81 FR 4036 - Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 15 (January 25, 2016)
Office of the Secretary
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 15 (January 25, 2016)
| Page Range | 4036-4037 | |
| FR Document | 2016-01450 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 15 (Monday, January 25, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 4036-4037] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-01450] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the Secretary Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice provides an update of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) poverty guidelines to account for last calendar year's increase in prices as measured by the Consumer Price Index. DATES: Effective Date: January 25, 2016, unless an office administering a program using the guidelines specifies a different effective date for that particular program. ADDRESSES: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Room 404E, Humphrey Building, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC 20201. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about how the guidelines are used or how income is defined in a particular program, contact the Federal, state, or local office that is responsible for that program. For information about poverty figures for immigration forms, the Hill-Burton Uncompensated Services Program, and the number of people in poverty, use the specific telephone numbers and addresses given below. For general questions about the poverty guidelines themselves, contact Kendall Swenson, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Room 422F.5, Humphrey Building, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC 20201--telephone: (202) 690-7507--or visit http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/. For information about the percentage multiple of the poverty guidelines to be used on immigration forms such as USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at 1-800-375-5283. For information about the Hill-Burton Uncompensated Services Program (free or reduced-fee health care services at certain hospitals and other facilities for persons meeting eligibility criteria involving the poverty guidelines), contact the Health Resources and Services Administration Information Center at 1-800-275-4772. You also may visit http://www.hrsa.gov/gethealthcare/affordable/hillburton/. For information about the number of people in poverty, visit the Poverty section of the Census Bureau's Web site at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty.html or contact the Census Bureau's Customer Service Center at 1-800-923-8282 (toll-free) and https://ask.census.gov for further information. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to update the poverty guidelines at least annually, adjusting them on the basis of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). The poverty guidelines are used as an eligibility criterion by the Community Services Block Grant program and a number of other Federal programs. The poverty guidelines issued here are a simplified version of the poverty thresholds that the Census Bureau uses to prepare its estimates of the number of individuals and families in poverty. As required by law, this update is accomplished by increasing the latest published Census Bureau poverty thresholds by the relevant percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). The guidelines in this 2016 notice reflect the 0.1 percent price increase between calendar years 2014 and 2015. After this inflation adjustment, the guidelines are rounded and adjusted to standardize the differences between family sizes. In rare circumstances, the rounding and standardizing adjustments in the formula result in small decreases in the poverty guidelines for some household sizes even when the inflation factor is not negative. In order to prevent a reduction in the guidelines in these rare circumstances, a minor adjustment was implemented to the formula beginning this year. In cases where the year-to-year change in inflation is not negative and the rounding and standardizing adjustments in the formula result in reductions to the guidelines from the previous year for some household sizes, the guidelines for the affected household sizes are fixed at the prior year's guidelines. As in prior years, these 2016 guidelines are roughly equal to the poverty thresholds for calendar year 2015 which the Census Bureau expects to publish in final form in September 2016. The poverty guidelines continue to be derived from the Census Bureau's current official poverty thresholds; they are not derived from the Census Bureau's new Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). The following guideline figures represent annual income. 2016 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Poverty Persons in family/household guideline ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1........................................................... $11,880 2........................................................... 16,020 3........................................................... 20,160 4........................................................... 24,300 5........................................................... 28,440 6........................................................... 32,580 7........................................................... 36,730 8........................................................... 40,890 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $4,160 for each additional person. 2016 Poverty Guidelines for Alaska ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Poverty Persons in family/household guideline ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1........................................................... $14,840 2........................................................... 20,020 3........................................................... 25,200 4........................................................... 30,380 5........................................................... 35,560 6........................................................... 40,740 7........................................................... 45,920 8........................................................... 51,120 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $5,200 for each additional person. [[Page 4037]] 2016 Poverty Guidelines for Hawaii ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Poverty Persons in family/household guideline ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1........................................................... $13,670 2........................................................... 