The bill amends Iowa's statute of repose for medical malpractice claims, specifically addressing the time limits within which a claimant can bring forth a lawsuit. Under current law, medical malpractice claims must be filed within two years of the claimant becoming aware of the injury or death, and no later than six years after the alleged act or omission that caused the injury or death. The existing law already provides an exception for cases where a foreign object was unintentionally left in the body, allowing claims to be filed beyond the six-year limit.

The proposed legislation introduces an additional exception to the six-year statute of repose. It states that if the cause of the injury or death was concealed by the medical professional or their staff, the six-year limit would not apply. This change aims to ensure that individuals who may have been misled or kept in the dark about the circumstances surrounding their medical malpractice claims have the opportunity to seek justice, even if it extends beyond the previously established time frame.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 614.1