[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 42 (Friday, March 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12903-12905]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04532]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC): 2021/2022 Income Eligibility Guidelines
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (``Department'') announces
adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by State agencies in
determining the income eligibility of persons applying to participate
in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC). These income eligibility guidelines are to be used in
conjunction with the WIC Regulations.
DATES: Applicable date July 1, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara Olson, Chief, Policy Branch,
Supplemental Food Programs Division, FNS, USDA, 1320 Braddock Place,
Alexandria, Virginia 22314, (703) 605-4013.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Executive Order 12866
This notice is exempt from review by the Office of Management and
Budget under Executive Order 12866.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
This action is not a rule as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) and thus is exempt from the provisions of this
Act.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
This notice does not contain reporting or recordkeeping
requirements subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3507).
Executive Order 12372
This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Programs under No. 10.557, and is subject to the provisions
of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation
with State and local officials (7 CFR part 3015, subpart V, 48 FR
29100, June 24, 1983, and 49 FR 22675, May 31, 1984).
Description
Section 17(d)(2)(A) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended
(42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(2)(A)), requires the Secretary of Agriculture to
establish income criteria to be used with
[[Page 12904]]
nutritional risk criteria in determining a person's eligibility for
participation in the WIC Program. The law provides that persons will be
income-eligible for the WIC Program if they are members of families
that satisfy the income standard prescribed for reduced-price school
meals under section 9(b) of the Richard B. Russell National School
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)). Under section 9(b), the income limit for
reduced-price school meals is 185 percent of the Federal poverty
guidelines, as adjusted. Section 9(b) also requires that these
guidelines be revised annually to reflect changes in the Consumer Price
Index. The annual revision for 2021 was published by the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) at 86 FR 7732, February 1, 2021. The
guidelines published by HHS are referred to as the ``poverty
guidelines.''
Program Regulations at 7 CFR 246.7(d)(1) specify that State
agencies may prescribe income guidelines either equaling the income
guidelines established under Section 9 of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act for reduced-price school meals, or identical
to State or local guidelines for free or reduced-price health care.
However, in conforming WIC income guidelines to State or local health
care guidelines, the State cannot establish WIC guidelines which exceed
the guidelines for reduced-price school meals, or which are less than
100 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines. Consistent with the
method used to compute income eligibility guidelines for reduced-price
meals under the National School Lunch Program, the poverty guidelines
were multiplied by 1.85 and the results rounded upward to the next
whole dollar.
At this time, the Department is publishing the maximum and minimum
WIC income eligibility guidelines by household size for the period of
July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Consistent with section 17(f)(17)
of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1786(f)(17)),
a State agency may implement the revised WIC income eligibility
guidelines concurrently with the implementation of income eligibility
guidelines under the Medicaid Program established under Title XIX of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396, et seq.). State agencies may
coordinate implementation with the revised Medicaid guidelines, i.e.,
earlier in the year, but in no case may implementation take place later
than July 1, 2021. State agencies that do not coordinate implementation
with the revised Medicaid guidelines must implement the WIC income
eligibility guidelines on or before July 1, 2021.
Income Eligibility Guidelines
[Effective from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022]
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Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced Price Meals--185%
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Household size Twice- Twice-
Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly
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48 Contiguous States, DC, Guam and Territories
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1......................................... $12,880 $1,074 $537 $496 $248 $23,828 $1,986 $993 $917 $459
2......................................... 17,420 1,452 726 670 335 32,227 2,686 1,343 1,240 620
3......................................... 21,960 1,830 915 845 423 40,626 3,386 1,693 1,563 782
4......................................... 26,500 2,209 1,105 1,020 510 49,025 4,086 2,043 1,886 943
5......................................... 31,040 2,587 1,294 1,194 597 57,424 4,786 2,393 2,209 1,105
6......................................... 35,580 2,965 1,483 1,369 685 65,823 5,486 2,743 2,532 1,266
7......................................... 40,120 3,344 1,672 1,544 772 74,222 6,186 3,093 2,855 1,428
8......................................... 44,660 3,722 1,861 1,718 859 82,621 6,886 3,443 3,178 1,589
Each add'l family member add.............. +4,540 +379 +190 +175 +88 +8,399 +700 +350 +324 +162
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Alaska
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1......................................... 16,090 1,341 671 619 310 29,767 2,481 1,241 1,145 573
