[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 125 (Thursday, June 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 37085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10238]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


``Low Income Levels'' Used for Various Health Professions and 
Nursing Programs Included in Titles III, VII and VIII of the Public 
Health Service Act

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is 
updating income levels used to identify a ``low income family'' for the 
purpose of determining eligibility for programs that provide health 
professions and nursing training for individuals from disadvantaged 
backgrounds. These various programs are included in Titles III, VII and 
VIII of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act.
    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 disadvantaged backgrounds, or (3) 
individuals from ``low income families.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The various health professions and nursing 
grant and cooperative agreement programs that use the low-income levels 
to determine whether an individual is from an economically 
disadvantaged background in making eligibility and funding 
determinations generally make awards 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.

Low-Income Levels

    The Secretary defines a ``low income family'' for programs included 
in Titles III, VII and VIII of the PHS Act as having an annual income 
that does not exceed 200 percent of the Department's poverty 
guidelines. A family is a group of two or more individuals related by 
birth, marriage, or adoption who live together or an individual who is 
not living with any relatives. Most HRSA programs use the income of the 
student's parents to compute low income status, while a few programs, 
depending upon the legislative intent of the program, programmatic 
purpose of the low income level, as well as the age and circumstances 
of the average participant, will use the student's family as long as he 
or she is not listed as a dependent upon the parents' tax form. Each 
program will announce the rationale and choice of methodology for 
determining low income levels in their program guidance. The 
Department's poverty guidelines are based on poverty thresholds 
published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, adjusted annually for 
changes in the Consumer Price Index.
    The Secretary annually adjusts the low income levels based on the 
Department's poverty guidelines and makes them available to persons 
responsible for administering the applicable programs. The income 
figures below have been updated to reflect increases in the Consumer 
Price Index through December 31, 2005.

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                                                                Income
                  Size of parents' family *                    Level **
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1...........................................................     $19,600
2...........................................................      26,400
3...........................................................      33,200
4...........................................................      40,000
5...........................................................      46,800
6...........................................................      53,600
7...........................................................      60,400
8...........................................................      67,200
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* Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms. Some
  programs will use the student's family rather than his or her parents'
  family.
** Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2005.


    Dated: June 21, 2006.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E6-10238 Filed 6-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P