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90th General Assembly · Funnel one-pager · Monday, November 9, 2026

HF 161: Relating to damage awards against health care providers, creating a medical error task force, and including effective date and applicability provisions

Signed into law

What it does

This bill relates to noneconomic damage awards against health care providers. The bill provides that damages for loss of dependent care due to death of or severe injury to a spouse or parent who is the primary caregiver are considered economic damages. The bill limits the amount of noneconomic damages that a jury can award a plaintiff if there is a substantial or permanent loss or impairment of a bodily function, substantial disfigurement, loss of pregnancy, or death to $1 million. The bill does not amend the current exception to the cap for cases in which the defendant’s actions constitute actual malice.

Sponsors

Health and Human Services committee

Cost

Can’t be estimated

House File 161 may reduce future settlements paid by the State Appeal Board from the General Fund and by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. However, the extent of this decrease cannot be estimated. Any fiscal impact to the Judicial Branch cannot be …

Lobbying · 29 for, 3 against

For: Americans For Prosperity; Bellin Gundersen Health System, Inc.; Blank Childrens Hospital; Broadlawns Medical Center; Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce; Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce; Faith & Freedom Coalition; Great River Health System; Iowa Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives; Iowa Assisted Living Association; Iowa Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers; Iowa Association of Rural Health Clinics; and 17 more

Against: AFSCME Iowa Council 61; Iowa Association for Justice; Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

In plain words

  1. January 30, 2023Filed in the House
  2. February 7, 2023Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted
  3. February 8, 2023Passed the House, 54–46
  4. February 8, 2023Took the place of SF 148 on the Senate floor (the same legislation)
  5. February 8, 2023Passed the Senate, 29–20
  6. February 15, 2023Sent to the Governor
  7. February 16, 2023Signed into law
  8. May 12, 2023Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted

From public records at legis.iowa.gov, compiled by Funnel (iowafunnel.com), an independent, nonpartisan site. Current as of Monday, November 9, 2026. https://iowafunnel.com/bills/90/HF161