WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines (2016-2017)

This policy memorandum transmits the 2016-2017 Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs) for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) that were published in the Federal Register on March 18, 2016, at [81 FR 14826].

WIC state agencies may implement the revised IEGs concurrently with the implementation of IEGs under the Medicaid Program. State agencies that do not coordinate implementation with revised Medicaid guidelines must implement the revised WIC IEGs no later than July 1, 2016.

WIC state agencies should note that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the agency responsible for the calculation of the poverty guidelines, has set the 2016-2017 poverty guidelines for family sizes greater than six at the 2015 level. Because the HHS poverty guidelines are used to calculate the WIC IEGs, the same adjustment has occurred for WIC.

WIC state agencies must ensure implementation of the appropriate levels as reflected in the attached chart. WIC state agencies must also ensure that Management Information Systems incorporate the 2016-2017 changes accordingly.

A supplemental chart is also attached for state agencies to use in determining the annual, monthly, twice-monthly, biweekly and weekly income limits for a family size greater than eight.

Sarah Widor
Director
Supplemental Food Programs Division

Attachment

• Income Eligibility Guidelines (Effective from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017)