STD Testing in Chelsea, MA: Free, Same-Day & Confidential
New HIV diagnoses in Suffolk County run about 53% higher than the US average. If you're in Chelsea, Massachusetts whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind, a clinic lets you get information and start treatment while an at-home kit lets you test on your own schedule. Read below to weigh your options for getting tested.
12 testing options are listed for Chelsea, MA. The nearest, Massachusetts General Hospital, is about 0.3 miles away. Compare 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.
Premium Partner
Labcorp
Most popular Results in 1–2 days
2.7(18)?
Review sources
Google16
EasySTD2
Rated 2.7 out of 5 from 18 reviews
Address
170 Governors Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 4.5 miles away
Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.
Closest to you 0.3 miles
Massachusetts General Hospital
3.6(89)?
Review sources
Google84
EasySTD5
Rated 3.6 out of 5 from 89 reviews
Massachusetts General Hospital's Chelsea clinic covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C testing at no fee, with free HIV and hepatitis C tests specifically, and accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and most insurance. Bacterial infections treated the same visit, by appointment.
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Free Services, No Exceptions for Anyone
Whether you're paying cash, between insurance plans, or simply don't have a regular provider, Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea absorbs the full cost of care: testing, treatment, and prevention services alike. No bill arrives later, and no service sits behind a fee that others are exempt from.
Portuguese Speakers Get Full Clinical Care
Plenty of clinics route non-English speakers through workarounds that filter nuance out of every exchange. Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea delivers care directly in Portuguese, the full clinical conversation, not a filtered version of it.
PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP Prescribed On-Site
Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea prescribes PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP from the same location, which means prevention decisions, including the less commonly available DoxyPEP, get made and acted on during the same appointment rather than deferred.
Cambridge Health Alliance in Everett tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and more on a sliding scale accepted alongside Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance. Bacterial infections are treated the same visit; an appointment is required.
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Portuguese and Spanish Staff Fully Fluent in Care
Portuguese and Spanish are spoken by clinical staff at Cambridge Health Alliance, not routed through an outside service. That means a provider conducting your intake, explaining your results, or walking through a treatment plan is doing it directly, in the language you brought through the door.
Herpes and Hepatitis Added to the Standard Panel
Beyond the core bacterial and HIV tests, Cambridge Health Alliance runs herpes typing and hepatitis A, B, and C antibody testing as part of the same appointment. Each result is reviewed on-site, and hepatitis C, when diagnosed, is managed through the clinic's own treatment protocols rather than deferred elsewhere.
801 Broadway in Everett carries federal qualification as a community health center, which translates directly into a sliding-scale fee structure tied to household income. Walk-ins are welcome for STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with costs adjusted so the fee fits the patient.
NeighborHealth in East Boston runs its entire STI program (rapid HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis C, and TB) with HIV testing free and all services on a sliding scale, accepting Medicaid and most insurance; appointments are required, and confirmed bacterial infections are treated the same visit.
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Every Service Billed Against Real Coverage
NeighborHealth accepts Medicaid, takes most insurance, and applies a sliding-scale fee schedule to cover anyone who falls outside those plans. Meaning the clinic's billing infrastructure absorbs the cost at every tier. The mpox vaccine, HIV test, and the full panel all move through the same zero-balance mechanism, no service carved out.
Spanish-Language Care Staffed Into the Clinic Itself
NeighborHealth in East Boston carries Spanish as a direct staffing capacity: HIV counseling, prevention education, partner notification, and PrEP consultations are conducted in Spanish by clinic staff. That means nuanced conversations about dosing adherence or exposure history unfold in the language the patient reasons in, without relay.
PrEP and PEP Without the Gap a Second Appointment Creates
When prevention depends on an unbroken chain (a prescription written, filled, and monitored before a gap opens) delays cost more than time. NeighborHealth prescribes and manages both PrEP and PEP on-site in East Boston, so neither medication requires routing through a separate provider before it reaches the patient.
New Health in Charlestown functions as a community health center where STI testing (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV) runs on a sliding-scale fee alongside family planning, by appointment. Same-visit treatment is available for bacterial infections, and vaccines for HPV and hepatitis A and B are on hand.
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Spanish Speakers and Interpretation on Staff
New Health conducts appointments in Spanish and provides interpretation for other languages, which means a patient navigating test results, a PrEP prescription, or treatment decisions can do so in the language they reason and negotiate in. Without routing the clinical conversation through a third party after the fact.
