[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 121 (Monday, June 26, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28862-28863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13312]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Low-Income Levels Used for Various Health Professions and Nursing
Programs Authorized in Titles III, VII, and VIII of the Public Health
Service Act
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: 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 to individuals from
disadvantaged backgrounds. These various programs are authorized in
Titles III, VII, and VIII of the Public Health Service Act.
HHS periodically publishes in the Federal Register low-income
levels to be used by institutions receiving federal grants and
cooperative agreements to
[[Page 28863]]
determine eligibility for programs providing training for (1)
disadvantaged individuals, (2) individuals from disadvantaged
backgrounds, or (3) individuals from low-income families.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Many health professions and nursing grant
and cooperative agreement awardees use these low-income levels to
determine whether potential program participants are from an
economically-disadvantaged background and would be eligible to
participate in the program, as well as to determine the amount of
funding the individual receives. Awards are generally made to
accredited schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, public health,
dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, pharmacy, allied health,
podiatric medicine, nursing, and 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.
A ``low-income family/household'' for programs included in Titles
III, VII, and VIII of the Public Health Service Act is defined 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.
Most HRSA programs use the income of a student's parent(s) to
compute low-income status. However, a ``household'' may potentially be
only one person. Other HRSA 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 the
tax form of his or her parent(s). Each program announces the rationale
and choice of methodology for determining low-income levels in program
guidance.
Low-income levels are adjusted annually based on HHS's poverty
guidelines. HHS'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 income figures below have been updated to
reflect HHS's 2017 poverty guidelines as published in 82 FR 8831
(January 31, 2017).
Low-Income Levels Based on the 2017 Poverty Guidelines for the 48
Contiguous States and the District of Columbia
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income level
Persons in family/household * **
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1....................................................... $24,120
2....................................................... 32,480
3....................................................... 40,840
4....................................................... 49,200
5....................................................... 57,560
6....................................................... 65,920
7....................................................... 74,280
8....................................................... 82,640
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For families with more than 8 persons, add $8,360 for each additional
person.
Low-Income Levels Based on the 2017 Poverty Guidelines for Alaska
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income level
Persons in family/household * **
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1....................................................... $30,120
2....................................................... 40,580
3....................................................... 51,040
4....................................................... 61,500
5....................................................... 71,960
6....................................................... 82,420
7....................................................... 92,880
8....................................................... 103,340
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For families with more than 8 persons, add $10,460 for each additional
person.
Low-Income Levels Based on the 2017 Poverty Guidelines for Hawaii
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income level
Persons in family/household * **
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1....................................................... $27,720
2....................................................... 37,340
3....................................................... 46,960
4....................................................... 56,580
5....................................................... 66,200
6....................................................... 75,820
7....................................................... 85,440
8....................................................... 95,060
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For families with more than 8 persons, add $9,620 for each additional
person.
* Includes only dependents listed on federal income tax forms.
** Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2016.
Separate poverty guidelines figures for Alaska and Hawaii reflect
Office of Economic Opportunity administrative practice beginning in the
1966-1970 period since the U.S. Census Bureau poverty thresholds do not
have separate figures for Alaska and Hawaii. The poverty guidelines are
not defined for Puerto Rico and other outlying jurisdictions. Puerto
Rico and other outlying jurisdictions must use the low-income levels
table for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia.
Dated: June 16, 2017.
George Sigounas,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-13312 Filed 6-23-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P