[Federal Register: February 21, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 35)]
[Notices]               
[Page 8491-8493]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21fe03-22]                         

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

 
National Senior Service Corps; Schedule of Income Eligibility 
Levels

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This Notice revises the schedules of income eligibility levels 
for participation in the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) and the 
Senior Companion Program (SCP) of the Corporation for National and 
Community Service, published in 67 FR 18593, April 16, 2002.

DATES: These guidelines go into effect on March 1, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Corporation for National and Community 
Service, Ruth Archie, National Senior Service Corps, Attn: Ms. Ruth 
Archie, 1201 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20525, by telephone 
at (202) 606-5000, ext. 289, or e-mail: rarchie@cns.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY: The revised schedules are based on changes in the 
Poverty Guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Human 
Services (DHHS), published in 68 FR 6456-6458, February 7, 2003. In 
accordance with program regulations, the income eligibility level for 
each State, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the District of 
Columbia is 125 percent of the DHHS Poverty Guidelines, except in those 
areas determined by the Corporation to be of higher cost of living. In 
such instances, the guidelines shall be 135 percent of the DHHS Poverty 
levels (See attached list of High Cost Areas). The

[[Page 8492]]

level of eligibility is rounded to the next higher multiple of $5.00
    In determining income eligibility, consideration should be given to 
the following, as set forth in 45 CFR 2551-2553 dated October 1, 1999, 
as amended per the Federal Register, Vol. 67, No. 188, Friday, 
September 27, 2002.
    Allowable medical expenses are annual out-of-pocket expenses for 
health insurance premiums, health care services, and medications 
provided to the applicant, enrollee, or spouse and were not and will 
not be paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, other insurance, or by any other 
third party and, must not exceed 15 percent of the applicable 
Corporation income guideline.
    Annual income is counted for the past 12 months, for serving SCP 
and FGP volunteers, and is projected for the subsequent 12 months, for 
applicants to become SCP and FGP volunteers, and includes: The 
applicant or enrollee's income and the applicant to enrollee's spouse's 
income, if the spouse lives in the same residence. Sponsors must count 
the value of shelter, food, and clothing, if provided at no cost the 
applicant, enrollee or spouse.
    Any person whose income is not more than 100 percent of the DHHS 
Poverty Guideline for her/his specific family unit shall be given 
special consideration for participation in the Foster Grandparent and 
Senior Companion Programs:

                                     2003 FGP/SCP Income Eligibility Levels
                                [Based on 125 Percent of DHHS Poverty Guidelines]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Family units of
                           States                            ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                  One          Two         Three         Four
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All, except High Cost Areas, Alaska & Hawaii................      $11,225      $15,150      $19,075     $23,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 For family units with more than four members, add $3,925 for each additional member in all States except
  designated High Cost Areas, Alaska and Hawaii.


                           2003 FGP/SCP Income Eligibility Levels for High Cost Areas
                                [Based on 135 Percent of DHHS Poverty Guidelines]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Family units of
                           States                            ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                  One          Two         Three         Four
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All, except Alaska & Hawaii.................................      $12,125      $16,365      $20,605      $24,840
Alaska......................................................       15,135       20,440       25,745       31,050
Hawaii......................................................       13,950       18,820       23,695      28,570
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 For family units with more than four members, add: $4,240 for all areas, $5,305 for Alaska, and $4,875 for
  Hawaii, for each additional member.

    The income eligibility levels specified above are based on 135 
percent of the DHHS poverty guidelines and are applicable to the 
following high cost metropolitan statistical areas and primary 
metropolitan statistical areas:

High Cost Areas

(Including all Counties/Locations Included in that Area as Defined by 
the Office of Management and Budget)

Alaska

(All Locations)

California

Los Angeles/Compton/San Gabriel/Long Beach/Hawthorne (Los Angeles 
County)
Santa Barbara/Santa Maria/Lompoc (Santa Barbara County)
Santa Cruz/Watsonville (Santa Cruz County)
Santa Rosa/Petaluma (Sonoma County)
San Diego/El Cajon (San Diego County)
San Jose/Los Gatos (Santa Clara County)
San Francisco/San Rafael (Marin County)
San Francisco/Redwood City (San Mateo County)
San Francisco (San Francisco County)
Oakland/Berkeley (Alameda County)
Oakland/Martinez (Contra Costa County)
Anaheim/Santa Ana (Orange County)
Oxnard/Ventura (Ventura County)

Connecticut

Stamford (Fairfield)

District of Columbia/Maryland/Virginia

District of Columbia and surrounding Counties in Maryland and Virginia.
MD Counties: Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Cecil, Frederick, Howard, 
Montgomery, Prince Georges, and Queen Anne's Counties.
Va Counties: Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, 
Alexandria City, Fairfax City, Falls Church City, Manassas City and 
Manassas Park City.

Hawaii

(All Locations)

Illinois

Chicago/Des Plaines/Oak Park/Wheaton/Woodstock (Cook, DuPage and 
McHenry Counties)

Massachusetts

Barnstable (Barnstable)
Edgartown (Dukes)
Boston/Malden (Essex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Middlesex and Suffolk 
Counties)
Worcester (Worcester City)
Brockton/Wellesley/Braintree/Boston (Norfolk County)
Dorchester/Boston (Suffolk County)
Worcester (City)(Worcester County)

New Jersey

Bergen/Passaic/Patterson (Bergen and Passaic Counties)
Jersey City (Hudson)
Middlesex/Somerset/Hunterdon (Hunterdon, Middlesex and Somerset 
Counties)
Monmouth/Ocean/Spring Lake (Monmouth and Ocean Counties)
Newark/East Orange (Essex, Morris, Sussex and Union Counties)
Trenton (Mercer County)

New York

Nassau/Suffolk/Long Beach/Huntington (Suffolk and Nassau Counties)
New York/Bronx/Brooklyn (Bronx, King, New York, Putnam, Queens, 
Richmond and Rockland Counties)
Westchester/White Plains/Yonkers/Valhalla (Westchester County)

[[Page 8493]]

Ohio

Medina/Lorain/Elyria (Medina/Lorain County)

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia/Doylestown/West Chester/Media/Norristown (Bucks, Chester, 
Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties)

Washington

Seattle (King County)

Wyoming

 (All Locations)
    The revised income eligibility levels presented here are calculated 
from the base DHHS Poverty Guidelines now in effect as follows:

                                   2003 DHHS Poverty Guidelines for All States
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Family Units of
                           States                            ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                  One          Two         Three         Four
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All, except Alaska & Hawaii.................................       $8,980      $12,120      $15,260      $18,400
Alaska......................................................       11,210       15,140       19,070       23,000
Hawaii......................................................       10,300       13,940       17,550      21,160
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For family units with more than four members, add: $3,140 for all areas, $3,930 for Alaska, and $3,610 for
  Hawaii, for each additional member.


    Authority: These programs are authorized pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 
5011 and 5013 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, as 
amended. The income eligibility levels are determined by the current 
guidelines published by DHHS pursuant to Sections 652 and 673(2) of 
the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 which requires poverty 
guidelines to be adjusted for Consumer Price Index changes.

    Dated: February 13, 2003.
Tess Scannell,
Director, National Senior Service Corps.
[FR Doc. 03-4083 Filed 2-20-03; 8:45 am]