Documents show a major U.S. health insurance company created a financial incentive program that paid doctors bonuses according to the number of people they convinced to take the COVID-19 shots.
The existence of the program was previously brought to light by U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) who called the arrangement bribery.
“Your primary care provider was bribed to suggest you should take the COVID vaccine,” Massie tweeted.
Massie’s tweet included a picture of what appears to be an Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicaid “Provider Incentive” program document.
Doctors who convinced 75 percent of their clients to accept the shots were eligible to receive $125 cash bonus per patient.
The documents do not say whether providers were required to disclose the cash incentive to patients.
The media contact for Anthem in Maine did not respond to an email inquiring as to whether such a program existed in Maine.
