The White House announced a proclamation Friday evening that will require immigrants to show they can get health insurance before getting a visa.
Under the measure, which goes into effect Nov. 3, immigrants would need to get health insurance within 30 days of entering the U.S. or would need to show they have enough money to cover medical costs before getting a visa that could lead to a green card.
The move comes as President Trump aims to poise himself as tough on immigration headed into the 2020 election. Nearly all Democrats seeking the Oval Office have said they believe the U.S. should allow people living in the U.S. illegally to get healthcare coverage that is paid for by the government. Most countries with universal healthcare systems do not have this provision.
An estimated 11 million people are living in the U.S. illegally, and about 6 million of them are uninsured. They are not permitted to enroll in publicly funded healthcare coverage, except in some states. The White House proclamation would target people who seek to arrive in the U.S. legally, as it said that lawful immigrants were three times more likely than citizens to be uninsured.
The government indirectly pays for the medical care of the uninsured by covering the cost of care hospitals lose when they take in patients who can’t pay for their services. People who are uninsured tend to seek care at emergency departments when they get sick, and hospitals are obligated to treat them.
“Immigrants who enter this country should not further saddle our healthcare system, and subsequently American taxpayers, with higher costs,” the White House proclamation said, adding that the U.S. spent $35 billion on uncompensated care during the last decade.
Immigrants would need to show that they received private coverage through a job, directly from an insurer, a short-term plan that is cheaper but offers less-generous benefits, or through a family member. They would not be able to obtain tax subsidies through Obamacare that help them pay for premiums.
The proclamation will not apply to refugees or immigrants seeking asylum, nor to children. In 2018, the U.S. issued 534,000 visas and 1.1 million greencards.
The Trump administration is implementing another rule on immigration and healthcare that will discourage immigrants from seeking public services such as Medicaid when they’re seeking a green card.
