Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, if you have health insurance, chances are good that you’ll be able to get this method with no out-of-pocket cost.

If you don’t have insurance or Medicaid, this method can be pricey up front. Still, the IUD can stay in place for years, so it becomes downright cheap over time. BTW, the open enrollment period for 2017 is over, but you may still be able to get health coverage. Find out if you could be eligible for special enrollment.

Prices for Mirena or Kyleena*

• This method may be free or low-cost for you
• With Medicaid: Free
• With insurance: Free under most plans
• Without insurance: Depending on your income, you may be able to go to a low-cost clinic to get Mirena or Kyleena at reduced cost. Bayer, the company that makes the Mirena and Kyleena IUDs, works with health care providers to supply a certain number of free IUDs to women who qualify. If you qualify, ask your health care provider to help you apply.

The full price of Mirena and Kyleena can range from $500 - $858. To see how this translates over a year, here’s what it would cost to pay for one of these IUDs month-to-month at full price.

• Cost per month over one year: $41 - $72
• Cost per month over five years: $8 - $14

Prices for ParaGard*

• This method may be free or low-cost for you
• With Medicaid: Free
• With insurance: Free under most plans
• Without insurance: Depending on your income, you may be able to go to a low-cost clinic to get ParaGard at reduced cost.

The full price of ParaGard can range from $500 - $739. To see how this translates over a year, here’s what it would cost to pay for ParaGard month-to-month at full price.

• Cost per month over one year: $41 - $62
• Cost per month over five years: $8 - $12

• Cost per month over 10 years: $4 - $6

• Payment assistance: If you don’t have insurance, the manufacturer offers payment plans where you can make 4 or 12 monthly payments. Contact the manufacturer at ParaGard.com or 1-877-727-2427 to find out more. Also, check with your local family planning clinics to find out if they offer free or low-cost IUDs (many do).

Prices for Skyla*

• This method may be free or low-cost for you
• With Medicaid: Free
• With insurance: Free under most plans
• Without insurance: Depending on your income, you may be able to go to a low-cost clinic to get it at reduced cost. Bayer, the company that makes the Skyla IUD, also has a program to offer a certain number of free IUDs to people who can’t afford one otherwise. (Note that you have to work with a health care provider to apply to the program.)

The full price of Skyla can range from $650 - $714. To see how this translates over a year, here’s what it would cost to pay for Skyla month-to-month at full price.

• Cost per month over one year: $54 - $60
• Cost per month over three years: $18 - $20

Prices for Liletta*

• This method may be free or low-cost for you
• With Medicaid: Free
• With insurance: Free under most plans. If your plan has a high copay, you may qualify for copay assistance that reduces the cost of the device to $75.
• Without insurance: Depending on your income, you may be able to go to a low-cost clinic to get it at reduced cost or even for free.

The full price of Liletta can range from $50-$684. There is also an out-of-pocket maximum of $75 with certain insurance plans. To see how this translates over a year, here’s what it would cost to pay for Liletta month-to-month at full price.

• Cost per month over one year: $4 - $57
• Cost per month over three years: $1 - $19

*Note: Without insurance there may be an additional cost for your health care provider to insert or remove an IUD. The average cost for these visits is around $150 to $250, depending on the service. For those with insurance, insertion should always be covered, but removal might not always be covered.

If you want to get an IUD, the first thing you’ll need to do is talk with your health care provider. She or he will ask you a bunch of questions about your medical history and your lifestyle, then give you an exam to make sure the IUD is right for you.

You can get the IUD inserted any time of the month. Some providers like to insert it during your period, but any time is fine as long as you can be sure you’re not pregnant. It may be the most comfortable to get it done during the middle of your period, if you can believe that. (That’s when your cervix—the opening to your uterus—is open the most.)

It’s pretty common to feel some cramps when you get an IUD inserted, but they’ll go away with rest or pain medication. Some women might feel dizzy, too. Once the IUD is in, you’ll notice a little string that hangs down into your vagina. That’s there so that the IUD can be removed later. (The strings don’t hang out of the vagina like a tampon, though.)

After it’s in, there’s really not much you have to do other than check the string ends from time to time to make sure it’s in place. Here’s how:

1. Wash your hands, then sit or squat down.
2. Put your finger in your vagina until you touch your cervix, which will feel firm and rubbery like the tip of your nose.
3. Feel for the strings. If you find them, congrats! Your IUD is good to go. But if you feel the hard part of the IUD against your cervix, you may need to have it adjusted or replaced by your provider.

p.s. Don’t tug on the strings! If you do, the IUD could move out of place.

p.p.s. If you don’t feel comfortable checking for the strings, you can let your provider do that the month after insertion, and then yearly after that.