HB 1077
In CommitteeHouse
IUD pain control options
Raising awareness of pain control options for intrauterine device placement and removal.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill requires health care providers to tell patients about available pain control options before they get an IUD placed or removed, to help patients make informed decisions and address concerns about pain—especially for those who have never given birth. It responds to rising IUD use and patient feedback that pain management information has been lacking.
- Requires health care providers to inform patients about available pain control options before or at the time of scheduling an IUD placement or removal appointment.
- Based on findings that many patients avoid IUDs due to pain concerns—especially those who have never given birth—the bill aims to improve access by increasing awareness of pain management strategies.
- Aligns with updated CDC guidelines (August 2024) that recommend counseling on pain and creating individualized pain management plans.
- Applies to all health care providers licensed under Chapter 18.130 RCW (which includes physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, and other licensed providers who perform IUD procedures).
Who is affected
- Patients seeking IUD services — Patients seeking IUD placement or removal will receive information about available pain management options before their procedure, helping them make informed decisions and potentially reduce anxiety or unexpected pain.
- Health care providers (e.g., clinics, OB/GYNs, family planning clinics) — Must ensure staff are trained to communicate pain control options and update scheduling protocols to include this information, but may incur minimal administrative costs.
- Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health clinics — May benefit from increased patient trust and satisfaction due to improved communication and personalized care around pain management.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (4)
Improves patient autonomy and informed consent by ensuring patients—especially those who have never given birth, who report higher pain levels—receive standardized information about pain management options before IUD procedures, aligning with CDC 2024 guidelines and reducing avoidable anxiety and procedure abandonment.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(d), Sec. 2(2)Addresses a documented equity gap: patients without prior childbirth experience—often younger, lower-income, or from communities with historically lower access to reproductive care—are disproportionately deterred from highly effective contraception due to unaddressed pain concerns; this bill standardizes access to pain counseling, potentially increasing IUD uptake and reducing unintended pregnancies.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(c), Sec. 2(2)Encourages individualized care by requiring discussion of pain management *before* scheduling, supporting shared decision-making and potentially reducing procedural no-shows and post-procedure dissatisfaction—benefiting patients and providers through improved continuity of care.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(d), Sec. 2(2)May reduce long-term healthcare costs by increasing IUD adoption (a highly cost-effective contraceptive), especially among populations for whom unintended pregnancy leads to higher public health expenditures (e.g., Medicaid beneficiaries); though not quantified, this is a plausible downstream effect.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(d), Sec. 2(2)
Potential Concerns (1)
Requires health care providers to disclose pain control options before scheduling IUD appointments, which may increase administrative burden and scheduling complexity—particularly for small clinics with limited staffing—though fiscal impact is projected to be minimal.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 2 (2)
Who Is Most Affected
Patients—especially those without prior childbirth, younger individuals, and low-income or rural residents—gain clearer, standardized information about pain options, reducing anxiety and improving access to a highly effective contraceptive method.
Clinics and providers (especially small practices and family planning clinics) must update intake protocols and staff training, but the minimal fiscal impact assessment suggests low cost; larger health systems already offering sedation may see little change, while smaller providers may need modest operational adjustments.
Reproductive health organizations like Planned Parenthood may see increased patient trust and volume due to enhanced communication around pain, reinforcing their role as accessible, patient-centered providers.
Low-income and young women—who are most likely to avoid IUDs due to pain fears—stand to benefit most from standardized counseling, potentially reducing unintended pregnancy rates and associated public costs.
Insurance companies and Medicaid may experience modest short-term administrative costs from provider compliance, but could see long-term savings from reduced unintended pregnancies and associated obstetric care.