[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 62 (Friday, March 30, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17433-17434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7841]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Request for Comments on Increasing Income Levels Used To Identify 
a ``Low-Income'' Family for the Purpose of Providing Training in the 
Various Health Professions and Nursing Programs Included in Titles VII 
and VIII of the Public Health Service Act

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice requests comments on increasing low-income levels 
for various programs included in Titles VII and VIII of the Public 
Health Service (PHS) Act, which use ``low-income'' levels to determine 
eligibility for program participation. The Department periodically 
publishes in the Federal Register low-income levels used to determine 
eligibility for grants and cooperative agreements to institutions 
providing training for (1) disadvantaged individuals, (2) individuals 
from a disadvantaged background, or (3) individuals from ``low-income'' 
families.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed low-
income levels for the programs listed below. All comments received on 
or before April 30, 2001 will be considered when final low-income 
levels are determined for purposes of eligibility for participation in 
the programs listed below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Ms. Sarah Richards, 
Evaluation Officer, Bureau of Health Professions (BHPr), Health 
Resources and Services Administration, Room 8-67, Parklawn Building, 
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sarah Richards, Evaluation 
Officer, BHPr; telephone number (301) 443-5452.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is to announce the proposed 
increase in income levels that is intended for use in determining 
eligibility for participation in the following programs:

Advanced Education Nursing (section 811)
Allied Health Special Projects (section 755)
Basic Nurse Education and Practice (section 831)
Dental Public Health (section 768)
Faculty Loan Repayment and Minority Faculty Fellowship Program (section 
738)
General and Pediatric Dentistry (section 747)
Health Administration Traineeships and Special Projects (section 769)
Health Careers Opportunity Program (section 739)
Loans to Disadvantaged Students (section 724)
Physician Assistant Training (section 747)
Primary Care Residency Training (section 747)
Public Health Traineeships (section 767)
Quentin N. Burdick Program for Rural Interdisciplinary Training 
(section 754)
Residency Training in Preventive Medicine (section 768)
Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (section 737)
Public Health Training Centers (section 766)
Nursing Workforce Diversity (section 821)

    These programs generally award grants to accredited schools of 
medicine, osteopathic medicine, public health, dentistry, veterinary 
medicine, optometry, pharmacy, allied health, podiatric medicine, 
nursing, chiropractic, public or private nonprofit schools which offer 
graduate programs in behavioral health and mental health practice, and 
other public or private nonprofit health or education entities to 
assist the disadvantaged to enter and graduate from health professions 
and nursing schools. Some programs provide for the repayment of health 
professions or nursing education loans for disadvantaged students.

Proposed Low-Income Levels

    The Secretary proposes that, for programs included in Titles VII 
and VIII of the PHS Act, a ``low-income'' family be defined as having 
an annual income that does not exceed 200 percent of the Department's 
poverty guidelines. The Department poverty guidelines are published 
annually for general use while the Department's HRSA low-income levels 
are specific to the programs listed under the Supplementary Information 
section of this notice. This notice proposes an increase over the 
income level currently used, which is 130 percent of the Department's 
poverty guidelines. The Department's poverty guidelines are based on 
poverty thresholds published by the U.S. Census Bureau, adjusted 
annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index.
    The Secretary would continue to adjust the low-income levels 
annually based on the Department's poverty guidelines and make them 
available to persons responsible for administering the applicable 
programs.
    In developing the revised family income levels for determining 
eligibility for the applicable Titles VII and VIII programs, the 
Secretary chose 200 percent of the Department's poverty guidelines for 
the following reasons: First, 200 percent of the poverty guidelines is 
a statutory eligibility level used by the Department for the State 
Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which provides health care 
insurance to children who are from families with incomes too high to 
qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private health insurance. 
Secondly, the proportion of the population below 200 percent of the 
Census Bureau poverty thresholds is one criterion used by the 
Department in the designation of population groups with shortages of 
health care providers. Thus, using 200 percent of the Department 
poverty guidelines to determine low-income status is consistent with 
other Department programs and activities directed toward uninsured and 
underserved individuals and population groups.
    The Secretary has developed the proposed income levels as a means 
of assuring that the applicable Titles VII

[[Page 17434]]

and VIII programs most effectively contribute to the attainment of the 
HRSA goals of increasing diversity and improving distribution in the 
health care workforce.
    These programs are not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 
12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (as implemented 
through 45 CFR part 100).
    These programs are not subject to the Public Health Systems 
Reporting Requirements.

    Dated: March 16, 2001.
Claude Earl Fox,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-7841 Filed 3-29-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-U