[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 78 (Monday, April 22, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29341-29342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08504]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


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.

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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 
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 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 the individual 
receives. Awards are generally made to accredited schools of medicine, 
osteopathic medicine, public health, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and 
allied health; 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, 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 his or her 
parent(s). Each program announces 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 2024 poverty guidelines as published in the Federal 
Register at 89 FR 2961 (Jan. 11, 2024).

[[Page 29342]]



    Low-Income Levels Based on the 2024 Poverty Guidelines for the 48
             Contiguous States and the District of Columbia
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Income level
              Persons in family/household *                     **
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.......................................................         $30,120
2.......................................................          40,880
3.......................................................          51,640
4.......................................................          62,400
5.......................................................          73,160
6.......................................................          83,920
7.......................................................          94,680
8.......................................................         105,440
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $10,760 for each additional
  person.
* Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms.
** Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2023.


    Low-Income Levels Based on the 2024 Poverty Guidelines for Alaska
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Income level
              Persons in family/household *                     **
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.......................................................         $37,620
2.......................................................          51,080
3.......................................................          64,540
4.......................................................          78,000
5.......................................................          91,460
6.......................................................         104,920
7.......................................................         118,380
8.......................................................         131,840
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $13,460 for each additional
  person.
* Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms.
** Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2023.


    Low-Income Levels Based on the 2024 Poverty Guidelines for Hawaii
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Income level
              Persons in family/household *                     **
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.......................................................         $34,620
2.......................................................          47,000
3.......................................................          59,380
4.......................................................          71,760
5.......................................................          84,140
6.......................................................          96,520
7.......................................................         108,900
8.......................................................         121,280
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For families with more than 8 persons, add $12,380 for each additional
  person.
* Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms.
** Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2023.

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

Carole Johnson,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2024-08504 Filed 4-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P