[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 22790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9137]


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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 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/household'' for 
programs included in Titles III, VII and VIII of the Public Health 
Service 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. A ``household'' may be only one person. Most HRSA programs 
use the income of the student's parents to compute low income status. 
Other programs, depending upon the legislative intent of the program, 
the programmatic purpose related to income level, as well as the age 
and circumstances of the participant, will apply these low income 
standards to the individual student to determine eligibility, as long 
as he or she is not listed as a dependent on his or her 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, 2011.

2012 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of
                                Columbia
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                                                                 Income
                   Size of parents' family*                      level**
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1.............................................................   $22,340
2.............................................................    30,260
3.............................................................    38,180
4.............................................................    46,100
5.............................................................    54,020
6.............................................................    61,940
7.............................................................    69,860
8.............................................................    77,780
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $7,920 for each additional
  person.


                   2012 Poverty Guidelines for Alaska
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                                                                 Income
                   Size of parents' family*                      level**
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1.............................................................   $27,940
2.............................................................    37,840
3.............................................................    47,740
4.............................................................    57,640
5.............................................................    67,540
6.............................................................    77,440
7.............................................................    87,340
8.............................................................    97,240
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $9,900 for each additional
  person.


                   2012 Poverty Guidelines for Hawaii
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                                                                 Income
                   Size of parents' family*                      level**
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1.............................................................   $25,720
2.............................................................    34,820
3.............................................................    43,920
4.............................................................    53,020
5.............................................................    62,120
6.............................................................    71,220
7.............................................................    80,320
8.............................................................    89,420
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $9,100 for each additional
  person.
\*\ 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 2011.

    Separate poverty guidelines figures for Alaska and Hawaii reflect 
Office of Economic Opportunity administrative practice beginning in the 
1966-1970 period. (Note that the Census Bureau poverty thresholds--the 
version of the poverty measure used for statistical purposes--have 
never had separate figures for Alaska and Hawaii.) The poverty 
guidelines are not defined for Puerto Rico or other outlying 
jurisdictions. Puerto Rico or other outlying jurisdictions shall use 
income guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of 
Columbia.

    Dated: April 10, 2012.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-9137 Filed 4-16-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P