The Democratic response
The coverage we read did not include a Democratic response to this program 123. Democrats have criticized the administration's earlier move on nursing home staffing. In December 2025, HHS rescinded a 2024 rule that would have set minimum nursing care hours at facilities in Medicare and Medicaid, including a registered nurse on site around the clock 4.
Connecticut state Sen. Jan Hochadel, a Democrat who chairs her chamber's Aging Committee, objected to that repeal 4.
What to watch
That matters because the new program pays nurses to take nursing home jobs, while the repealed rule would have required more nursing hours at every covered facility. One approach recruits workers. The other set a minimum level of care. The announcement does not say whether the money will be enough to fill the gaps in rural homes.
Because the money comes from fines, any change in how often nursing homes are penalized could affect how much is available. The coverage we read did not address that. Families should watch how many nurses actually sign up in their state and whether their local homes qualify.
The Record
Sources
- Fox Business, “Trump announces $275M nursing-home nurse initiative at Florida midterm rally” (2026-10-23). foxbusiness.com/fox-news-politics/trump-announces-nursing-ho
- NTD, “Trump Admin Launches $275 Million Effort to Recruit, Retain Nurses for Elderly Care Homes” (2026-10-23). ntd.com/trump-admin-launches-275-million-effort-to-recruit-r
- Just the News, “Dr. Oz's CMS offers loan forgiveness, stipends to recruit, retain nurses for nursing homes” (2026-10-23). justthenews.com/politics-policy/health/centers-medicare-medi
- Connecticut Senate Democrats, “Senator Hochadel blasts Trump administration for making nursing homes less safe” (2025-12-04). senatedems.ct.gov/senator-hochadel-blasts-trump-administrati
Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.
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