Improving Federal Assistance to Families Act

State-adjusted poverty lines for benefits

This bill would create a new state-level poverty measure called the Regionally Adjusted Poverty Line (RAPL). The Census would publish RAPL each year by multiplying a State's poverty threshold by that State's Regional Price Parity and dividing by 100. One year after enactment RAPL calculations would begin. Three years after enactment HHS (with HUD) would pick, every year for each State, whichever index—RAPL or the current poverty line—produces a higher poverty rate and publish that choice in the Federal Register. Agencies would use the higher-rate index to decide who qualifies for programs like Medicaid or SNAP, but HHS could use either index for Premium Tax Credits in States that have not expanded Medicaid. If enacted, high-cost States could see more people qualify for help, while some lower-cost States could see fewer people qualify.