STD Testing in Forest City, IA: Free, Same-Day & Confidential
Gonorrhea in Winnebago County runs about 79% lower than the US average. If you are in Forest City, Iowa for a one-time concern or regular check-ups, both low-cost community clinics and private labs can help.
8 testing options are listed for Forest City, IA. The nearest, Hancock County Health System, is about 10.7 miles away. Compare 5 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.
Location unavailable — enter a ZIP code or city instead.
Highest rated 10.7 miles
Hancock County Health System
4.7(4)?Where these reviews come from
Review sources
Google3
EasySTD1
Rated 4.7 out of 5 from 4 reviews
Hancock County Health System in Garner runs STI care by appointment, so scheduling ahead means your visit covers HIV rapid testing, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia in one stop. With same-visit treatment for bacterial infections and fees scaled to income across all accepted coverage types.
Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health in Mason City runs appointments-only, so scheduling ahead is the entry point, but a single visit covers HIV (rapid and conventional), syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B and C, and TB, all at no fee.
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Every Test and Treatment Carries Zero Cost
Fee-sliding and partial subsidies are how most public health clinics manage cost, a portion covered, a portion not. Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health charges nothing at all: every test, every STI treatment, every vaccine, PrEP, and HIV test carries a flat fee of zero, with no exceptions buried in the fine print.
Spanish Speakers and Interpretation Access Built In
Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health offers Spanish-language services directly, and interpretation for other languages is available for appointments. For anyone whose primary language isn't English (navigating a diagnosis, a prevention regimen, or follow-up care) that standing capability means clinical conversations happen with real precision, not guesswork.
PrEP Prescribed and Monitored On-Site in Mason City
PrEP requires more than a single prescription: it demands baseline HIV and kidney-function testing, regular viral screenings, and prescription renewals on a structured schedule. Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health staffs that entire cycle in-house, including PEP for post-exposure prevention, all coordinated through the clinic without routing care to outside providers.
Tests & treatsPrEP
Address
2570 4th Street Southwest, Suite 1 Mason City, IA 50401
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis B
TB
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Herpes
Chlamydia
Rapid HIV
Conventional HIV
Serves
Adolescents/Youth/Teens
LGBTQ
Low Income Persons
Persons with Hepatitis
Persons with STI
Persons with TB
Care services
Mpox Vaccine
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
Hepatitis Prevention/Education
Condom Distribution
Fees & payment
Free Mpox Vaccine
No Fee
Free STI Test
Free HIV Test
Free Hepatitis C Test
Free Hepatitis B Test
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Most reviewed 22.4 miles
MercyOne
2.5(190)?Where these reviews come from
Review sources
Google185
EasySTD5
Rated 2.5 out of 5 from 190 reviews
MercyOne Mason City's hospital-grounded clinic brings specialist depth to STI care (standard panel, sliding-scale fees, same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, and appointments required) closing with PrEP and PEP as standing prevention tools, not afterthoughts.
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Prevention Prescriptions Are Standard, Not Exceptional
Prevention-focused prescribing gets quietly offloaded at many STI clinics, PrEP handled by primary care, PEP chased down through urgent care. MercyOne Mason City holds both in-house, meaning ongoing HIV prevention and post-exposure medication are managed within the same clinical relationship as testing and treatment.
Hepatitis C Care Runs Through Completion Here
Hepatitis C treatment at MercyOne Mason City means direct-acting antiviral therapy, not a handoff to a gastroenterologist or infectious disease specialist elsewhere. On-site treatment keeps monitoring, dosing adjustments, and sustained virologic response confirmation within one clinical team.
Herpes and Hepatitis Extend the Testing Panel
Beyond the gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV baseline, MercyOne Mason City's panel includes herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C testing. That breadth matters for hepatitis specifically: because treatment is available on-site, a reactive hepatitis C result doesn't stall at diagnosis. It moves directly toward care.
North Iowa Community Action Organization in Mason City runs every HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and herpes test at no charge, with sliding-scale fees across all other services and both Medicaid and private insurance accepted; appointments are required for same-visit bacterial STI treatment.
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Every Service Carries a Zero Dollar Cost
North Iowa Community Action Organization's Title X status anchors a fee structure where STI testing and HIV testing are free for everyone, not free after a threshold, not free pending eligibility review. PrEP is additionally covered for uninsured patients, meaning ongoing HIV prevention carries no out-of-pocket cost either.
Spanish and Interpretation Keep Care Fluent
Spanish is available directly at North Iowa Community Action Organization, and interpretation services extend to additional languages beyond it, so a patient's ability to describe symptoms, understand a diagnosis, or ask about PrEP dosing is never compressed into approximations.
Title X Confidentiality Covers Minors Directly
As a Title X-funded site, North Iowa Community Action Organization provides legally confidential family planning services to minors: meaning a young person can access contraception, STI testing, or HPV vaccination without that care appearing on a parent's insurance explanation of benefits.
