Carson City, NV — Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford has announced a settlement with HCA Healthcare, Inc. and Health Trust Workforce Solutions, LLC (collectively referred to as HCA). The settlement addresses allegations that the hospital system unlawfully required entry-level nurse employees to repay the cost of mandatory training if they did not stay employed for two years.
"The debt that HCA saddled its prospective employees with was unlawful and hindered the ability of Nevadans to thrive early in their vital careers in the health care industry," stated AG Ford. "I am proud of today’s settlement, which includes full available restitution for the impacted nurses and penalties paid to our state."
The agreement follows an investigation by AG Ford along with attorneys general from California and Colorado, working with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under the Biden administration.
The investigation revealed that HCA violated Nevada's consumer protection laws through training repayment agreement provisions (TRAPs) in employment contracts for nurses. These agreements obligated employees to repay a portion of training costs if they left before completing two years at HCA.
Entry-level nurse employees were generally required to complete the Specialty Training Apprenticeship for Registered Nurses (StaRN) Residency Program as a condition of employment. The states' investigation found claims about the program's benefits overstated.
Until spring 2023, nurses hired through StaRN were required to sign TRAP agreements without adequate disclosure. If nurses left before two years, they faced debt collection or deductions from their final paycheck.
In Nevada, HCA operates Mountain View Hospital, Sunrise Hospital, and Southern Hills Hospital. Affected Nevada nurses will be notified by HCA following a redress plan reviewed by the attorney general. The settlement resolves claims that HCA's actions violated consumer protection laws NRS 598.092(8) and 598.0923.
HCA will pay $786,500 in penalties to Nevada as part of a total $2,900,000 penalty across settlements in California, Colorado, and Nevada.