State Dept says overweight visa applicants could be rejected

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told US diplomats that obesity, along with other chronic conditions, can be a reason to reject those seeking US visas. 

According to Politico, Rubio is interpreting the government’s "public charge" rule, which can ban visa-seekers if it is determined likely that they would require public assistance, including Supplemental Security Income and use of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. 

“Self-sufficiency has been a long-standing principle of US immigration policy, and the public charge ground of inadmissibility has been part of our immigration law for more than 100 years,” guidance stated. The guidance was issued in a cable that the State Department sent to embassy and consular officials, citing that people with certain conditions could be a potential drain on US resources due to health conditions or their age, KFF Health News reported.

Assessing health has long been part of the visa application process, but was more for communicable diseases and vaccine records; however, the new guidance expands the list of conditions to consider. The cable stated that adult obesity can lead to conditions such as breathing problems, high blood pressure, gallstones, and gallbladder disease, and that "all of these can require expensive, long-term care." 

Anna Kelly, White House spokesperson, said, “For 100 years, State Department policy has included an authority to deny visa applicants who would pose a financial burden to taxpayers, such as individuals who were seeking publicly-funded health care in the United States and could further drain healthcare resources from American citizens. President Trump’s Administration is finally fully enforcing this policy, and putting Americans first.”  

This is part of Trump’s initiative to reduce both legal and illegal immigration, which has included both stricter interpretation and enforcement of immigration laws already on the books.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said, “This included enforcing policies that ensure our immigration system is not a burden on the American taxpayer.” 

This comes as reports that up to 70% of Americans may be considered obese, according to a study at Harvard, when using a "more accurate" metric than the more commonly used body mass index (BMI).

The Trump administration recently made a deal with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to lower the price of their weight-loss drugs for some Medicare and Medicaid patients, according to Politico. Also included in the deal are GLP-1 drugs purchased through a government website that will allow direct payment to the companies.