Federal poverty level (FPL)
The federal poverty level is the income threshold HHS publishes each year by household size, used to set eligibility limits across benefit programs. Limits are expressed as percentages: WIC uses 185% FPL nationwide, Medicaid expansion covers adults to 138% FPL, and SNAP's standard gross limit is 130% FPL.
Because programs quote limits as FPL percentages, the same percentage means a different dollar amount depending on household size, and the dollar amounts rise slightly each year when HHS updates the guidelines.
Alaska and Hawaii have their own higher FPL tables, which is one reason limits differ when moving to or from those states.
Federal source: HHS Poverty Guidelines ↗
Related terms: Medicaid expansion · Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE)