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CostHelper > Health & Personal Care  > Reproductive Health > STD Testing

STD Testing Cost


How Much Does STD Testing Cost?

 
low costLow: Sometimes Free at Student or City Clinicsaverage costMedium: With Insurance, Often $10-$30 Per Testhigh costHigh: Without Insurance, Doctors Often Charge $50-$200+ Each
Typical costs:
  • For patients covered by health insurance, tests sometimes are done at no charge to the patient. If not, typical out-of-pocket expenses consist of a laboratory copay of $10 to $30 per test.
  • For patients not covered by health insurance, STD tests done at a doctor's office usually cost $50 to $200 each, depending on the test. For patients who do not want to visit a doctor for testing, perhaps because they do not want the testing and results to become part of their permanent medical record, private STD testing companies that do not accept health insurance offer testing for about $50 to $150 per test, depending on the disease, or a package of seven to 10 STD tests, including HIV, for about $300 to $400.
  • Free or discounted STD testing can be obtained at many clinics. Students usually can obtain discounted STD testing at their university health center.
  • For HIV, a Home Access test kit, the only brand approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but generally is not reimbursed by health insurance, usually costs between $45 and $60. With this test, you collect a blood sample at home, then mail it to a laboratory and speak to a counselor on the phone to get your results.
  • Many insurance plans cover tests for some STDs as part of a yearly or routine wellness exam, or for high-risk patients, such as those with multiple partners, or if ordered by a doctor as a result of symptoms.
Related articles: Birth Control Pills, Morning After Pill, IUD

What should be included:
  • For an HIV test, which is now recommended as part of routine medical care for pregnant women or anyone aged 13 to 64, a health care worker will take a blood sample or swab the mouth, depending on the type of test being used. The sample is then tested for antibodies to the HIV virus. Because false positives are possible, any positive result must be confirmed with a different type of test, called a Western blot test.
  • For gonorrhea [1] and chlamydia[2] tests, either a urine sample or a swab of fluid from the affected area of the body is taken and tested for gonorrhea antigens or DNA. WebMD has overviews of the gonorrhea test[3] and chlamydia test[4] . Routine gonorrhea testing is recommended for pregnant , people with multiple partners, or when symptoms are present.
  • For syphilis[5] , routine testing is recommended for pregnant women, people with multiple partners; or when symptoms like open sores are present A blood sample or fluid from a chancre usually are used, but spinal fluid also can be used. WebMD has an overview of a syphilis test[6] .
  • For genital herpes[7] , a fluid sample is taken from a sore on the genitals, or a blood test is performed. However, a blood test cannot differentiate between genital and oral herpes, so most patients would get a herpes test after having symptoms -- usually blisters that break and become open sores. WebMD has an overview of a genital herpes test[8] .
  • For genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection[9] , there is no overall HPV test. Genital warts are diagnosed visually, and women who have had cervical cell changes identified by a PAP test can be tested to see if they have a high-risk type of HPV that can make them more likely to get cancer. WebMD has an overview of the HPV test[10] .
Additional costs:
  • With HIV testing, a "window period" of three to six months applies. If you have had unprotected sex within that time period, but receive a negative result, you will have to be retested for a definitive result. Other STDs have incubations periods as well. STDResource.com[11] offers information about window or incubation periods for various STDs.
  • A doctor's visit could add $80 to $200, or a doctor's visit copay of $10 to $30 for those covered by health insurance.
Discounts:
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[12] offers an STD testing site locator by zip code, or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for a referral. Many of the sites listed are clinics that offer free or discounted testing. And Planned Parenthood[13] , which offers a sliding scale based on income, also has a clinic locator.
Shopping for std testing:
  • Your doctor or gynecologist can recommend which STDs you should be tested for, based on your sex, age and sexual activity or symptoms. Or, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidelines.
  • If getting tested for HIV, decide ahead of time what kind of testing you want. For HIV, both confidential and anonymous testing are available at clinics in most states. In confidential testing, you give your name and contact information at the testing site and, if you test positive, the results usually are reported to the state health department for disease-tracking purposes. In anonymous testing, you receive a patient number, so the clinic staff does not know or have any record of your name.
  • StateHealthFacts.org[14] shows which states offer anonymous HIV testing. Also, both standard testing, for which the results can take up to two weeks, and rapid testing, for which the results take about 20 minutes, usually are available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides definitions of anonymous, confidential, standard and rapid testing.
  • For even more privacy, an at-home HIV collection kit can be used to obtain a sample and send it to a laboratory for testing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration[15] provides information about Home Access[16] , the only FDA-approved at-home collection kit, which can be purchased through the company's website or at pharmacies, including Walgreens and CVS.
  • Private companies, such as Private MD Lab Testing[17] and STD Testing Now offer anonymous STD testing in which the patient is identified only by a number; you can order the test online and then make a 15-minute visit to a testing center to give blood or urine samples.
Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
 
