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In short The price without insurance $0 with most insurance Uninsured? Sliding-scale routes Types and how long they last Cost per year: the math that matters Common questions SourcesWithout insurance, an IUD costs $500 to $1,800 including the device, the visit and insertion, according to Planned Parenthood. But most people should not pay that: Marketplace and most other insurance plans must cover FDA-approved birth control, including IUDs, with no copay when you stay in network. If you are uninsured, Planned Parenthood and Title X clinics offer income-based pricing, and one Planned Parenthood region lists IUDs at $0 to $1,200 depending on program eligibility.
The price without insurance
The sticker price bundles three things: the device itself, the consultation and evaluation visit, and the insertion procedure. Planned Parenthood puts the total at $500 to $1,800 without insurance. To see how much programs move that number, one regional affiliate, Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley, lists IUDs at $0 to $1,200 with insertion included: the low end reflects state-funded programs and income-based discounts, the high end is cash pay. Removal is a separate charge; that same affiliate lists IUD removal at $0 to $400.
$0 with most insurance
Under the Affordable Care Act, Marketplace health plans must cover contraceptive methods and counseling prescribed by your provider without charging a copayment or coinsurance when you use an in-network provider, even before you have met your deductible. That includes implanted devices like IUDs. The exception: plans sponsored by certain exempt religious employers do not have to include contraceptive coverage, and some non-profit religious organizations can opt out. HealthCare.gov notes that coverage may vary and $0 cost is not guaranteed in all cases. If you are on an employer plan, it is worth one call to ask what your plan covers.
Uninsured? Sliding-scale routes
If you have no insurance, do not pay list price before checking these routes. Planned Parenthood health centers offer programs to make care affordable for people who do not have or cannot use insurance; ask the staff at your nearest center what you would actually pay. Title X family planning clinics charge on a sliding scale by income. Medicaid covers IUDs in every state for people who qualify, and our Medicaid application guide walks through signing up. Many states also run their own family planning programs with free or low-cost long-acting birth control.
Types and how long they last
There are two families. Hormonal IUDs (Mirena, Kyleena, Liletta and Skyla) use progestin and last 3 to 8 years depending on the brand: Mirena and Liletta up to 8 years, Kyleena up to 5, Skyla up to 3. Copper IUDs (Paragard and Miudella) have no hormones and protect against pregnancy for 3 to 12 years. All of them are over 99% effective: fewer than 1 in 100 people with an IUD get pregnant each year, which is why doctors often call them "set it and forget it" birth control.
Cost per year: the math that matters
An IUD feels expensive because you pay once. Spread over its lifespan, the math flips: a $1,000 hormonal IUD that lasts 8 years works out to about $125 per year, less than many people pay for a few months of pills at cash prices. That is example math, not a quote, but it is why clinics push long-acting methods for people paying out of pocket. If upfront cost is still the blocker, the sliding-scale routes above are the answer, not a cheaper-but-less-reliable method you did not want. For other angles, see getting birth control without a doctor visit and gynecologist visit costs.
- Planned Parenthood - How much do IUDs cost without insurance?
- HealthCare.gov - Birth control benefits
- Planned Parenthood - IUD types and how long they last
- Planned Parenthood Pasadena - Cost of common services
Common questions
Is an IUD really free with insurance?
Usually, yes. Marketplace and most other plans must cover prescribed FDA-approved contraception, including IUDs, with no copay when you stay in network. Plans from certain religious employers are exempt, so check your specific plan.
What is the cheapest way to get an IUD without insurance?
Ask your nearest Planned Parenthood health center or Title X clinic what you would pay on their sliding scale before booking anywhere at list price. Medicaid and state family planning programs can bring the cost to $0 if you qualify.
How much does IUD removal cost?
Removal is billed separately. One Planned Parenthood region lists it at $0 to $400 depending on program eligibility, and with insurance it is typically covered like the insertion.
Can Pymander help me choose or afford an IUD?
Pymander can explain the differences between IUD types, what questions to ask at your visit, and how coverage and sliding-scale programs work. It is not a clinic and does not place or remove IUDs.