Is NC Blue Cross Blue Shield violating postal regulations?

[drm604]

In this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6853620
Lex describes a clever tactic that she is using in response to a lobbying campaign being run by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.

BC BS of NC are sending out postage paid reply cards opposing what they call "government run health insurance". She is changing the message to one in support of the Public Option before she mails it.

This sounds like a great idea and I applaud her for it. But there's something about that reply card that bothers me. The reply cards are addressed to Senator Kay Hagan.

I'm not a lawyer and I don't work for the Post Office but, Unless Senator Hagan is paying for the postage for these reply cards, isn't this a violation of postal regulations?

Here is an image of the front of the card:

It say quite clearly "Postage Will be Paid by Addressee".

I thought that the "addressee" was the person or entity that the letter is addressed to.

Merriam Webster seems to confirm this.

Main Entry: ad·dress·ee
Pronunciation: \ˌa-ˌdre-ˈsē, ə-\
Function: noun
Date: 1810

: one to whom something is addressed

Here's what the Post Office says:

For an annual permit fee, a Business Reply Mail (BRM) permit is available for distributing business reply cards, envelopes, self-mailers, cartons, and labels. BRM allows the permit holder to receive First-Class Mail and Priority Mail back from customers by paying postage only on the mail returned.

(Emphasis is mine.)

Is BC BS of NC getting a break on postage costs by abusing Business Reply Mail? Are they violating postal regulations?

Maybe I'm wrong and maybe this is common practice, but it seems shady to me.