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments
Tricore...seems extra expensive
Amount: $1,402.12
Posted by: Theressa Latoski in Silver City, NM.Posted: October 22nd, 2021 01:10PM
Insurance: naMedical Center: local womens low cost clinic
Had services on 6/16 received bill 10/18 from Tricore. the total was 1402-12
HIV confirmation $677.82
T. Pallaidum AB $38.68
Hep B Surface AG $45.16
Candida Species AMP Prob $210.54
C Trachomatic AMP Prob $109.68
N Gonnorrhoeae Dir Prob $109.66
Trichomonas Vaginalis $70.18
AMP Prob Tech Multi Org $140.40
INSANE I jus got bill and haven't paid yet...doing research for R&C charges
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My ex framed me for chlamydia (:
Amount: $1,081.00
Posted by: a user in Utica, NY.Posted: June 12th, 2021 01:06PM
Insurance: EmpireMedical Center: Urgent Care
Had to go to urgent care for my chlamydia treatment because we’re in the middle of a pandemic. Planned Parenthood and my primary doctors offices were booked until the next following month.
Haven’t paid my bill yet, working on to getting it reduced or something because I have no clue why my insurance didn’t cover not one cent.
My story is that my ex gave me chlamydia and tried to say that I gave it to him. I was tested and clean before him. Haha
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STD Panel
Amount: $552.00
Posted by: niki1244 in Harrisburg, PA.Posted: September 19th, 2015 05:09PM
Insurance: Highmark Blue ShieldMedical Center: Pinnacle Health
I got a full panel: hepatitis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV. The hospital system that ran the labs billed my insurance $1,018 and now I am stuck paying $552. I never would have done this through my GP if I had known it would cost this much. Hepatitis: $580, Gonorrhea: $129, Chlamydia: $219. Completely insane.
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One chlamydia test
Amount: $159.21
Posted by: Health care is out of control in Wilsonville, OR.Posted: April 20th, 2015 04:04PM
Insurance: ModaMedical Center: Geneva urgent care
Holy cow quest diagnostics is on one charging 200 for a pee test. I specifically asked the physician how much it would cost ball park she basically led me to believe it was under 30 got my bill punched the counter cursed called geneva politely as I could told them to please let patients know accurate information and that I would rather bleed out in front of their doors then let them give me care.
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STD TEST EXPRESS
Amount: $111.75
Posted by: Everyone in San Antonio, TX.Posted: March 12th, 2015 11:03AM
Insurance: noneMedical Center:
Chlamydia/Gonorrhea/HIV panel
represents 25% discount obtained from STD TEST EXPRESS and referred to local testing lab
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STD Testing
Amount: $1,025.00
Posted by: ANON123 in Las Vegas, NV.Posted: January 29th, 2014 06:01PM
Insurance: UHCMedical Center: Southern NV Clinic/QUEST
$25/Co Pay
Urine Based Testing, results in 2 weeks by mail.
Billed 3 seperate charges by Quest Diagnostics and one for the visit of which I pay 40% out of pocket:
$500 Quest
$150 Quest
$200 Quest
$175 Visit
Not sure why they billed 3 times.
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STD Testing
Amount: $1,300.00
Posted by: Chris512 in Champaign, IL.Posted: June 12th, 2013 09:06AM
Insurance: Health AllianceMedical Center: Carle
I recently asked for a STD test from my doctor, just because my wife and I wanted to make sure before we had children. I was expecting it to not cost that much based on what I had read about online. The actual clinic visit was not much. Unbenownst to me, the lab work was done at the hospital and cost me 1305$! Insurance paid for all but 330 of that, but it was certainly not 200-400 max as so many sources have suggested. I was expecting to pay only a small clinic deductible and the 20% co-pay, for a total of maybe 80 at most...
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STD TESTING through Lab Testing Portal
Amount: $30.00
Posted by: J. Alright in 06002, CT.Posted: October 13th, 2012 01:10PM
Lab Testing Portal is a company that offers individuals a whole new level of innovation. When doing STD testings, they are extremely accurate and affordable. One of the key components of this company is that your testing results will arrive in less than 2 days, and all your results are saved in your personal online health record. Below are the general pricing