PrEP and PEP Prescribed and Monitored Here
New Health prescribes both daily oral PrEP and PEP directly, with the follow-up monitoring (periodic HIV testing, kidney function checks, and adherence support) handled within the same practice. That continuity means the prescribing provider sees the lab trends over time rather than managing prevention in isolation from primary care.
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
TB
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Chlamydia
Conventional HIV
Serves
Adolescents/Youth/Teens
Low Income Persons
Persons with STI
Care services
Family Planning
TB Treatment
STI Treatment
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV)
Hepatitis A Vaccine
Adult Hepatitis B Vaccine
Prevention services
TB Prevention/Education
STI Prevention/Education
HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education
HIV Test Counseling
Fees & payment
Medicaid Accepted
Medicare Accepted
Fee
Insurance Accepted
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Community health center 2.7 miles
South Cove Community Health Center
2.1(52)?
Review sources
Google47
EasySTD5
Rated 2.1 out of 5 from 52 reviews
South Cove Community Health Center in Malden runs by appointment, so scheduling ahead is the move, and a single visit covers rapid HIV testing, the full bacterial panel, hepatitis B and C, TB, same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs, and HPV and hepatitis A vaccines, on a sliding-scale fee.
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Hepatitis B and C Tested Here, Same Appointment
Leaving hepatitis B or C undetected means the infection advances quietly while you arrange another visit elsewhere, another co-pay, another wait, another round of paperwork. South Cove tests both at the same appointment where you screen for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, closing that gap before it opens.
Clinical Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese on Staff
A missed detail in an exposure history or a misunderstood treatment instruction isn't a minor inconvenience, it's an untreated infection or a regimen followed wrong. South Cove delivers care directly in Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese, with interpretation available for other languages, so nothing critical gets lost in translation.
Chinese, English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Japanese, Vietnamese
Tests offered
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis B
TB
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Chlamydia
Rapid HIV
Serves
Asian or Pacific Islander persons
Care services
Family Planning
STI Treatment
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV)
Hepatitis A Vaccine
Adult Hepatitis B Vaccine
Prevention services
TB Prevention/Education
STI Prevention/Education
HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education
HIV Test Counseling
Hepatitis Prevention/Education
Condom Distribution
Fees & payment
Donations Accepted
Medicaid Accepted
Medicare Accepted
Fee
Insurance Accepted
Listing verified Apr 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Community health center 2.8 miles
Lindemann Mental Health Center
3.3(4)?
Review sources
Google3
EasySTD1
Rated 3.3 out of 5 from 4 reviews
Lindemann Mental Health Center in Boston answers the call for people paying out of pocket, between providers, or without insurance: federal qualification locks in income-based sliding fees for STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, no appointment needed to get started.
New England Center and Home for Veterans, in Boston, earned federal qualification as a community health center, meaning fees for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening slide with your income, so veterans navigating gaps between providers or paying out of pocket have a straightforward path to care.
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.
The nearest testing center is less than a mile away, if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Chelsea, 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 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
Quest Diagnostics
$79 & up
Panel:
8-infection panel incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis & herpes: single tests too
Sample:
Quest Mobile: a phlebotomist collects your sample at home
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 Chelsea, MA
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Suffolk 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.
Beth Israel Deaconess Urgent Care AT Chelsea
1000 Broadway, Chelsea, MA 02150
CMS-certified labAccredited · College of American Pathologists
Showing 2 of the CLIA-certified labs in Suffolk County.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Chelsea. 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 Chelsea, MA who may help arrange STD testing
Beyond dedicated clinics, 4,762 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Chelsea. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 2,347 offer telehealth.
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 Chelsea, MA
Compare the pharmacies closest to Chelsea, MA. Contact a location directly to confirm pharmacy-counter hours, services, prices, and product availability before visiting.
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 Chelsea, 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.
PrEP & DoxyPEP
Q Care Plus
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
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 Suffolk County: the local picture
How reported STI rates in Suffolk County, the county that includes Chelsea, compare with Massachusetts and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~31% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#1
#1 of 14 Massachusetts counties for chlamydia, among the very highest in the state
Reported STD rates per 100,000, Suffolk County vs Massachusetts vs U.S.
