This bill establishes a permanent National Graduate Nurse Education Program to provide clinical training to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), particularly with respect to services for Medicare beneficiaries. (The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services conducted a similar demonstration program from 2012-2016.)
Under the program, hospitals may receive payments for the costs associated with providing clinical education to APRNs. Hospitals must partner with nursing schools, regional hospitals or health systems, or non-hospital community providers (e.g., nursing homes) to provide qualifying clinical education. Such education must consist of clinical experience in primary, preventive, transitional, acute, and chronic care, as well as other services that are appropriate for Medicare beneficiaries; at least half of this education must be provided in non-hospital, community-based settings.
Participating hospitals must report annually on their programs, subject to payment reductions.
