In Kershaw County, reported chlamydia cases run about 31% higher than the US average. Whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind in Bethune, South Carolina, options depend on whether you prioritize cost and accessibility or speed and scheduling. To find out what is available, see the list below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Bethune, SC. The nearest, Sandhills Medical Foundation- Bethune, is about 0.1 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.
Sandhills Medical Foundation- Bethune, serving Bethune, earned its federally qualified health center designation by tying fees directly to income. Meaning sliding-scale pricing applies to everyone who walks in. STI screening here covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with no appointment needed to get started.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Sandhills Medical Foundation in McBee tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B and C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee with a free HIV test option, walk-ins welcome, and delivers same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs, with all services provided at no fee.
The no-fee model at Sandhills Medical Foundation isn't a waiver applied at checkout: it's the operating structure across the entire clinic, meaning STI treatment, PrEP prescriptions, HIV medical management, and hepatitis care are all staffed and dispensed without a separate fee tier for any of them.
Sandhills Medical Foundation maintains the clinical capacity to prescribe and monitor both PrEP and PEP directly: meaning someone without a regular provider or paying out of pocket can get the medication, the follow-up labs, and the ongoing counseling from a single clinic rather than assembling care across multiple providers.
On-site hepatitis C treatment at Sandhills Medical Foundation means the clinic carries the full clinical chain (antibody testing, confirmatory work, and the direct-acting antiviral regimen) so a positive hepatitis C result moves into an active treatment protocol rather than a holding pattern waiting for specialist access.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
South Carolina Department of Health in Bishopville tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and C, and TB, treating bacterial infections the same visit, on a sliding-scale fee accepted alongside Medicaid and insurance. Appointments are required; DoxyPEP is available for prevention.
DoxyPEP, doxycycline taken after potential bacterial STI exposure, requires a prescriber who understands the dosing protocol and can track whether it's working over time. South Carolina Department of Health in Bishopville has that capability on staff, so the prescription, follow-up testing, and any adjustments stay with the same clinical team.
Many testing sites confirm a hepatitis C diagnosis and send patients elsewhere to find treatment, a gap that can stretch into months. At South Carolina Department of Health in Bishopville, antiviral treatment is available on-site, so the path from a positive result to an active prescription doesn't cross a referral divide.
Anyone managing their sexual health without a regular primary care provider, or paying out of pocket and consolidating visits, benefits from a clinic whose panel already includes hepatitis B and hepatitis C testing alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV. South Carolina Department of Health in Bishopville covers all of that on a single sliding-scale appointment.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
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 less than a mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Bethune, 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 value: single tests
$49 & 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 Kershaw 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.
1315 Roberts Street, Camden, SC 29020
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
40 Pinnacle Parkway, Suite 206, Elgin, SC 29045
CMS-certified lab
1346 Haile Street, Camden, SC 29020
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Bethune. 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, 61 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Bethune. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 6 offer telehealth.
Woodrow Bell, MD
Internal medicine · 103 Main Street North, Bethune
Zsolt Ori, MD
Internal medicine · 704 Medical Park Drive, Hartsville
William Martin, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 1304 West Bobo Newsom Highway, Hartsville
Christopher Davis, MD
Family medicine · 1304 West Bobo Newsom Highway, Hartsville
Venugopal Govindappa, MD
Internal medicine · 701 Medical Park Drive, Hartsville
Scott Daniel, MD
OB-GYN · 701 Medical Park Drive, Hartsville
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 Bethune, SC 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.
Sandhills Pharmacy
6.0 miSandhills Medical Pharmacy
6.1 mi
13 mi McLeod Pharmacy
15 miBishopville Drug
15 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Bethune, SC.
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 Bethune, 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 Kershaw County, the county that includes Bethune, compare with South Carolina and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~25% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#21 of 46 South Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 54% of the state
| Infection | Kershaw County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 645.2 451 cases ▲ 5% | 612.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 227.5 159 cases ▲ 2% | 222.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 15.7 11 cases ▼ 9% | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 5.7 4 cases ▼ 70% | 18.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 17.2 12 cases ▲ 47% | 11.7 | 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 Kershaw County, chlamydia has risen from 574.9 to 645.2 per 100,000 (12%), gonorrhea has fallen from 287.4 to 227.5 per 100,000 (21%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 6.1 to 15.7 per 100,000 (157%).
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 Kershaw County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: South Carolina is one of the U.S. jurisdictions prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Kershaw County HIV care continuum (2023)
Kershaw County recorded 23.8 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 18.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Kershaw County residents living with HIV, 86.1% are in care · 77.8% 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 Kershaw County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Bethune's residential core, homes clustered near the US 1 corridor where King Street East meets the town's quieter stretches, is overwhelmingly owner-occupied, with households that skew toward married couples and families averaging nearly three people. That stability is real, but it sits alongside a labor market where a substantial share of working-age adults are either between jobs or outside the workforce entirely, which shapes daily schedules in ways that don't always line up with standard clinic hours. For the younger adults in town, people in their late teens and twenties still building careers and relationships, that schedule uncertainty cuts both ways: more flexibility on some days, more financial pressure on others.
With most households earning well below six figures and a modest rental market that nonetheless represents real monthly costs, the price and convenience of screening both matter. That's exactly why the breadth of options listed here is worth taking seriously. Whether someone can get away on a weekday morning or only on a Saturday afternoon, whether they need a no-cost visit or simply the closest available slot, the range listed here means a resident near Jefferson Davis Highway doesn't have to choose between what's affordable and what's reachable.
Getting there
At 3/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Bethune generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 29009 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 29009 area around Bethune: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Bethune alone.
Bethune sits in Kershaw County, ZIP 29009. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Bethune? 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 Kershaw County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under South Carolina 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 Bethune-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 Bethune 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
South Carolina 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 South CarolinaSource: 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.
Yes, several local labs offer same-day walk-in testing; best to call first.
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.
Kershaw County reported ~645 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, above the South Carolina average.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
In South Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Untreated chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and fertility problems, caught early, it's cured with antibiotics.
A kit ships to your address; you collect a urine, swab, or finger-stick sample, mail it to the lab, and get results online in a few days.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.