Overview of 2010 HHS Appropriations for Nursing Education

September 16, 2009 

WASHINGTON—The House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee approved its version of the FY2010 appropriations bill. Included in the bill is an approximately 55 percent increase in Title VIII nurse education funding. The total provided is approximately $263 million, an increase of $92 million over the FY 2009 levels. It is important to note that this increase is on top of/separate from the funding in the stimulus plan (see below) for 2010.

As can be seen in the table below, this follows the recommendations in the President’s budget proposal, with the bulk of the increase going to scholarships and loan repayments for RNs. It provides about a $4.5 million, or about a 40 percent increase, for the nurse faculty loan repayment program, taking that program from $11.5 to $16 million.

The full House has approved this bill.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved by a vote of 29-1 its version of the FY2010 Labor-HHS funding plan. As can be seen in the table below, the bill provides $216.7 million, a $45.7 million, or 27 percent, increase for Title VIII over the 2009 level. The best feature of this bill: it more than doubles funding for the nurse faculty loan repayment program, from $11.5 million to $25 million.

The bill provides a 73 percent increase for the nursing scholarship and loan repayment program, raising the total to $64.1 million from $37.1 million. Further nursing education, practice and retention programs are increased 14 percent, from $37.3 to $42.5 million. This increase is to start a career ladder program through community colleges to enroll nursing home aides in nursing programs. All other programs in Title VIII are funded at their 2009 level.

The full Senate is likely to take up this bill in September.

American Reinvestment and Recovery Act

In August, HHS announced that nursing education programs will be allocated approximately $92 million in stimulus law funding over fiscal years 2009 and 2010. The distribution is as follows:

• $50 million for capacity-expanding equipment (such as simulation equipment), which will be awarded on a competitive basis in FY2010.
• $27 million to expand the Title VIII nurse scholarship and loan repayment program in FY2009.
• $12 million to expand the Title VIII nurse faculty loan repayment program with half the increase coming in FY2009 and half in FY2010.
• $3.2 million to expand Title VIII nursing workforce diversity programs in FY 2009

 Table: Title VIII Funding

** Does not include $50 million for purchase of equipment, including simulation equipment for nursing and other health professions capacity expansion in the Stimulus bill for 2010.