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STD Testing in Beacon, IA: Free, Same-Day & Confidential

Chlamydia in Mahaska County runs about 43% lower than the US average. If you need testing after a possible exposure or routine care in Beacon, Iowa, consider whether cost, speed, or convenience is most important to you as you explore your options below.

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  • Clinics, labs & at-home kits compared
  • Free & low-cost options included
  • Backed by CDC, CMS & Census data
  • Editorially reviewed

Available testing centers

STD testing near Beacon, IA

6 testing options are listed for Beacon, IA. The nearest, River Hills Community Health Center, is about 3.1 miles away. Compare 3 community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.

How to read these listings

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.

Community health center 3.1 miles

River Hills Community Health Center

Where these reviews come from

Review sources

  • Google10
  • EasySTD1
Rated 3.3 out of 5 from 11 reviews

River Hills Community Health Center in Oskaloosa operates under federal FQHC designation, meaning fees slide with income and no patient is turned away for inability to pay. Appointments are required for STI screening, which covers the standard panel: syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.

Sliding-scale
Address
1417 A Avenue East, Suite 100 Oskaloosa, IA 52577
Booking
Appointment required
Opening hours
  • Monday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Tuesday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Wednesday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Thursday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Friday Closed
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Website
7.9 miles

Ottumwa Health Group

No ratings yet

Ottumwa Health Group in Eddyville charges on a fee basis and accepts insurance, testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB. Bacterial STIs are treated at the same visit; appointments are required.

Read full overview Show less

Three Prevention Tools, One Appointment

Chasing down PrEP from one provider, PEP from another, and DoxyPEP from a third means gaps between prescriptions and exposure windows that simply don't close. Ottumwa Health Group carries all three under the same appointment, so switching or combining prevention strategies doesn't require starting over somewhere new.

Herpes and Hepatitis Included in the Standard Draw

At Ottumwa Health Group, the testing panel runs herpes serology and hepatitis A, B, and C antibody screens alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV. Drawn and processed through the same visit. That means results for infections that typically require a separate order arrive together, without scheduling a second appointment.

Tests & treats PrEP DoxyPEP
Address
107 North 3rd Street, Eddyville, IA 52553
Booking
Appointment required
Opening hours
  • Monday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Wednesday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Thursday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Friday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Website
11.7 miles

Pella Regional Health Center

No ratings yet

Pella Regional Health Center in Bussey brings STI testing into a regional health center framework, pairing gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and rapid HIV with hepatitis C screening and TB testing: appointment required, fees billed to Medicaid, Medicare, or insurance on a sliding scale.

Tests & treats
Address
411 Merrill Street, Bussey, IA 50044
Booking
Appointment required
Opening hours
  • Monday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Wednesday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Thursday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Friday Closed
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Website
Premium Partner

Labcorp

Results in 1–2 days
No ratings yet
Address
11208 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, IA 61.9 miles away
Opening hours
  • Monday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Tuesday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Wednesday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Thursday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Friday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis
  • Herpes
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • Rapid HIV
  • Conventional HIV
See tests & prices

Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.

Premium Partner

Quest Diagnostics

Results in 1–2 days
No ratings yet
Address
11319 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, IA 61.9 miles away
Opening hours
  • Monday 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM
  • Tuesday 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM
  • Wednesday 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM
  • Thursday 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM
  • Friday 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis
  • Herpes
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • Rapid HIV
  • Conventional HIV
See tests & prices

Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.

Premium Partner

Labcorp

Results in 1–2 days
No ratings yet
Address
2615 Northgate Drive, Iowa City, IA 67.8 miles away
Opening hours
  • Monday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Tuesday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Wednesday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Thursday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Friday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis
  • Herpes
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • Rapid HIV
  • Conventional HIV
See tests & prices

Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.

Free tool · not a clinic

When can I test? Exposure-window calculator

Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.

Detection windows for every 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.

Find your match in 10 seconds

What matters most to you?

What will it cost? Estimate your STD test

Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.

  • Public / community clinic

    Free HIV testing is common

    $0–$25

  • Private lab (self-pay)

    Never billed to insurance

    $24–$200

  • At-home kit

    Mailed to your door, private

    From $49

  • Doctor / urgent care

    Often $0 preventive with insurance

    $0–$50 copay

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Rate what mattered to you, no account needed. Reviews are moderated before publishing.