Visit Price: included with testing & zero waiting time*
Syphilis: 30.00
Chlamydia/Gonorrhea Test (NAA) Urine: 125.00
discount code: laptestingportal0808(used during c

On a personal note, I really do recommend Lab Testing Portal because it did something that my doctor didn't. You can personally choose for a complete CBC count with differentials test. This test help identify symptoms or diseases. Usually, doctors only check for a few issues, for example, your cholesterol levels, and that's it. I actually found out I had thalassemia from this testing. I asked my doctor why he didn't notice for so many years, he simply shrugged...
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false possatives
Amount: $200.00
Posted by: lies ruined me in gales burg, MI.Posted: May 31st, 2011 09:05AM
Insurance: noMedical Center: planned parenthood
several years ago I paid for a full check of all std's and was told I had herpes and that it was a felony if i didn't share this info with my other sexual partners to at least inform them. it ruined my life everyone seen me as a sick bug "stay away from him." I never had any signs to tell me I had anything wrong. so I got retested last year and after losing what could have been a good part of my life was relieved to find out planned parenthood is wrong and I am clean. now what do I do? lost a very lot of happiness in my life to that test...can I sue?
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Planned Parenthood for income earners
Amount: $425.00
Posted by: MikeJensen in Sunnyvale, CA.Posted: November 25th, 2009 06:11PM
Insurance: AetnaMedical Center: Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood uses a sliding income scale, and does not accept most private insurance types. My income placed me in the most expensive group ("Level F"), with the following prices:

Visit price: $50
Chlamydia: $120
Gonorrhea: $120
Syphilis: $25
HIV Rapid: $110

By comparison, Palo Alto Medical Foundation charges the following prices (regardless of your income):

Office visit: $15+ (not sure here)
Chlamydia & Gonorrhea: $139 Syphilis: $33 HIV: $114 Herpes: $28.50 All prices are as of 2009-Nov-25, in Sunnyvale, CA.
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External Resources:
  1.  www.cdc.gov/std/Gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm
  2.  www.cdc.gov/std/Chlamydia/STDFact-Chlamydia.htm
  3.  www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/gonorrhea-test
  4.  www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/chlamydia-tests
  5.  www.cdc.gov/std/Syphilis/STDFact-Syphilis.htm
  6.  www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/syphilis-tests
  7.  www.cdc.gov/std/Herpes/STDFact-Herpes.htm
  8.  www.webmd.com/genital-herpes/guide/genital-herpes-diagnosis
  9.  www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm
  10.  www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/hpv-genital-warts/human-papillomavirus-hpv-test
  11.  smartsexresource.com/
  12.  hivtest.cdc.gov/
  13.  www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/findCenter.asp
  14.  kff.org/state-category/hivaids/
  15.  www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/HIVHomeTestKits/default.htm
  16.  www.homeaccess.com/HIV_RegisterStep1.asp
  17.  www.privatemdlabs.com/lp/std_testing_info.php?gclid=CMy6xo6w65QCFRLnxgod2yy29w
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