Chlamydia reports in Bexar County run about 19% lower than the U.S. average. If you live in Balcones Heights, Texas and are considering STI testing whether you are having symptoms or just want peace of mind, you'll find both clinics who take drop-ins and labs/mail-in kits that let you plan around your schedule. See the options below.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Balcones Heights, TX. The nearest, CommuniCare Health Centers, is about 1.6 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
Listings tagged Community health center are federally funded health centers and rural clinics that treat everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay: required to bill on a sliding fee scale and provide confidential care, and in many states minors may consent to their own STI testing. A Title X tag flags centers funded for confidential family-planning services; confirm current participation when you call.
Source: CMS FQHC & Rural Health Clinic enrollment files (data.cms.gov), refreshed quarterly. Title X status reflects the latest OPA grantee list.
CommuniCare Health Centers in San Antonio tests for gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, hepatitis, and HIV on a sliding-scale fee open to all, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections; appointments are required, and Spanish plus interpretation services are available.
For anyone navigating STI care without English as a first language, CommuniCare Health Centers in San Antonio delivers the clinical conversation (history, results, treatment decisions) directly in Spanish or through interpretation, so nothing gets lost between the exam room and the prescription.
Chasing a herpes or hepatitis result through a separate appointment means a gap between exposure and clarity, and a second co-pay. CommuniCare Health Centers tests for herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C alongside the standard bacterial panel, so that gap doesn't open in the first place.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Planned Parenthood South Texas in San Antonio tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and HIV. With same-visit treatment for bacterial infections confirmed on the spot. Fees run on a sliding scale, insurance and Medicaid are accepted, and walk-ins are welcome.
Spanish-speaking staff provide care directly in Spanish, and interpretation services cover additional languages, which means clinical detail, dosing instructions, and follow-up guidance land clearly the first time, without anything lost in relay.
As a Title X-funded clinic, Planned Parenthood South Texas provides legally confidential family planning services for minors. A designation that gives younger patients a defined legal right to care independent of parental disclosure.
Plenty of testing sites leave prevention prescribing to outside providers: Planned Parenthood South Texas prescribes PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP directly, so the full prevention conversation and the prescription happen in the same appointment.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Centromed Maria Castro Flores Clinic in Von Ormy carries federally qualified health center standing, which means sliding-scale fees tied to income apply to STI screening for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Keeping the cost of testing proportional to what each patient actually earns.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
University Health in San Antonio pairs same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs with testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C: all on a fee schedule that scales with what you can pay, with insurance and Medicaid accepted. Appointments are required.
University Health offers Spanish-language services directly, plus interpretation for additional languages: meaning clinical conversations, consent, and follow-up instructions carry the same specificity regardless of which language a patient uses. That consistency extends from the initial appointment through treatment.
University Health treats hepatitis C on-site, so a confirmed diagnosis doesn't stall into a separate referral chain. Patients move from test result to treatment management within the same clinical relationship.
The testing panel at University Health covers six infections (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, conventional HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C) which means hepatitis exposure gets documented alongside bacterial and viral STIs in a single visit rather than requiring a separate clinical encounter.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
CommuniCare Health Centers - Navigation Center, San Antonio, anchors its STI care in a sliding-scale fee structure tied directly to income. Meaning cost alone won't keep anyone from getting screened. Walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing at this federally qualified site.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is about 2 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Balcones Heights, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best range: couples & full panels
$79 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Bexar County, each lab's town is shown on its card below. Many test through a doctor's order or by appointment rather than walk-in, so call ahead to confirm STD/STI testing and availability before visiting.
485 Spencer Lane, Balcones Heights, TX 78201
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
6700 Ih 10 West, San Antonio, TX 78201
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
8055 West Avenue Suite 105, San Antonio, TX 78213
CMS-certified lab
6211 Ih 10 West At First Park Ten, San Antonio, TX 78201
CMS-certified lab Accredited · AABB
2277 Northwest Military Hwy #100, San Antonio, TX 78213
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Balcones Heights. A CLIA certificate records only that a laboratory is federally certified — it does not confirm the site performs STD testing, nor its hours, price or access. Inclusion is not an endorsement; always call to verify.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 1,432 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Balcones Heights. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 424 offer telehealth.
Harrison Yoo, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 6800 I 10, San Antonio
Mugabe Walker, MD
Internal medicine · 4522 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio
Cindy Johnston, MD
Family medicine · 4438 Centerview, San Antonio
Hui Gao, MD
Family medicine · 7703 Briaridge Drive, San Antonio
Katherine Beale, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 7703 Briaridge Drive, San Antonio
Mary Beth Harr, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 5368 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Balcones Heights, TX publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
Rite Away Pharmacy
0.2 mi
0.3 mi 
0.8 mi Morningside Ministries Pharmacy
0.9 miThe Center Pharmacy at Legacy Oaks
1.4 mi
1.5 mi Showing the 6 closest pharmacies to Balcones Heights, TX.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Balcones Heights, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Bexar County, the county that includes Balcones Heights, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~37% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#74 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 71% of the state
| Infection | Bexar County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 399.2 8,333 cases ▼ 19% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 165.7 3,459 cases ▼ 6% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 18.4 384 cases ▲ 23% | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 40.4 844 cases ▲ 53% | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 64.8 1,352 cases ▲ 46% | 44.3 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Bexar County, chlamydia has fallen from 594.7 to 399.2 per 100,000 (33%), gonorrhea has fallen from 259.5 to 165.7 per 100,000 (36%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 16.9 to 18.4 per 100,000 (9%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Bexar County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Bexar County is one of 48 U.S. counties prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Bexar County HIV care continuum (2023)
Bexar County recorded 22.3 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 20.2 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Bexar County residents living with HIV, 82.9% know their status · 77.4% are in care · 67.6% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC AtlasPlus · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Bexar County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Fredericksburg Road connects Balcones Heights to the broader San Antonio metro in minutes, and the clinics listed on this page are reachable by that same corridor, but even a short drive requires carving time out of a day that, for most residents here, is already structured around work. With nearly everyone who wants a job holding one and labor-force participation running well below universal, the hours a clinic keeps can determine whether a visit happens at all. What shapes daily life in Balcones Heights as much as anything is how people are housed. The overwhelming majority rent rather than own, and at a monthly rent that keeps budgets tight, a fee-based screening can feel like a genuine tradeoff rather than a minor errand.
That cost reality matters most for younger adults, people in their late teens and twenties who make up an outsized share of the population and who tend to have the most partners and the least established healthcare relationships. Low-cost or sliding-scale options among the listings here are worth comparing before booking. The households themselves tend to run larger than average, and only about one in four adults is married: meaning many of those multi-person homes are built on roommate relationships, extended family arrangements, or early-partnership dynamics. Routine STI screening fits naturally into that life stage: a straightforward habit, not a crisis response.
Getting there
Balcones Heights scores 14.47/20 on the EPA walkability index, so many trips are walkable or a short ride, though a car still gives you the widest choice of testing centers.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 78201 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 78201 area around Balcones Heights: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Balcones Heights alone.
Balcones Heights sits in Bexar County, ZIP 78201. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Balcones Heights? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Bexar County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Texas law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Balcones Heights-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Balcones Heights often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on Texas law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In Texas, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Texas permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in TexasSource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
There are 9 options within a 30-mile drive.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
Public clinics serve people without insurance, often on a sliding scale.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Bexar County reported ~399 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Texas average.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
In Texas, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
Pregnancy screening is standard; ask about an early-pregnancy STI panel.
Clinics give immediate care and treatment; home kits win on convenience and discretion. Either works.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.