18,430 3........................................................... 23,190 4........................................................... 27,950 5........................................................... 32,710 6........................................................... 37,470 7........................................................... 42,230 8........................................................... 47,010 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $4,780 for each additional person. Separate poverty guideline 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. In cases in which a Federal program using the poverty guidelines serves any of those jurisdictions, the Federal office that administers the program is generally responsible for deciding whether to use the contiguous-states-and-DC guidelines for those jurisdictions or to follow some other procedure. Due to confusing legislative language dating back to 1972, the poverty guidelines sometimes have been mistakenly referred to as the ``OMB'' (Office of Management and Budget) poverty guidelines or poverty line. In fact, OMB has never issued the guidelines; the guidelines are issued each year by the Department of Health and Human Services. The poverty guidelines may be formally referenced as ``the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2).'' Some federal programs use a percentage multiple of the guidelines (for example, 125 percent or 185 percent of the guidelines), as noted in relevant authorizing legislation or program regulations. Non-Federal organizations that use the poverty guidelines under their own authority in non-Federally-funded activities also may choose to use a percentage multiple of the guidelines. The poverty guidelines do not make a distinction between farm and non-farm families, or between aged and non-aged units. (Only the Census Bureau poverty thresholds have separate figures for aged and non-aged one-person and two-person units.) Note that this notice does not provide definitions of such terms as ``income'' or ``family,'' because there is considerable variation in defining these terms among the different programs that use the guidelines. These variations are traceable to the different laws and regulations that govern the various programs. This means that questions such as ``Is income counted before or after taxes?'', ``Should a particular type of income be counted?'', and ``Should a particular person be counted as a member of the family/household?'' are actually questions about how a specific program applies the poverty guidelines. All such questions about how a specific program applies the guidelines should be directed to the entity that administers or funds the program, since that entity has the responsibility for defining such terms as ``income'' or ``family,'' to the extent that these terms are not already defined for the program in legislation or regulations. Dated: January 21, 2016. Sylvia M. Burwell, Secretary of Health and Human Services. [FR Doc. 2016-01450 Filed 1-22-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4150-05-P
![4036 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 15 / Monday, January 25, 2016 / Notices
are working to improve language Evaluation, Room 422F.5, Humphrey sizes even when the inflation factor is
accessibility within their states; and Building, Department of Health and not negative. In order to prevent a
• Recommendations for state-specific Human Services, Washington, DC reduction in the guidelines in these rare
capacity building for the 20 states 20201—telephone: (202) 690–7507—or circumstances, a minor adjustment was
intended to enhance statewide language visit http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/. implemented to the formula beginning
access, which will include the For information about the percentage this year. In cases where the year-to-year
development of language access plans. multiple of the poverty guidelines to be change in inflation is not negative and
An objective review of was conducted used on immigration forms such as the rounding and standardizing
that assessed the grantee’s application USCIS Form I–864, Affidavit of Support, adjustments in the formula result in
using criteria related to the project’s contact U.S. Citizenship and reductions to the guidelines from the
approach, the organization’s capacity, Immigration Services at 1–800–375–
and the development of costs for the previous year for some household sizes,
5283.
project’s budget. the guidelines for the affected
For information about the Hill-Burton
household sizes are fixed at the prior
Statutory Authority: Section 310 of the Uncompensated Services Program (free
or reduced-fee health care services at year’s guidelines. As in prior years,
Family Violence Prevention and Services
Act, as amended by Section 201 of the certain hospitals and other facilities for these 2016 guidelines are roughly equal
CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010, Pub. L. persons meeting eligibility criteria to the poverty thresholds for calendar
111–320. involving the poverty guidelines), year 2015 which the Census Bureau
Christopher Beach, contact the Health Resources and expects to publish in final form in
Services Administration Information September 2016.
Senior Grants Policy Specialist, Division of
Grants Policy, Office of Administration. Center at 1–800–275–4772. You also The poverty guidelines continue to be
[FR Doc. 2016–01329 Filed 1–22–16; 8:45 am] may visit http://www.hrsa.gov/ derived from the Census Bureau’s
BILLING CODE 4184–32–P
gethealthcare/affordable/hillburton/. current official poverty thresholds; they
For information about the number of are not derived from the Census
people in poverty, visit the Poverty Bureau’s new Supplemental Poverty
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND section of the Census Bureau’s Web site Measure (SPM).
HUMAN SERVICES at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/
poverty/poverty.html or contact the The following guideline figures
Office of the Secretary Census Bureau’s Customer Service represent annual income.
Center at 1–800–923–8282 (toll-free)
Annual Update of the HHS Poverty and https://ask.census.gov for further 2016 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR THE
Guidelines information. 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES AND THE
AGENCY: Department of Health and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Human Services.
