CMS Provides More Information on RN Incentive Program

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On January 17, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided the article below for circulation to provide updates on the Nursing Home Staffing Campaign, including an expected timeline for the RN incentives program. LeadingAge has published the article from CMS in its entirety.

Providing safe, quality care in nursing homes is a top priority of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Nursing home workers play a vital role in supporting residents with essential daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, mobility, and eating. They also ensure medications are taken and medical care is provided and received. Nursing staff are critical for high quality care of residents, and growing the workforce will help alleviate some of the challenges nursing homes face in recruiting and maintaining
staff levels.

CMS is committed to ensuring that all Americans, including nursing home residents, live in a society that provides accessible, inclusive, and equitable health care. CMS believes that quality will increase as nursing staff increases, ultimately ensuring safer, higher-quality care for nursing home residents. In April 2024, CMS announced it would invest over $75 million to launch a national campaign aimed at increasing the number of nurses in nursing homes, thereby, improving resident health and safety.

Through this campaign, CMS will:

• Provide financial incentives for registered nurses (RNs): Offering tuition reimbursement and stipends to encourage nurses to work in nursing homes. To receive these incentives, RNs will need to work in a qualifying nursing home or state inspection agency for three years. To facilitate this, CMS will solicit organizations to become financial incentive administrators (FIAs) who will administer the incentive process, such as identifying eligible RNs, working with nursing homes to fill their vacancies, and verifying that RNs are fulfilling their work commitment. More details on these financial incentives can be found in the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/357885 which outlines the types of organizations that can become an FIA, the expectations of those organizations, and the amount of funds an RN may receive.
• Increase awareness of Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training: Promoting free CNA training programs to expand the pool of qualified staff.
• Promote career pathways for nurses: Highlighting opportunities for career advancement within nursing homes, such as CNA, licensed practical or vocational nurse (LPN/LVN), and RN positions.
• Initiate a nationwide awareness campaign: Launching an outreach initiative to motivate individuals to pursue careers in nursing homes and utilize available financial assistance.
• Conduct targeted outreach for high-labor shortage areas: Focusing efforts on regions experiencing significant nursing shortages.
• Publish CMS web pages: Maintaining two CMS web pages as central hubs for campaign information, including information on career paths suited to individuals' interests.

Anticipated Timeline

December 2024:

• CMS launches two web pages:
  • https://www.cms.gov/medicare/health-safetystandards/quality-safety-oversight-general-information/nursing-home-staffing-campaign
  • https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/nursing-home-careers

January 2025:

• CMS released the NOFO solicitation for RN financial incentive administrators:
  • https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/357885

Spring 2025:

• Financial incentive administrators to be selected and begin to build their infrastructure.
• Promotion of CNA training resources.

Winter 2025:

• RNs begin applying for financial incentives.

Find out more by visiting CMS' Nursing Home Staffing Campaign page and its Nursing Home Careers page.