[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17238-17239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05902]


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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 Authorized in the Public Health Service Act

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice.

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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 the 
Public Health Service Act. HHS periodically publishes in the Federal 
Register, low-income levels to be used by institutions receiving grants 
or cooperative agreement awards to determine eligibility for programs 
providing training for disadvantaged individuals, individuals from 
disadvantaged backgrounds, or individuals from low-income families.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Many health professions and nursing grant 
and cooperative agreement awardees use the low-income levels to 
determine whether potential program participants are from economically 
disadvantaged backgrounds and would be eligible to participate in the 
program, as well as to determine the amount of funding individuals 
receive. Awards are generally made to accredited schools of medicine, 
osteopathic medicine, public health, dentistry, pharmacy, allied 
health, and nursing; public or private nonprofit schools which offer 
graduate programs in behavioral health and mental health practice; and 
other public or private nonprofit health or educational entities to 
assist individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and disadvantaged 
students to enter and graduate from health professions and nursing 
schools. Some programs provide for the repayment of health professions 
or nursing education loans for students from disadvantaged backgrounds 
and 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 HHS'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, if the student is not listed as a dependent on the tax 
form of their parent(s). Each program includes the rationale and 
methodology for determining low-income levels in program funding 
opportunities or applications.
    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 2023 poverty guidelines as published in the Federal 
Register at 88 FR 3424. See https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-01-19/pdf/2023-00885.pdf.

[[Page 17239]]



    Low-Income Levels Based on the 2023 Poverty Guidelines for the 48
             Contiguous States and the District of Columbia
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                                                                 Income
                Persons in family/household *                   level **
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1............................................................    $29,160
2............................................................     39,440
3............................................................     49,720
4............................................................     60,000
5............................................................     70,280
6............................................................     80,560
7............................................................    $90,840
8............................................................    101,120
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $10,280 for each additional
  person.
* Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms.
** Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2022.


    Low-Income Levels Based on the 2023 Poverty Guidelines for Alaska
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Income
                Persons in family/household *                   level **
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1............................................................    $36,420
2............................................................     49,280
3............................................................     62,140
4............................................................     75,000
5............................................................     87,860
6............................................................    100,720
7............................................................    113,580
8............................................................    126,440
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $12,860 for each additional
  person.
* Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms.
** Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2022.


    Low-Income Levels Based on the 2023 Poverty Guidelines for Hawaii
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                                                                 Income
                Persons in family/household *                   level **
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1............................................................    $33,540
2............................................................     45,360
3............................................................     57,180
4............................................................     69,000
5............................................................     80,820
6............................................................     92,640
7............................................................    104,460
8............................................................    116,280
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $11,820 for each additional
  person.
* Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms.
** Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2022.

    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 or other jurisdictions. Puerto Rico and 
other jurisdictions shall use income guidelines for the 48 Contiguous 
States and the District of Columbia.

Carole Johnson,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-05902 Filed 3-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P