2022 Federal Poverty Guidelines Announced

The 2022 Federal Poverty Levels (FPLs) were published in the Federal Register in earlier this month. The new income limits are slightly higher than last year’s levels. These poverty guidelines are used to set income limits for public health programs such as Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare Part D Extra Help.

PHLP updated its chart showing income and resource limits for Medicaid and other health programs to include the 2022 amounts. Click here to view this resource. 

Reminder – Medicaid Should Not Count Cost of Living Adjustments Until March

Everyone getting Social Security benefits received a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase in their monthly benefits for this year. Because people start to receive their COLAs before the Federal Poverty Levels are updated for the year, Medicaid rules prohibit counting someone’s Social Security COLA until the month following the month when the new Federal Poverty Level guidelines are released. Since the 2022 Federal Poverty Level guidelines were issued this month, Medicaid should not start counting the Social Security COLAs until March 2022.

PHLP has already heard of several instances where people’s Medicaid benefits have been reduced because the County Assistance Office (CAO) mistakenly counted the Social Security COLA. People who have had this happen should appeal immediately and ask the CAO to reinstate their benefits based on guidance issued to the CAO’s earlier this month that explains the rule described above. People who need help with any eligibility problem caused by the CAO mistakenly counting their COLA are encouraged to contact PHLP’s Helpline at 1-800-274-3258 or staff@phlp.org.