Broadspire Letter Regarding DePuy ASR XL Hip Recall

In the wake of last August’s DePuy ASR XL hip implant recall, DePuy, a division of Johnson & Johnson, has contracted with Broadspire, a subsidiary of Crawford & Company, a large insurance and claims adjuster. Broadspire’s stated goal is to reduce the financial impact of claims on its client DePuyOrthopaedics. It’s important to note that the insurance adjuster’s purpose is not helping patients who have a failed DePuy ASR XL hip implant.
Recently, Broadspire sent a letter to all DePuy ASR XL hip implant patients stating that they will pay their out-of-pocket expenses (not the full cost of surgery and recovery) for revision surgery to fix the failed hip. However, in order to qualify for these out-of-pocket expenses, the hip patient must sign medical release forms giving Broadspire and DePuy full and unfettered access to the patient’s medical records including records that are completely unrelated to the DePuy hip procedure.
Interestingly, Depuy has contracted with Broadspire concerning the Depuy ASR XL hips that were recalled and but has not authorized Broadspire to assist individuals with DePuy Pinnacle hips which have failed.
If DePuy and Johnson & Johnson were truly interested in the welfare of patients suffering from failed hip implants, it would have offered assistance to Pinnacle implant patients as well.
I believe that the letters sent from Broadspire are a ploy to gain access to patients’ medical records in order to attempt to reduce DePuy’s liability in these hip recall cases.