Will insurers stop at nothing to derail reform? As previously written about here, Humana pressed its senior members into lobbying against what they see as undesirable aspects of upcoming reform legislation. Now several health plan trade groups have stooped to a new low. Employing an intermediary to pay Facebook users in "virtual dollars" to write letters to Congress opposing aspects of pending reform bills, these groups are hoping to deceive Washington into thinking that the public tide has turned against reform.
Over at Fierce Healthcare, they report that the 'third party offers users the "currency" they use to buy objects within popular Facebook games like "FarmVille" or "MafiaWars." They get the currency if they agree to take a survey which, when filled out, automatically sends an anti-reform email message to their member of Congress'.
What is heartening to note is that the company that owns FarmVille and Mafia Wars have removed all such offers from these games. You can read more about these slezy tactics over at Silicon Alley Insider.