The reported chlamydia rate in Carter County runs about 45% lower than the US average. For a one-time concern or regular check-ups in Horseshoe, Tennessee, some clinics take walk-ins for same-day testing, while labs and at-home kits let you plan around your own time. Find your options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Horseshoe, TN. The nearest, Tennessee Department of Health, is about 5.6 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.
Tennessee Department of Health in Elizabethton brings the infrastructure of a public health department to STI care: conventional HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis C, and TB testing with same-visit bacterial treatment, by appointment, all at no fee.
Tennessee Department of Health in Elizabethton charges nothing for any service it provides, testing, treatment, vaccines, PrEP, DoxyPEP. That zero-cost floor means a patient can follow through on treatment, return visits, and prevention without weighing each step against a bill.
Interpretation services are available for non-English-speaking patients at Tennessee Department of Health in Elizabethton, covering the full scope of care. From intake through counseling and treatment. Access to the clinical conversation itself, not just the paperwork, is what keeps care from stalling at a language gap.
Splitting PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP across multiple providers means delays, dropped follow-through, and gaps that matter. Tennessee Department of Health in Elizabethton prescribes all three under one roof, so prevention, whether ongoing or time-sensitive, doesn't hinge on coordinating across separate practices.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Roan Mountain Medical Center, in Roan Mountain, earns federal qualification that requires income-based sliding-scale fees. Meaning cost adjusts to what you actually earn. Walk-in STI screening covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with no appointment needed and no one turned away for inability to pay.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Bluff City Medical Center, in Bluff City, ties its STI screening fees to patient income. Federal health center status means no one is turned away for inability to pay. Walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening, with costs scaled to what you actually earn.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
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 6 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Horseshoe, 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 Carter 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.
1501 West Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
1500 West Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Horseshoe. 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, 542 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Horseshoe. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 88 offer telehealth.
Barnabas Hines, DO
Family medicine · 420 Railroad Street, Elizabethton
Lori Church, MD
Family medicine · 1500 West Elk Avenue, Elizabethton
Michelle Davenport, MD
Internal medicine · 306 Pine Hill Road, Elizabethton
Scott May, MD
OB-GYN · 923 West G Street, Elizabethton
Edward Fore, MD
Family medicine · 1633 Hillview Drive, Elizabethton
Megan Johnson Telehealth
Family medicine · 1497 West Elk Avenue, Elizabethton
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 Horseshoe, TN 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.
Hampton Pharmacy
4.4 mi
4.9 mi Food City Pharmacy
5.2 miK VA T Food Stores
5.2 miShowing the 4 closest pharmacies to Horseshoe, TN.
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 Horseshoe, 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.
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
$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
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
How reported STI rates in Carter County, the county that includes Horseshoe, compare with Tennessee and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~22% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#52 of 95 Tennessee counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 45% of the state
| Infection | Carter County | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 270.1 154 cases ▼ 48% | 517.4 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 107 61 cases ▼ 43% | 186.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 5.3 3 cases ▼ 64% | 14.8 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | — no data | 11.5 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 10.5 6 cases ▼ 60% | 26.4 | 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 Carter County, chlamydia has fallen from 317.6 to 270.1 per 100,000 (15%), gonorrhea has fallen from 186.3 to 107 per 100,000 (43%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 3.5 to 5.3 per 100,000 (51%).
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 Carter County.
Local HIV snapshot
Carter County HIV care continuum (2023)
Among Carter County residents living with HIV, 90.9% are in care · 88.6% 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 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 Carter County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Horseshoe draws people who want to build something: whether that means restoring a farmhouse near Pond Mountain, settling into family land that's been held for decades, or raising children in a place where neighbors don't turn over every few years. That stability and rootedness create a particular kind of privacy: the kind where you need to know your testing stays confidential, not because you're hiding from the town, but because discretion is simply how things work here. Young adults moving into Horseshoe or staying after growing up here often discover that screening for STIs fits naturally into routine health care, a straightforward conversation with a provider who knows the landscape of Carter County. The testing sites and clinics in and around Horseshoe listed on this page offer that straightforward approach.
Confidentiality is built into how they operate, not as an afterthought but as standard practice. Results don't travel through the community grapevine; they stay between you and your provider. Whether you're new to Horseshoe or have watched the dam and the mountain ridges your whole life, getting tested is a practical step that fits into the rhythms of living here. No drama, no assumptions, just care.
Getting there
At 5.61/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Horseshoe 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 37643 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 37643 area around Horseshoe: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Horseshoe alone.
Horseshoe sits in Carter County, ZIP 37643. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Horseshoe? 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 Carter County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Tennessee 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 Horseshoe-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 Horseshoe 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Tennessee 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 TennesseeSource: 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.
There are 7 options within a 30-mile drive.
Usually yes, it can be billed to insurance, or paid out of pocket at a flat rate.
Tennessee Department of Health, about 5.6 mi away, provides free testing.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Carter County reported ~270 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Tennessee 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 Tennessee, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
At-home kits mail to 37643: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
Your results are part of your HIPAA-protected medical record; you can ask any clinic about its own privacy practices.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.