2......................................... 21,770 1,815 908 838 419 40,275 3,357 1,679 1,550 775
3......................................... 27,450 2,288 1,144 1,056 528 50,783 4,232 2,116 1,954 977
4......................................... 33,130 2,761 1,381 1,275 638 61,291 5,108 2,554 2,358 1,179
5......................................... 38,810 3,235 1,618 1,493 747 71,799 5,984 2,992 2,762 1,381
6......................................... 44,490 3,708 1,854 1,712 856 82,307 6,859 3,430 3,166 1,583
7......................................... 50,170 4,181 2,091 1,930 965 92,815 7,735 3,868 3,570 1,785
8......................................... 55,850 4,655 2,328 2,149 1,075 103,323 8,611 4,306 3,974 1,987
Each add'l family member add.............. +5,680 +474 +237 +219 +110 +10,508 +876 +438 +405 +203
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Hawaii
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1......................................... 14,820 1,235 618 570 285 27,417 2,285 1,143 1,055 528
2......................................... 20,040 1,670 835 771 386 37,074 3,090 1,545 1,426 713
3......................................... 25,260 2,105 1,053 972 486 46,731 3,895 1,948 1,798 899
4......................................... 30,480 2,540 1,270 1,173 587 56,388 4,699 2,350 2,169 1,085
5......................................... 35,700 2,975 1,488 1,374 687 66,045 5,504 2,752 2,541 1,271
6......................................... 40,920 3,410 1,705 1,574 787 75,702 6,309 3,155 2,912 1,456
7......................................... 46,140 3,845 1,923 1,775 888 85,359 7,114 3,557 3,284 1,642
8......................................... 51,360 4,280 2,140 1,976 988 95,016 7,918 3,959 3,655 1,828
Each add'l family member add.............. +5,220 +435 +218 +201 +101 +9,657 +805 +403 +372 +186
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[[Page 12905]]
Income Eligibility Guidelines--Household Size Larger Than 8
[Effective from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022]
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Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced price meals--185%
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Household size Twice- Twice-
Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly
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48 Contiguous States, DC, Guam and Territories
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9......................................... $49,200 $4,100 $2,050 $1,893 $947 $91,020 $7,585 $3,793 $3,501 $1,751
10........................................ 53,740 4,479 2,240 2,067 1,034 99,419 8,285 4,143 3,824 1,912
11........................................ 58,280 4,857 2,429 2,242 1,121 107,818 8,985 4,493 4,147 2,074
12........................................ 62,820 5,235 2,618 2,417 1,209 116,217 9,685 4,843 4,470 2,235
13........................................ 67,360 5,614 2,807 2,591 1,296 124,616 10,385 5,193 4,793 2,397
14........................................ 71,900 5,992 2,996 2,766 1,383 133,015 11,085 5,543 5,116 2,558
15........................................ 76,440 6,370 3,185 2,940 1,470 141,414 11,785 5,893 5,439 2,720
16........................................ 80,980 6,749 3,375 3,115 1,558 149,813 12,485 6,243 5,763 2,882
Each add'l family member add.............. +4,540 +379 +190 +175 +88 +8,399 +700 +350 +324 +162
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Alaska
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9......................................... 61,530 5,128 2,564 2,367 1,184 113,831 9,486 4,743 4,379 2,190
10........................................ 67,210 5,601 2,801 2,585 1,293 124,339 10,362 5,181 4,783 2,392
11........................................ 72,890 6,075 3,038 2,804 1,402 134,847 11,238 5,619 5,187 2,594
12........................................ 78,570 6,548 3,274 3,022 1,511 145,355 12,113 6,057 5,591 2,796
13........................................ 84,250 7,021 3,511 3,241 1,621 155,863 12,989 6,495 5,995 2,998
14........................................ 89,930 7,495 3,748 3,459 1,730 166,371 13,865 6,933 6,399 3,200
15........................................ 95,610 7,968 3,984 3,678 1,839 176,879 14,740 7,370 6,804 3,402
16........................................ 101,290 8,441 4,221 3,896 1,948 187,387 15,616 7,808 7,208 3,604
Each add'l family member add.............. +5,680 +474 +237 +219 +110 +10,508 +876 +438 +405 +203
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Hawaii
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9......................................... 56,580 4,715 2,358 2,177 1,089 104,673 8,723 4,362 4,026 2,013
10........................................ 61,800 5,150 2,575 2,377 1,189 114,330 9,528 4,764 4,398 2,199
11........................................ 67,020 5,585 2,793 2,578 1,289 123,987 10,333 5,167 4,769 2,385
12........................................ 72,240 6,020 3,010 2,779 1,390 133,644 11,137 5,569 5,141 2,571
13........................................ 77,460 6,455 3,228 2,980 1,490 143,301 11,942 5,971 5,512 2,756
14........................................ 82,680 6,890 3,445 3,180 1,590 152,958 12,747 6,374 5,883 2,942
15........................................ 87,900 7,325 3,663 3,381 1,691 162,615 13,552 6,776 6,255 3,128
16........................................ 93,120 7,760 3,880 3,582 1,791 172,272 14,356 7,178 6,626 3,313
Each add'l family member add.............. +5,220 +435 +218 +201 +101 +9,657 +805 +403 +372 +186
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The table of this Notice contains the income limits by household
size for the 48 contiguous States, the District of Columbia, and all
United States Territories, including Guam. Separate tables for Alaska
and Hawaii have been included for the convenience of the State agencies
because the poverty guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii are higher than
for the 48 contiguous States.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1786.
Cynthia Long,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
[FR Doc. 2021-04532 Filed 3-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P