Background Poverty
ACTION: Notice. Persons in family/household guideline
Section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget
SUMMARY: This notice provides an Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1981 (42 1 .................................................. $11,880
update of the Department of Health and U.S.C. 9902(2)) requires the Secretary of 2 .................................................. 16,020
Human Services (HHS) poverty the Department of Health and Human 3 .................................................. 20,160
guidelines to account for last calendar Services to update the poverty 4 .................................................. 24,300
year’s increase in prices as measured by guidelines at least annually, adjusting 5 .................................................. 28,440
the Consumer Price Index. them on the basis of the Consumer Price 6 .................................................. 32,580
DATES: Effective Date: January 25, 2016, Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI–U). 7 .................................................. 36,730
unless an office administering a The poverty guidelines are used as an 8 .................................................. 40,890
program using the guidelines specifies a eligibility criterion by the Community
different effective date for that Services Block Grant program and a For families/households with more than 8
particular program. persons, add $4,160 for each additional
number of other Federal programs. The person.
ADDRESSES: Office of the Assistant poverty guidelines issued here are a
Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, simplified version of the poverty 2016 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR
Room 404E, Humphrey Building, thresholds that the Census Bureau uses
Department of Health and Human
ALASKA
to prepare its estimates of the number of
Services, Washington, DC 20201. individuals and families in poverty. Poverty
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For As required by law, this update is Persons in family/household guideline
information about how the guidelines accomplished by increasing the latest
are used or how income is defined in a published Census Bureau poverty 1 .................................................. $14,840
particular program, contact the Federal, thresholds by the relevant percentage 2 .................................................. 20,020
state, or local office that is responsible change in the Consumer Price Index for 3 .................................................. 25,200
for that program. For information about All Urban Consumers (CPI–U). The 4 .................................................. 30,380
poverty figures for immigration forms, guidelines in this 2016 notice reflect the 5 .................................................. 35,560
the Hill-Burton Uncompensated 0.1 percent price increase between 6 .................................................. 40,740
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Services Program, and the number of calendar years 2014 and 2015. After this 7 .................................................. 45,920
people in poverty, use the specific inflation adjustment, the guidelines are 8 .................................................. 51,120
telephone numbers and addresses given rounded and adjusted to standardize the
For families/households with more than 8
below. differences between family sizes. In rare persons, add $5,200 for each additional
For general questions about the circumstances, the rounding and person.
poverty guidelines themselves, contact standardizing adjustments in the
Kendall Swenson, Office of the formula result in small decreases in the
Assistant Secretary for Planning and poverty guidelines for some household
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![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 15 / Monday, January 25, 2016 / Notices 4037
2016 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR and non-aged one-person and two- Place: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Plaza II,
person units.) 1150 22nd Street NW., Washington, DC
HAWAII 20037.
Note that this notice does not provide Contact Person: Frank S. De Silva, Ph.D.,
Poverty definitions of such terms as ‘‘income’’ or Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review
Persons in family/household guideline
‘‘family,’’ because there is considerable Program, Division of Extramural Activities,
1 .................................................. $13,670 variation in defining these terms among Room #3E72A, National Institutes of Health/
2 .................................................. 18,430 the different programs that use the NIAID, 5601 Fishers Lane, MSC 9834,
guidelines. These variations are Bethesda, MD 20892934, (240) 669–5023,
3 .................................................. 23,190
traceable to the different laws and fdesilva@niaid.nih.gov.
4 .................................................. 27,950
5 .................................................. 32,710 regulations that govern the various Name of Committee: National Institute of
6 .................................................. 37,470 programs. This means that questions Allergy and Infectious Diseases Special
7 .................................................. 42,230 Emphasis Panel; ‘‘Comprehensive Resources
such as ‘‘Is income counted before or for HIV Microbicides and Biomedical
8 .................................................. 47,010 after taxes?’’, ‘‘Should a particular type Prevention (N01)’’.
For families/households with more than 8 of income be counted?’’, and ‘‘Should a Date: February 18, 2016.
persons, add $4,780 for each additional particular person be counted as a Time: 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
person. member of the family/household?’’ are Agenda: To review and evaluate contract
actually questions about how a specific proposals.
Separate poverty guideline figures for Place: National Institutes of Health Room
Alaska and Hawaii reflect Office of program applies the poverty guidelines.
