[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 2023)] [Notices] [Pages 10495-10497] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2023-03548] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): 2023/2024 Income Eligibility Guidelines AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 July 1, 2023. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Post, Chief, WIC Administration, Benefits, and Certification Branch, Policy Division, FNS, USDA, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, 703-457- 7708. 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). [[Page 10496]] 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 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 2023 was published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at 88 FR 3424 on January 19, 2023. 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. Currently, the Department is publishing the maximum and minimum WIC income eligibility guidelines by household size for the period of July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. 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, 2023. State agencies that do not coordinate implementation with the revised Medicaid guidelines must implement the WIC income eligibility guidelines on or before July 1, 2023. Income Eligibility Guidelines [Effective from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced price meals--185% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Household size Twice- Twice- Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 48 Contiguous States, D.C., Guam and Territories -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1............................... $14,580 $1,215 $608 $561 $281 $26,973 $2,248 $1,124 $1,038 $519 2............................... 19,720 1,644 822 759 380 36,482 3,041 1,521 1,404 702 3............................... 24,860 2,072 1,036 957 479 45,991 3,833 1,917 1,769 885 4............................... 30,000 2,500 1,250 1,154 577 55,500 4,625 2,313 2,135 1,068 5............................... 35,140 2,929 1,465 1,352 676 65,009 5,418 2,709 2,501 1,251 6............................... 40,280 3,357 1,679 1,550 775 74,518 6,210 3,105 2,867 1,434 7............................... 45,420 3,785 1,893 1,747 874 84,027 7,003 3,502 3,232 1,616 8............................... 50,560 4,214 2,107 1,945 973 93,536 7,795 3,898 3,598 1,799 Each add'l family member add.... +5,140 +429 +215 +198 +99 +9,509 +793 +397 +366 +183 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alaska -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1............................... 18,210 1,518 759 701 351 33,689 2,808 1,404 1,296 648 2............................... 24,640 2,054 1,027 948 474 45,584 3,799 1,900 1,754 877 3............................... 31,070 2,590 1,295 1,195 598 57,480 4,790 2,395 2,211 1,106 4............................... 37,500 3,125 1,563 1,443 722 69,375 5,782 2,891 2,669 1,335 5............................... 43,930 3,661 1,831 1,690 845 81,271 6,773 3,387 3,126 1,563 6............................... 50,360 4,197 2,099 1,937 969 93,166 7,764 3,882 3,584 1,792 7............................... 56,790 4,733 2,367 2,185 1,093 105,062 8,756 4,378 4,041 2,021 8............................... 63,220 5,269 2,635 2,432 1,216 116,957 9,747 4,874 4,499 2,250 Each add'l family member add.... +6,430 +536 +268 +248 +124 +11,896 +992 +496 +458 +229 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hawaii -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1............................... 16,770 1,398 699 645 323 31,025 2,586 1,293 1,194 597 2............................... 22,680 1,890 945 873 437 41,958 3,497 1,749 1,614 807 3............................... 28,590 2,383 1,192 1,100 550 52,892 4,408 2,204 2,035 1,018 4............................... 34,500 2,875 1,438 1,327 664 63,825 5,319 2,660 2,455 1,228 5............................... 40,410 3,368 1,684 1,555 778 74,759 6,230 3,115 2,876 1,438 6............................... 46,320 3,860 1,930 1,782 891 85,692 7,141 3,571 3,296 1,648 7............................... 52,230 4,353 2,177 2,009 1,005 96,626 8,053 4,027 3,717 1,859 8............................... 58,140 4,845 2,423 2,237 1,119 107,559 8,964 4,482 4,137 2,069 Each add'l family member add.... +5,910 +493 +247 +228 +114 +10,934 +912 +456 +421 +211 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 10497]] Income Eligibility Guidelines: Household Size Larger Than 8 [Effective from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced price meals--185% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Household size Twice- Twice- Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 48 Contiguous States, D.C., Guam and Territories -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9............................... $55,700 $4,642 $2,321 $2,143 $1,072 $103,045 $8,588 $4,294 $3,964 $1,982 10.............................. 60,840 5,070 2,535 2,340 1,170 112,554 9,380 4,690 4,329 2,165 11.............................. 65,980 5,499 2,750 2,538 1,269 122,063 10,172 5,086 4,695 2,348 12.............................. 71,120 5,927 2,964 2,736 1,368 131,572 10,965 5,483 5,061 2,531 13.............................. 76,260 6,355 3,178 2,934 1,467 141,081 11,757 5,879 5,427 2,714 14.............................. 81,400 6,784 3,392 3,131 1,566 150,590 12,550 6,275 5,792 2,896 15.............................. 86,540 7,212 3,606 3,329 1,665 160,099 13,342 6,671 6,158 3,079 16.............................. 91,680 7,640 3,820 3,527 1,764 169,608 14,134 7,067 6,524 3,262 Each add'l family member add.... +5,140 +429 +215 +198 +99 +9,509 +793 +397 +366 +183 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alaska -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9............................... 69,650 5,805 2,903 2,679 1,340 128,853 10,738 5,369 4,956 2,478 10.............................. 76,080 6,340 3,170 2,927 1,464 140,748 11,729 5,865 5,414 2,707 11.............................. 82,510 6,876 3,438 3,174 1,587 152,644 12,721 6,361 5,871 2,936 12.............................. 88,940 7,412 3,706 3,421 1,711 164,539 13,712 6,856 6,329 3,165 13.............................. 95,370 7,948 3,974 3,669 1,835 176,435 14,703 7,352 6,786 3,393 14.............................. 101,800 8,484 4,242 3,916 1,958 188,330 15,695 7,848 7,244 3,622 15.............................. 108,230 9,020 4,510 4,163 2,082 200,226 16,686 8,343 7,701 3,851 16.............................. 114,660 9,555 4,778 4,410 2,205 212,121 17,677 8,839 8,159 4,080 Each add'l family member add.... +6,430 +536 +268 +248 +124 +11,896 +992 +496 +458 +229 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hawaii -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9............................... 64,050 5,338 2,669 2,464 1,232 118,493 9,875 4,938 4,558 2,279 10.............................. 69,960 5,830 2,915 2,691 1,346 129,426 10,786 5,393 4,978 2,489 11.............................. 75,870 6,323 3,162 2,919 1,460 140,360 11,697 5,849 5,399 2,700 12.............................. 81,780 6,815 3,408 3,146 1,573 151,293 12,608 6,304 5,819 2,910 13.............................. 87,690 7,308 3,654 3,373 1,687 162,227 13,519 6,760 6,240 3,120 14.............................. 93,600 7,800 3,900 3,600 1,800 173,160 14,430 7,215 6,660 3,330 15.............................. 99,510 8,293 4,147 3,828 1,914 184,094 15,342 7,671 7,081 3,541 16.............................. 105,420 8,785 4,393 4,055 2,028 195,027 16,253 8,127 7,502 3,751 Each add'l family member add.... +5,910 +493 +247 +228 +114 +10,934 +912 +456 +421 +211 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. [FR Doc. 2023-03548 Filed 2-17-23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-30-P