2015 Federal Poverty Guidelines

February 10, 2015

On Jan. 22, 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the updated Federal Poverty Guidelines¹ for 2015.

The Federal Poverty Guidelines are used to determine eligibility for a variety of federal programs, including Medicaid, the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) and Advanced Payment of the Premium Tax Credit (APTC)/cost-sharing subsidies on the Marketplace.

Additionally, on Jan. 29, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid released an informational bulletin announcing that the federal Marketplace will begin using the new 2015 FPLs to assess Medicaid and CHIP eligibility starting Feb. 1, 2015. Eligibility for Advance Payments of the Premium Tax Credit (APTC) and Cost-Sharing Reductions (CSR) will continue to be determined using 2014 FPLs for enrollment that is effective in 2015.

Starting with the 2016 Open Enrollment period, the new 2015 FPLs will be used to determine APTC and CSR.

Where can I find more information?

More information can be found here.

The information in this document is based on preliminary review of the national health care reform legislation and is not intended to impart legal advice. The federal government continues to issue guidance on how the provisions of national health reform should be interpreted and applied. The impact of these reforms on individual situations may vary. This overview is intended as an educational tool only and does not replace a more rigorous review of the law’s applicability to individual circumstances and attendant legal counsel and should not be relied upon as legal or compliance advice. As required by US Treasury Regulations, we also inform you that any tax information contained in this communication is not intended to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer to avoid penalties under the Internal Revenue Code.

¹ Different guidelines apply in Alaska and Hawaii.