Gonorrhea diagnoses in Lincoln County, Missouri run about 72% lower than the US average. Whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind in Cave, Missouri, consider that some clinics offer same-day testing, whereas labs and at-home kits allow you to plan around your schedule. Take a look at your options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Cave, MO. The nearest, Lincoln County Health Department, is about 3.7 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.
Lincoln County Health Department in Troy schedules appointments for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and conventional HIV testing, with TB testing and treatment also on the menu, so one visit can address both STI and respiratory concerns. Fees are charged on a sliding scale, with donations accepted, and bacterial STIs are treated the same day.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Oct 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Compass Health in Troy serves patients navigating gaps in coverage, paying out of pocket, or without a regular provider, and its federally qualified standing means fees for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening adjust to income, so cost rarely stands between anyone and a result.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Mercy in Troy runs by appointment, so scheduling ahead is how you secure same-visit bacterial treatment, the full standard panel (HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia) plus hepatitis A, B, and C testing, and DoxyPEP, all on a sliding-scale fee.
Without access to DoxyPEP at the clinic handling your testing, the prescription requires a separate provider, a separate visit, and a gap in coverage that leaves bacterial STI exposure unaddressed. Mercy in Troy closes that gap by prescribing DoxyPEP directly, so the protective protocol is in place before you leave.
Mercy's panel extends to herpes simplex and hepatitis A, B, and C. Each requiring its own specimen handling and lab pathway beyond the standard bacterial swabs and HIV draw. Screening for all of them runs through a single appointment, with hepatitis prevention counseling built into the visit alongside the testing itself.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Nov 2025 · 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 about 4 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Cave, 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 value: single tests
$49 & up
Best range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Lincoln 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.
1000 East Cherry Street, Troy, MO 63379
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
520 East Cherry Street, Troy, MO 63379
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Cave. 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, 214 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Cave. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 54 offer telehealth.
Scott Barton, DO
Internal medicine · 1000 East Cherry Street, Troy
Yasmira Watson, MD
Internal medicine · 1000 East Cherry Street, Troy
Melissa Bradley, MD
Family medicine · 1000 East Cherry Street, Troy
Christopher Labonte, MD
Internal medicine · 350 Cap Au Gris Street, Troy
Jeremy Talley, DO
Family medicine · 900 East Cherry Street, Troy
Bradley Massey, DO
Family medicine · 1003 East Cherry Street, Troy
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 Cave, MO 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.
4.3 mi 
4.5 mi 
4.8 mi Mark Jay Beckwith
4.9 miMercy Pharmacy Troy
5.0 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Cave, MO.
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 Cave, 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
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
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 Lincoln County, the county that includes Cave, compare with Missouri and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data.
#45 of 115 Missouri counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 61% of the state
| Infection | Lincoln County | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 276.7 179 cases ▼ 45% | 498.6 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 51 33 cases ▼ 75% | 201.9 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 3.1 2 cases ▼ 86% | 21.5 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 3.1 2 cases ▼ 75% | 12.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 9.3 6 cases ▼ 72% | 33.8 | 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 Lincoln County, chlamydia has risen from 261.9 to 276.7 per 100,000 (6%), gonorrhea has fallen from 134.3 to 51 per 100,000 (62%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 8.4 to 3.1 per 100,000 (63%).
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 Lincoln County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Missouri 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.
Lincoln County HIV care continuum (2020)
Lincoln County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2020), against 10.6 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Lincoln County residents living with HIV, 88.2% are in care · 79.4% 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 Lincoln County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Weinand Park anchors the quieter end of Cave, and the town's texture matches: every household here owns its home, every adult is married, and the average household runs three people deep. That kind of stability shapes how people think about health care: it tends to be a family conversation rather than a solo errand, and the practical calculus of scheduling a screening has to fit around shared routines and commitments rather than a single person's calendar. That's worth naming plainly, because it changes the math for younger adults still forming relationships. People in their late teens and twenties who most benefit from routine STI screening but are least likely to treat a longer drive as automatic.
Building that trip into a day already running to Lincoln County Fairgrounds or Bonfields' Ballfields lowers the effort without requiring a separate outing. The options listed here include a spread of hours and fee structures, which matters when a household runs on one schedule together. Whoever makes the appointment can likely find a slot that fits the week the family actually has.
Getting there
At 6.09/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Cave 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 63379 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 63379 area around Cave: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Cave alone.
Cave sits in Lincoln County, ZIP 63379. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Cave? 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 Lincoln County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Missouri 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 Cave-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 Cave 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 Missouri 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 Missouri, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Missouri 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 MissouriSource: 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.
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.
Lincoln County reported ~277 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Missouri average.
At-home kits mail to 63379: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
In Missouri, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Go to an ER or call RAINN (800-656-4673); they provide testing, PEP, and support right away.
No, symptoms mean test now; the window period only applies to symptom-free screening.
Usually urine or a swab for chlamydia/gonorrhea, and blood for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.