Federal Poverty Level
What it means
A dollar amount set by the federal government each year that represents the minimum income a household needs. Programs use it to set eligibility. For example, Medicaid in New York covers people up to 138% of FPL — meaning a household earning up to 1.38 times the poverty level qualifies. The dollar value of 100% FPL is set per household size and adjusted yearly; current values are at aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines. When a program says '200% FPL,' multiply the FPL number by 2. Almost every public benefits program — SNAP, Medicaid, HEAP, WIC, childcare subsidy, school lunch — uses some version of the FPL to decide who gets in.
When you might hear this
You see this on program applications and eligibility charts. It is the income number the government uses to decide who qualifies for help. Programs say things like '138% FPL' or '200% FPL' — that means 1.38 or 2 times the poverty line.
What to ask
- What percentage of FPL does this program use for eligibility?
- What is the dollar amount for my household size?
- Does the program count gross income or net income?
- If I am just over the limit, is there any flexibility?