The Republican-led Iowa Senate approved a bill addressing medical malpractice liability, according to Medscape.
Here are four things to know:
1. The bill places a cap on noneconomic damages for medical malpractice suits at $250,000 unless the case involves permanent impairment, disfigurement or death, according to the report. The bill also seeks to establish expert witness standards and require a "certificate of merit" when screening nonmeritorious claims.
2. Those who support the bill — including the Iowa Medical Society and Iowa Hospital Association — hope it will bring more physicians to Iowa as the state ranks at the bottom among all states in physicians per capita. Iowa currently has high liability insurance premiums when compared with neighboring states.
3. Opponents cite Iowa's low medical malpractice lawsuit rate already, which dropped 39 percent over the past decade, and a high medical error rate in the state as reasons not to support the bill.
4. If passed, Iowa will be the 36th state limiting medical malpractice awards.