Privacy & discretion
Wait time
Staff & comfort
Value for cost

Every other option

More ways to get tested in Beacon, IA

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

At-home STD testing in Beacon, IA

The nearest testing center is about 3 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Beacon, 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.

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

Other CLIA-certified labs near Beacon, IA

Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Mahaska 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.

  • Mahaska County Hospital

    1229 C Avenue East, Oskaloosa, IA 52577

    CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission

    • Full STD panel
    Call Directions

Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Beacon. 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

Clinicians near Beacon, IA who may help arrange STD testing

Beyond dedicated clinics, 96 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Beacon. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 3 offer telehealth.

  • David North, MD

    Family medicine · 2102 South Market, Oskaloosa

    Call Directions

  • Karen Spahr, DO

    Internal medicine · 105 North 3rd Street, Oskaloosa

    Call Directions

  • Eric Miller, DO

    Family medicine · 201 Trueblood Avenue, Oskaloosa

    Call Directions

  • Ronald Collins, MD

    Internal medicine · 1229 C Avenue East, Oskaloosa

    Call Directions

  • Marissa Haubrich, DO

    Family medicine · 1229 C Avenue East, Oskaloosa

    Directions

  • Mitchell Blom, DO

    Family medicine · 411 Merrill Street, Bussey

    Call Directions

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

Pharmacies near Beacon, IA

No pharmacy near Beacon, IA 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.

  • Walmart Pharmacy 1.7 mi
    Rx pickupAt-home STI kitsHPV & Hep B vaccinesCondoms / EC
    Directions

  • Mahaska Drug

    2.2 mi
    Rx pickupCondoms / EC
    Directions

  • Hy-Vee Pharmacy (1481)

    2.2 mi
    Rx pickupCondoms / EC
    Directions

  • Mahaska Drug "lone-Term Care"

    2.2 mi
    Rx pickupCondoms / EC
    Directions

Showing the 4 closest pharmacies to Beacon, IA.

Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.

Prevention & treatment

PrEP, prevention & online treatment

Testing is one step. For residents of Beacon, 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.

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

STDs & HIV in Mahaska County: the local picture

How reported STI rates in Mahaska County, the county that includes Beacon, compare with Iowa and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~27% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.

#36 of 99 Iowa counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 64% of the state

Reported STD rates per 100,000, Mahaska County vs Iowa vs U.S.

Mahaska County Iowa U.S. ▲▼ = Mahaska County vs the state average
Infection Mahaska County Iowa United States
Chlamydia
278.9 61 cases ▼ 35%
426.8 492.2
Gonorrhea
82.3 18 cases ▼ 30%
116.8 179.5
Syphilis (P&S)
9.1 2 cases ▼ 12%
10.3 15.8
Syphilis (early)
9.1 2 cases ▼ 1%
9.2 16
Syphilis (late/unknown)
9.1 2 cases ▼ 8%
9.9 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.

Reported STD rates in Mahaska County over time (per 100,000)

Chlamydia ▼ 32% vs 2022
Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis (P&S)
0 225 450 2020202120222023

Between 2020 and 2023 in Mahaska County, chlamydia has fallen from 338 to 278.9 per 100,000 (17%), gonorrhea has fallen from 135.2 to 82.3 per 100,000 (39%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 13.5 to 9.1 per 100,000 (33%).

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

What shapes testing access in and around Beacon, IA

Adults uninsured
7.3%
No routine checkup
23%
No transportation
7.7%
Binge drinking
19%
Frequent mental distress
17.5%
Depression
21.7%
Below poverty line
14.9%
Primary-care ratio
1,374 : 1
Mahaska County
  • Primary-care shortage score 16 / 26
  • Medically Underserved Area · IMU 59
  • Social Vulnerability Index · 16th percentile nationally

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 Mahaska County.

Local HIV snapshot

HIV in Mahaska County (2023)

People living with HIV
71 / 100k
PrEP users / 100k
88

Mahaska County HIV care continuum (2020)

Mahaska County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2020), against 5.1 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Mahaska County residents living with HIV, 81.8% are in care · 72.7% 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.

Pregnant or planning to be?

Congenital syphilis is the fastest-rising STI: what to test, and when

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 Mahaska County tests for syphilis.

Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).

Reviewed & Fact-Checked · Updated

Reviewed by EasySTD Editorial Team (opens in a new tab)

Compiled and checked by EasySTD's editorial team against CDC and public-health sources. This is educational information, not a substitute for advice from a licensed clinician. Our editorial guidelines → (opens in a new tab)

17 Sources

Local resources & officials

Data & references

Local context

About Beacon, IA

Market Street cuts through the heart of Beacon, and it's along that US 63 corridor where many younger adults (people navigating their late teens and twenties, new jobs, and shifting relationships) are most likely to be renting one of the relatively few rental units this town offers. With homeownership the overwhelming norm here, that small renter segment tends to be younger and more transient, cycling through household arrangements that make routine health habits harder to sustain. Two facts about Beacon's economic texture matter for sexual health access: just over half of adults are married, meaning a meaningful share of residents are single or partnered without long-term housing stability, and labor-force participation leaves a notable portion of working-age adults outside standard employment schedules. With typical rents under $800 a month, cost pressure is real but moderate: still, even a modest co-pay or travel expense can be the thing that delays a test another month.

Beacon isn't a place where you stroll past a clinic on an errand. Reaching the options listed on this page means planning a deliberate trip, probably a drive, which raises the stakes for choosing a site with hours that actually align with someone's week. Knowing ahead of time which locations offer same-day appointments or sliding-scale fees isn't a convenience here; for Beacon residents, it's what determines whether screening happens at all this season.

Getting there

How residents reach STD testing in Beacon, IA

Walkability 11.82 / 20 · Above average

Beacon scores 11.82/20 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.

Map of 6 STD & STI testing locations in Beacon, Iowa, EasySTD

ZIP 52577 snapshot

Residents
14,336
Median age
39.4
Median income
$65,589

ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 52577 area around Beacon: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Beacon alone.

Beacon sits in Mahaska County, ZIP 52577. Local context that shapes where residents test:

Local landmarks

  • Edmundson Park
  • The Morgan Cabin
  • Keating Jaycee Park
  • Hewitt Jaycee Park
  • City Square Park
  • Chief Mahaska Statue

Neighborhoods & communities

  • Oskaloosa

Major routes

  • IA 92 (A Avenue West)
  • US 63 (South Market Street)
  • 275th Street

Reference

STD testing in Beacon, IA: screening, costs & privacy

Everything to know before you test in Mahaska County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Iowa law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.

Who should test, and when

CDC screening schedule + each infection's detection window

Who should get tested, and how often

Based on current CDC screening recommendations.

GroupTestsHow 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

When to test: STD detection windows

Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Beacon-area provider.

InfectionEarliest reliable testSample
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
Browse all STD & STI guides

What each STD test costs

Medicare reference prices per lab test, a benchmark before you pay out of pocket

These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Beacon 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.

TestReference priceCPT / 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.

Confidentiality & consent in Iowa

Minor consent and partner treatment (EPT) under state law, plus how to test privately

Two things that actually depend on Iowa 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).

Can a minor consent on their own?

In Iowa, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own; a parent may be notified only in the case of a positive HIV test result.

Can my partner be treated too? (EPT)

Iowa 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 Iowa

Source: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.

Good to Know

STD testing FAQs for Beacon, IA

Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.

Can I get tested near Oskaloosa, IA instead?

Possibly, Oskaloosa, IA is close; compare it by distance against River Hills Community Health Center.

Does insurance cover STD testing near Beacon, IA?

Most plans cover STD screening; a clinic or lab can bill insurance, or you can pay a flat self-pay price.

Where's free HIV testing around Beacon, IA?

Public clinics nearby offer free HIV testing.

Which tests are offered near Beacon, IA?

Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.

How common is chlamydia in Mahaska County?

About 279 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the Iowa average.

Can I test at home near Beacon, IA?

Yes, at-home kits ship to 52577; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.

Can someone under 18 get tested in Iowa without a parent?

In Iowa, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.

Can I get PrEP near Beacon, IA?

PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.

Should both partners test for chlamydia?

Yes, partners should test and be treated together to avoid passing it back and forth.

What samples are used for STD testing near Beacon, IA?

It depends: a blood draw covers HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis, while urine or a swab covers chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.