All such questions about how a specific 3F100, 5601 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD
Economic Opportunity administrative 20892 (Telephone Conference Call).
practice beginning in the 1966–1970 program applies the guidelines should Contact Person: Jay R. Radke, Ph.D., AIDS
period. (Note that the Census Bureau be directed to the entity that administers Review Branch, Scientific Review Program,
poverty thresholds—the version of the or funds the program, since that entity Division of Extramural Activities, Room
poverty measure used for statistical has the responsibility for defining such #3G11B, National Institutes of Health, NIAID,
purposes—have never had separate terms as ‘‘income’’ or ‘‘family,’’ to the 5601 Fishers Lane, MSC–9823, Bethesda, MD
extent that these terms are not already 20892–9823, (240) 669–5046, jay.radke@
figures for Alaska and Hawaii.) The nih.gov.
poverty guidelines are not defined for defined for the program in legislation or
regulations. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance
Puerto Rico or other outlying Program Nos. 93.855, Allergy, Immunology,
jurisdictions. In cases in which a Dated: January 21, 2016. and Transplantation Research; 93.856,
Federal program using the poverty Sylvia M. Burwell, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
guidelines serves any of those Secretary of Health and Human Services. Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS)
jurisdictions, the Federal office that [FR Doc. 2016–01450 Filed 1–22–16; 8:45 am] Dated: January 19, 2016.
administers the program is generally BILLING CODE 4150–05–P Natasha M. Copeland,
responsible for deciding whether to use
Program Analyst, Office of Federal Advisory
the contiguous-states-and-DC guidelines Committee Policy.
for those jurisdictions or to follow some DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND [FR Doc. 2016–01313 Filed 1–22–16; 8:45 am]
other procedure. HUMAN SERVICES BILLING CODE 4140–01–P
Due to confusing legislative language
dating back to 1972, the poverty National Institutes of Health
guidelines sometimes have been DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
mistakenly referred to as the ‘‘OMB’’ National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases; Notice of Closed HUMAN SERVICES
(Office of Management and Budget)
poverty guidelines or poverty line. In Meetings
National Institutes of Health
fact, OMB has never issued the
Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Submission for OMB Review; 30-Day
guidelines; the guidelines are issued
Federal Advisory Committee Act, as Comment Request; Media-Smart Youth
each year by the Department of Health
amended (5 U.S.C. App.), notice is Leaders Program
and Human Services. The poverty
hereby given of the following meetings.
guidelines may be formally referenced SUMMARY: Under the provisions of
as ‘‘the poverty guidelines updated The meetings will be closed to the
public in accordance with the section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork
periodically in the Federal Register by Reduction Act of 1995, the Eunice
the U.S. Department of Health and provisions set forth in sections
552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), title 5 U.S.C., Kennedy Shriver National Institute of
Human Services under the authority of Child Health and Human Development,
42 U.S.C. 9902(2).’’ as amended. The grant applications and
the discussions could disclose National Institutes of Health (NIH) has
Some federal programs use a submitted to the Office of Management
percentage multiple of the guidelines confidential trade secrets or commercial
property such as patentable material, and Budget (OMB) a request for review
(for example, 125 percent or 185 percent and approval of the information
of the guidelines), as noted in relevant and personal information concerning
individuals associated with the grant collection listed below. This proposed
authorizing legislation or program information collection was previously
regulations. Non-Federal organizations applications, the disclosure of which
would constitute a clearly unwarranted published in the Federal Register on
that use the poverty guidelines under October 16, 2015, pages 62541–62542,
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
their own authority in non-Federally- invasion of personal privacy.
and allowed 60 days for public
funded activities also may choose to use Name of Committee: Microbiology, comment. One public comment was
a percentage multiple of the guidelines. Infectious Diseases and AIDS Initial Review received. The purpose of this notice is
Group; Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
The poverty guidelines do not make a Research Committee.
to allow an additional 30 days for public
distinction between farm and non-farm Date: February 18–19, 2016. comment. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver
families, or between aged and non-aged Time: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. National Institute of Child Health and
units. (Only the Census Bureau poverty Agenda: To review and evaluate grant Human Development, National
thresholds have separate figures for aged applications. Institutes of Health, may not conduct or
VerDate Sep<11>2014 13:09 Jan 22, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\25JAN1.SGM 25JAN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/81_FR_4051/page/2.svg)
Document Created: 2018-02-02 12:35:22
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 12:35:22
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | Effective Date: January 25, 2016, unless an office administering a program using the guidelines specifies a different effective date for that particular program. | |
| Contact | For information about how the guidelines are used or how income is defined in a particular program, contact the Federal, state, or local office that is responsible for that program. For information about poverty figures for immigration forms, the Hill-Burton Uncompensated Services Program, and the number | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 4036 |
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