2019 Poverty Guidelines Released

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) which are used to determine financial eligibility for certain federal programs. The 2019 HHS poverty guidelines published in the Federal Register on Feb. 1, 2019, are in effect as of Jan. 11, 2019. 

Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) requires health centers to provide a sliding fee discount schedule (SFDS) based, in part, on the patient’s income relative to the poverty guidelines . In addition, centers must prepare schedules of fees or payments for center services that are consistent with locally prevailing rates or charges and designed to cover a center’s reasonable costs of operation and prepare corresponding SFDS applied to the payment of its fees or payments, by which discounts are adjusted based on the patient's ability to pay.

HRSA Health Center Program Compliance Manual, updated August 2018, further clarifies center requirements including multiple discount schedules.

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