I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4572 
To provide for research and education with respect to uterine fibroids, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 12, 2023 
Ms. CLARKE of New York (for herself, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. DAVID 
SCOTT of Georgia, and Ms. KELLY of Illinois) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To provide for research and education with respect to uterine 
fibroids, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stephanie Tubbs Jones 
Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
(1) It is estimated that 20 percent to 50 per-
cent of women of reproductive age currently have 
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uterine fibroids, and up to 77 percent of women will 
develop fibroids before menopause. 
(2) In the United States, an estimated 
26,000,000 women between the ages of 15 and 50 
have uterine fibroids, and approximately 15,000,000 
of these individuals experience symptoms. Uterine 
fibroids may cause significant morbidity through 
their presence in the uterus and pelvic cavity, and 
symptoms can include pelvic pain, severe menstrual 
bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia, fatigue, bladder or 
bowel dysfunction, infertility, and pregnancy com-
plications and loss. 
(3) The pain, discomfort, stress, and other 
physical and emotional symptoms of living with 
fibroids may significantly interfere with a woman’s 
quality of life, compromising her ability to function 
normally or work or care for her family, and may 
lead to more severe health and wellness issues. 
(4) Most women will experience uterine fibroids 
by the age of 50, yet few data exist describing the 
overall patient experience with fibroids. 
(5) Many people with fibroids are likely 
undiagnosed. Patients wait on average 3.6 years be-
fore seeking treatment, and over 40 percent of pa-
tients see two or more health care providers prior to 
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receiving a diagnosis, underscoring the need for im-
proved awareness and education. 
(6) People of color are more likely to develop 
uterine fibroids. It is estimated that more than 80 
percent of Black women and about 70 percent of 
White women develop fibroids by the time they reach 
menopause. Black individuals with fibroids have also 
been shown to have more severe symptoms and de-
velop early-onset uterine fibroids that develop into 
larger tumors. 
(7) Current research and available data do not 
provide adequate information on the prevalence and 
incidence of fibroids in Asian, Hispanic, and Black 
individuals. 
(8) Symptomatic uterine fibroids can cause re-
productive problems, including infertility. People 
with uterine fibroids are much more likely to mis-
carry during early pregnancy than people without 
them. 
(9) According to the Evidence Report Summary 
on the Management of Uterine Fibroids, as compiled 
by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 
of the Department of Health and Human Services, 
there is a ‘‘remarkable lack of high-quality evidence 
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supporting the effectiveness of most interventions for 
symptomatic fibroids’’. 
(10) Most medical options for managing fibroid 
symptoms regulate or suppress menstruation and 
prevent pregnancy. There is a great need for mini-
mally invasive, fertility-friendly therapies, as well as 
biomarkers, imaging assessments, or risk-based algo-
rithms that can help predict patient response to 
therapy. 
(11) The presence of symptomatic uterine 
fibroids 
is 
the 
most 
common 
reason 
for 
hysterectomies, 
accounting 
for 
percent 
of 
hysterectomies annually in the United States. Ap-
proximately 42 per 1,000 women are hospitalized 
annually because of uterine fibroids, but Black pa-
tients 
have 
higher 
rates 
of 
hospitalization, 
hysterectomies, and myomectomies compared to 
White women. Uterine fibroids are also the leading 
cause of hospitalization related to a gynecological 
disorder. 
(12) The personal and societal costs of uterine 
fibroids in the United States are significant. Uterine 
fibroid tumors have been estimated to cost the 
United States $5,900,000,000 to $34,400,000,000 
annually. The annual direct costs, including surgery, 
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hospital admissions, outpatient visits, and medica-
tions, 
were 
estimated 
at 
$4,100,000,000 
to 
$9,400,000,000 annually. Estimated lost work-hour 
costs 
ranged 
from 
$1,550,000,000 
to 
$17,200,000,000 annually. Obstetric outcomes that 
were attributed to fibroid tumors resulted in costs of 
$238,000,000 to $7,760,000,000 annually. 
(13) At the Federal level, uterine fibroid re-
search remains drastically underfunded as compared 
to patient disease burden. In 2019, fibroid research 
received about $17,000,000 in funding from the Na-
tional Institutes of Health, putting it in the bottom 
50 of 292 funded conditions. 
SEC. 3. RESEARCH WITH RESPECT TO UTERINE FIBROIDS. 
(a) RESEARCH.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall expand, intensify, and coordinate programs 
for the conduct and support of research with respect to 
uterine fibroids. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION
AND
COORDINATION.—The 
Secretary shall carry out the conduct and support of re-
search pursuant to subsection (a), in coordination with the 
appropriate institutes, offices, and centers of the National 
Institutes of Health and any other relevant Federal agen-
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cy, as determined by the Director of the National Insti-
tutes of Health. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 
to be appropriated $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2024 through 2028. 
SEC. 4. RESEARCH WITH RESPECT TO MEDICAID COV-
ERAGE OF UTERINE FIBROIDS TREATMENT. 
(a) RESEARCH.—The Secretary (or the Secretary’s 
designee) shall establish a research database, or expand 
an existing research database, to collect data on services 
furnished to individuals diagnosed with uterine fibroids 
under a State plan (or a waiver of such a plan) under 
the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or under a State child 
health plan (or a waiver of such a plan) under the Chil-
dren’s Health Insurance Program under title XXI of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) for the treatment of such 
fibroids for purposes of assessing the frequency at which 
such individuals are furnished such services. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the date that 
is two years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
on the amount of Federal and State expenditures 
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with respect to services furnished for the treatment 
of uterine fibroids under State plans (or waivers of 
such plans) under the Medicaid program under such 
title XIX and State child health plans (or waivers of 
such plans) under the Children’s Health Insurance 
Program under such title XXI. 
(2) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall co-
ordinate the development and submission of the re-
port required under paragraph (1) with any other 
relevant Federal agency, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
SEC. 5. EDUCATION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION 
WITH RESPECT TO UTERINE FIBROIDS. 
(a) UTERINE FIBROIDS PUBLIC EDUCATION PRO-
GRAM.—The Secretary shall develop and disseminate to 
the public information regarding uterine fibroids, includ-
ing information on— 
(1) the awareness, incidence, and prevalence of 
uterine fibroids among individuals, including all mi-
nority individuals; 
(2) the elevated risk for minority individuals to 
develop uterine fibroids; and 
(3) the availability, as medically appropriate, of 
the range of treatment options for symptomatic 
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uterine fibroids, including non-hysterectomy treat-
ments and procedures. 
(b) DISSEMINATION
OF INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary may disseminate information under subsection (a) 
directly or through arrangements with intra-agency initia-
tives, nonprofit organizations, consumer groups, institu-
tions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), or Fed-
eral, State, or local public private partnerships. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for 
each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 
SEC. 6. INFORMATION TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH 
RESPECT TO UTERINE FIBROIDS. 
(a) DISSEMINATION
OF INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary shall, in consultation and in accordance with guide-
lines from relevant medical societies, work with health 
care-related specialty societies and health systems to pro-
mote evidence-based care for individuals with fibroids. 
Such efforts shall include minority individuals who have 
an elevated risk to develop uterine fibroids and the range 
of available options for the treatment of symptomatic uter-
ine fibroids, including non-hysterectomy drugs and devices 
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approved under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 
Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.). 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 
SEC. 7. DEFINITION. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘minority individuals’’ means 
individuals who are members of a racial and ethnic minor-
ity group, as defined in section 1707(g) of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–6(g)). 
Æ 
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