After a health insurer group was caught bribing Facebook users with virtual cash to write anti-health care letters to Congress, a prominent health care supporter is trying to turn the stunt against them.
Health Care for America Now tells TPM it has taken out ads on the Facebook game Mafia Wars, calling out the group for its astroturfing.
The ads read, “Insurance companies are bribing players on Mafia Wars & Farmville to claim that they oppose health care reform. Join us and fight back!” The ads will run in “liberal cities,” HCAN says.The insurers’ group, “Get Health Reform Right,” had offered virtual money that players used in the games. But players could only get the play cash if they filled out a form opposing the current health care reform bills.
The group was made up of several insurers’ groups, including America’s Health Insurance Plans and BlueCross BlueShield.
