Texas Medicaid ads accidentally printed on Philadelphia buses
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AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Advertisements for Texas Medicaid have been spotted on the backs of public buses in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and images of the ads have shown up on Twitter.
The ads are real, but they got there by mistake, said a spokesperson for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, which operates the buses.
“We think it was a mistake with the printer where the creative content for Pennsylvania and Texas got mixed up,” said Andrew Busch, director of media relations for SEPTA. “Texas HHSC did not pay for advertising on SEPTA.”
The incorrect ad – which says "Stay covered with Texas Medicaid" and provides a Texas Health and Human Services Commission phone number – looks nearly identical in format to a Philadelphia medical assistance ad.
A Texas HHSC spokesperson also confirmed to KXAN the Texas agency did not create or pay for the advertisements.
Busch provided the correct Pennsylvania medical assistance advertisement image to KXAN. He said there were 60 of the ads, and SEPTA has found four that “ended up with the Texas HHSC content.” The advertising form provided by SEPTA indicates the advertiser is the "U.S. Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services."
SEPTA is working with its advertising agency to remove the four Texas ads, he said.