This bill amends existing laws regarding noneconomic, punitive, and exemplary damage awards against health care providers and hospitals in Iowa. It repeals the provision that classified damages for loss of dependent care due to the death or severe injury of a primary caregiver as economic damages, thereby allowing such losses to be considered noneconomic damages. The bill also modifies the cap on noneconomic damages, removing the previous limit of $250,000 and the exceptions that allowed for higher awards in cases of substantial bodily impairment or death. Additionally, it eliminates the annual increase provision for the damages cap.

Furthermore, the bill changes the distribution of punitive or exemplary damages awarded in cases involving medical providers or hospitals. Under the new provisions, only 25 percent of such damages will be paid to the claimant, with the remainder directed to a civil reparations trust fund, unless the defendant's conduct was specifically directed at the claimant. This trust fund is intended to support indigent civil litigation programs and insurance assistance programs. Overall, the bill significantly alters the landscape of damage awards in medical malpractice cases, impacting both the potential recovery for plaintiffs and the financial responsibilities of health care providers.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 147.136A