Suffolk CountyMassachusettsU.S.▲▼ = Suffolk County vs the state average
Infection
Suffolk County
Massachusetts
United States
Chlamydia
891.36,849 cases▲ 116%
412.7
492.2
Gonorrhea
403.73,102 cases▲ 189%
139.8
179.5
Syphilis (P&S)
26.4203 cases▲ 149%
10.6
15.8
Syphilis (early)
30.6235 cases▲ 197%
10.3
16
Syphilis (late/unknown)
31.8244 cases▲ 132%
13.7
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.
Reported STD rates in Suffolk County over time (per 100,000)
Chlamydia ▲ 1% vs 2022
Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis (P&S)
Between 2020 and 2023 in Suffolk County, chlamydia has risen from 702.2 to 891.3 per 100,000 (27%), gonorrhea has risen from 275 to 403.7 per 100,000 (47%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 20.8 to 26.4 per 100,000 (27%).
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 Chelsea, MA
Adults uninsured
17%
No routine checkup
24.5%
No transportation
16.7%
Binge drinking
19.2%
Frequent mental distress
19%
Depression
22.7%
Below poverty line
20.6%
Primary-care ratio
635 : 1
Suffolk County
Primary-care shortage score 19 / 26
Medically Underserved Area · IMU 36.2
Social Vulnerability Index · 78th 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 Suffolk County.
Local HIV snapshot
HIV in Suffolk County (2023)
Federal priority area: Suffolk 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.
People living with HIV
834 / 100k
New diagnoses (2023)
143cases countywide
On PrEP (coverage)
45.6%
Suffolk County HIV care continuum (2023)
Suffolk County recorded 21 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 8.8 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Suffolk County residents living with HIV, 93.3% know their status · 72.8% are in care · 66.3% 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 Suffolk County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
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 →
Fay Square sits at the kind of crossroads where Chelsea's working renters catch the bus, grab coffee, and mentally subtract $1,419 from whatever is left before the month has barely started. That calculation can quietly delay a screening visit that would otherwise happen in October and get rescheduled to never. It matters especially for younger adults still building out their lives here, the group for which STI rates run highest, because cost hesitation compounds with busy schedules in ways that older, more settled residents rarely face. The good news is that Chelsea's layout works in residents' favor. Walking is genuinely practical along Broadway and through Bellingham Square, and the dozen clinics listed on this page include options across the fee spectrum.
Meaning the barrier is usually information, not miles. Large households averaging nearly four people share incomes and also share risk networks, so one person following through on a test can have ripple effects on partners and family members under the same roof. With nearly three-quarters of residents renting and more than seven in ten participating in the workforce, schedule flexibility is often the real constraint. Clinics with early-morning or weekend slots along Washington Avenue let someone fit a visit around a split shift rather than sacrifice a half-day of pay, which, at Chelsea's rent levels, is a real cost most people aren't willing to absorb.
Getting there
How residents reach STD testing in Chelsea, MA
Walkability15.38 / 20 · Most walkable
Chelsea scores 15.38/20 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 02150 snapshot
Residents
39,444
Median age
34.5
Median income
$72,122
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 02150 area around Chelsea: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Chelsea alone.
Chelsea sits in Suffolk County, ZIP 02150. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Bellingham-Cary House
USS Constitution Museum
Bunker Hill Monument
DD-793 (USS Cassin Young)
Breeds Hill
USS Constitution
Neighborhoods & communities
Fay Square
Cary Square
Bellingham Square
Orange - Addison
Box District
Bellingham Hill
Bellingham Square Historic District
Park Square
Major routes
Fay Square
Washington Avenue
Broadway
City Hall Avenue
US 1 (Northeast Expressway)
Nearby cities & towns
STD testing near Chelsea, MA
Just outside Chelsea? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
STD testing in Chelsea, MA: screening, costs & privacy
Everything to know before you test in Suffolk County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Massachusetts law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Who should test, and whenCDC screening schedule + each infection's detection window
Who should get tested, and how often
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
When to test: STD detection windows
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Chelsea-area provider.
What each STD test costsMedicare 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 Chelsea 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.
Confidentiality & consent in MassachusettsMinor consent and partner treatment (EPT) under state law, plus how to test privately
Two things that actually depend on Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts, a minor may consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own; a provider may inform a parent only if they judge the minor's health to be in serious danger.
Can my partner be treated too? (EPT)
Massachusetts 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.