Tests & treatsTitle XSliding-scalePrEP
Address
100 1st Street Northwest, Suite 200 Mason City, IA 50401
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis B
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Herpes
Chlamydia
Conventional HIV
Serves
Adolescents/Youth/Teens
American Indian or Alaska Native persons
Asian or Pacific Islander persons
Black or African American persons
Hispanic or Latino persons
LGBTQ
Low Income Persons
Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)
Care services
Family Planning
STI Treatment
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV)
Hepatitis B Treatment
Hepatitis A Vaccine
Adult Hepatitis B Vaccine
Prevention services
STI Prevention/Education
HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education
HIV Test Counseling
Condom Distribution
Fees & payment
Medicaid Accepted
PrEP for uninsured
Fee
Insurance Accepted
Free STI Test
Free HIV Test
Listing verified Dec 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Community health center 23.0 miles
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
3.3(47)?Where these reviews come from
Review sources
Google42
EasySTD5
Rated 3.3 out of 5 from 47 reviews
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge in Mason City tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and hepatitis B and C on a sliding-scale fee open to all, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections; an appointment is required, and care is delivered in Spanish.
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Spanish-Language Care Closes the Treatment Gap
When language limits what a patient can explain or understand, the real cost shows up later: in a missed diagnosis, a prescription not filled, or a partner not notified. At Community Health Center of Fort Dodge, STI care is conducted directly in Spanish, so nothing that matters gets lost between the visit and the outcome.
Herpes and Hepatitis Testing Alongside the Standard Panel
For anyone without a regular primary care provider, paying out of pocket or simply without a usual place to ask, Community Health Center of Fort Dodge runs herpes and hepatitis B and C testing alongside the standard bacterial and HIV panel, so a single appointment covers exposures that a shorter panel would leave unaddressed.
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 about 11 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Forest City, 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
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.
Local clinicians
Clinicians near Forest City, IA who may help arrange STD testing
Beyond dedicated clinics, 85 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Forest City. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 10 offer telehealth.
KK
Komal Kapoor, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 635 East US Hwy 9, Forest City
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 Forest City, IA
No pharmacy near Forest City, 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.
Showing the 4 closest pharmacies to Forest City, 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 Forest City, 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
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 Winnebago County: the local picture
How reported STI rates in Winnebago County, the county that includes Forest City, compare with Iowa and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~34% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#37
#37 of 99 Iowa counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 63% of the state
Reported STD rates per 100,000, Winnebago County vs Iowa vs U.S.
Winnebago CountyIowaU.S.▲▼ = Winnebago County vs the state average
Infection
Winnebago County
Iowa
United States
Chlamydia
274.329 cases▼ 36%
426.8
492.2
Gonorrhea
37.84 cases▼ 68%
116.8
179.5
Syphilis (P&S)
9.51 cases▼ 8%
10.3
15.8
Syphilis (early)
— no data
9.2
16
Syphilis (late/unknown)
18.92 cases▲ 91%
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 Winnebago County over time (per 100,000)
Chlamydia ▼ 31% vs 2022
Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis (P&S)
Between 2020 and 2023 in Winnebago County, chlamydia has risen from 262.2 to 274.3 per 100,000 (5%), gonorrhea has fallen from 93.6 to 37.8 per 100,000 (60%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 9.4 to 9.5 per 100,000 (1%).
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 Forest City, IA
Adults uninsured
6.8%
No routine checkup
22%
No transportation
6.6%
Binge drinking
20.2%
Frequent mental distress
16.3%
Depression
20.6%
Below poverty line
9.4%
Primary-care ratio
3,552 : 1
Winnebago County
Primary-care shortage score 15 / 26
Medically Underserved Area · IMU 56
Social Vulnerability Index · 14th 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 Winnebago County.
Local HIV snapshot
HIV in Winnebago County (2023)
People living with HIV
78 / 100k
New diagnoses (2023)
0cases countywide
PrEP users / 100k
67
Winnebago County HIV care continuum (2023)
Winnebago County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 5.1 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Winnebago County residents living with HIV, 100% are in care · 85.7% 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 Winnebago 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 → (opens in a new tab)
Merrick City Park draws families year-round, but the health conversations that matter most happen quietly, in clinics where people from Forest City can get tested without fanfare. Young adults in their twenties and thirties (many of whom grew up here and stayed, or moved back to raise families) benefit from straightforward STI screening that fits into ordinary life. Testing in and around Forest City listed on this page happens at places accustomed to serving long-term residents who value both affordability and discretion. A working population means schedules matter. The testing sites available locally understand that people juggle jobs, childcare, and the rhythms of small-town living.
Cost stays reasonable across the board, which matters when you're managing a household budget and want health care that doesn't require a second thought before you book an appointment. What stays between you and the clinic stays there. Confidentiality isn't theater in a place where people recognize each other at the grocery store, it's how the system works, built into the process itself. Whether you're asking questions about routine screening or have specific concerns, the clinics serving Forest City treat that conversation as private medical care, period.
Getting there
How residents reach STD testing in Forest City, IA
Walkability7.51 / 20 · Below average
At 7.51/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Forest City 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 50436 snapshot
Residents
5,760
Median age
35.9
Median income
$68,600
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 50436 area around Forest City: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Forest City alone.
Forest City sits in Winnebago County, ZIP 50436. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Merrick City Park
Pammel Park
Eastwoods Park
Boman Park
Thomas Bearse Park
Mansion Museum
Major routes
IA 9 (East State Highway 9)
Nearby cities & towns
Nearby cities and towns near Forest City, IA
Just outside Forest City? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
STD testing in Forest City, IA: screening, costs & privacy
Everything to know before you test in Winnebago 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.
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 Forest City-area provider.
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 Forest City 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 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.
