Syphilis reports in Comal County run about 51% below the US average: whether you're in Garden Ridge, Texas, for a test after a possible exposure or for routine care, some options allow same-day testing while others let you plan around your schedule. To weigh your options, see the choices below.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Garden Ridge, TX. The nearest, Quest Diagnostics, is about 2.6 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.
A public safety-net federally qualified health center about 3 miles from Garden Ridge. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
CommuniCare Health Centers in San Antonio runs on sliding-scale fees with Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance accepted, covering gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB. Appointment required, bacterial STIs treated same visit.
For anyone whose medical vocabulary, comfort, and instinct to ask hard questions live in Spanish, CommuniCare delivers the full conversation (history, results, treatment, next steps) in that language natively. No relay, no lag, no detail lost between a question and its answer.
For someone without a standing relationship with a primary care provider, CommuniCare's panel covers the gaps that would otherwise require a separate referral: herpes and hepatitis A, B, and C sit alongside the standard four, so one appointment handles exposures a basic clinic wouldn't address.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
CentroMed in Converse is a community health center where STI care (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis A, B, and C) runs on a sliding-scale fee with same-visit bacterial treatment; appointments are required, and services are available in Spanish.
CentroMed conducts STI visits (history, results, and treatment planning) entirely in Spanish for patients whose primary language is Spanish. For someone navigating a gonorrhea diagnosis or weighing hepatitis vaccination without a regular English-speaking provider, that full clinical conversation in Spanish is what makes follow-through realistic.
Leaving hepatitis off a standard panel means a second appointment, a second co-pay, and a gap where hepatitis B or C can go undetected. CentroMed tests for hepatitis A, B, and C alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV. Closing that gap in a single visit rather than sending patients elsewhere for the rest of the picture.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
CommuniCare at the MAC, San Antonio, welcomes walk-ins for STI screening without an appointment. Federally qualified health center status anchors a sliding-scale fee structure tied to household income, covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing in a single visit.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Planned Parenthood South Texas in San Antonio requires an appointment and covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and rapid or conventional HIV testing, with same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs, sliding-scale fees accepted by all, and Medicaid and insurance welcome.
Spanish is a working clinical language at Planned Parenthood South not a service routed through a separate system. Interpretation is also available for other languages, so the conversation between a patient and a provider carries the same precision regardless of which language it happens in.
Planned Parenthood South Texas holds Title X designation, which means family planning services for minors are legally confidential. Providers cannot report care to a parent or guardian without consent. That protection travels with every Title X-covered service, not just the visit itself.
Chasing PrEP from one clinic and DoxyPEP from another means gaps: in coverage, in continuity, and in cost. Planned Parenthood South Texas prescribes PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP as part of its standing prevention practice, so all three are available in a single clinical relationship without splitting care across providers.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 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 about 3 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Garden Ridge, 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 for simplicity & support
$89 & 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 Comal 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.
555 Creekside Crossing, New Braunfels, TX 78130
CMS-certified lab
457 Landa Unit East, New Braunfels, TX 78130
CMS-certified lab
600 North Union Avenue, New Braunfels, TX 78130
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Garden Ridge. 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, 1,540 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Garden Ridge. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 448 offer telehealth.
Leora Collins, MD
OB-GYN · 5000 Baptist Health Drive, Schertz
Jeffrey Chang, MD
OB-GYN · 5000 Schertz Parkway, Schertz
Gloria Wright, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 5016 East Fm 1518, Selma
John Lehew, DO
Family medicine · 8341 Agora Parkway, Selma
Joseph Luna, MD
Family medicine · 1739 Schertz Parkway, Schertz
Katherine Beale, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 930 Roy Richard Drive, Schertz
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 Garden Ridge, TX 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.
3.3 mi 
3.8 mi 
5.0 mi Nas Pharmacy and Wellness
5.9 miShowing the 4 closest pharmacies to Garden Ridge, TX.
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 Garden Ridge, 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 $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or 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 Comal County, the county that includes Garden Ridge, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~18% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#199 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 22% of the state
| Infection | Comal County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 191.3 371 cases ▼ 61% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 51 99 cases ▼ 71% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 7.7 15 cases ▼ 49% | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 19.6 38 cases ▼ 26% | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 15.5 30 cases ▼ 65% | 44.3 | 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 Comal County, chlamydia has fallen from 299.7 to 191.3 per 100,000 (36%), gonorrhea has fallen from 102.2 to 51 per 100,000 (50%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 1.9 to 7.7 per 100,000 (305%).
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 Comal County.
Local HIV snapshot
Comal County HIV care continuum (2023)
Comal County recorded 6.7 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 20.2 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Comal County residents living with HIV, 78.8% are in care · 69.6% 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 Comal County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Regency Oaks Park anchors one of the quieter corners of Garden Ridge, where the overwhelming majority of households are owner-occupied and more than three-quarters of adults are married. A community shaped by long roots and stable family life. That stability, though, comes paired with a labor-force participation rate that leaves a significant share of residents outside a conventional nine-to-five schedule, whether through retirement, caregiving, or other arrangements. For those who are working, the drives along FM 3009 toward San Antonio or up I-35 already carve deep into the day.
Those rhythms matter most for younger adults in their late teens and twenties: a smaller slice of Garden Ridge's population than in many Texas cities, but one still navigating new relationships and the years when routine screening carries the most practical weight. High household incomes across most of Garden Ridge mean cost is rarely the barrier, but time and distance are real ones: there's no walking to a clinic from near Zions Kirche or Paul Davis Park. That's exactly why the range of options listed on this page matters: spanning varied hours, fee structures, and distance from FM 3009, so residents can match an appointment to what their week actually holds.
Getting there
At 6.26/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Garden Ridge 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 78266 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 78266 area around Garden Ridge: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Garden Ridge alone.
Garden Ridge sits in Comal County, ZIP 78266. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Garden Ridge? 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 Comal County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Texas 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 Garden Ridge-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 Garden Ridge 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 Texas 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 Texas, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Texas 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 TexasSource: 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.
Usually yes, it can be billed to insurance, or paid out of pocket at a flat rate.
Public health clinics nearby provide free testing.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Comal County reported ~191 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Texas average.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
In Texas, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
At-home kits mail to 78266: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
PrEP is taken before exposure to prevent HIV; PEP is emergency medicine started within 72 hours after a possible exposure.
Yes, the HPV vaccine prevents the types most linked to cancer and genital warts; it's recommended through age 26 (and some adults to 45).
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.