Horry County reports about 15 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 residents, near the US average. If you are in Howard, South Carolina, whether or not you have symptoms, you can weigh your options of public, private, and at-home testing. We list these choices below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Howard, SC. The nearest, Goshen Medical Center - Tabor City, is about 2.9 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.
Goshen Medical Center - Tabor City meets Tabor City residents where they are: whether uninsured, paying cash, or caught between providers. Federal qualification means STI screening, including syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, runs on a sliding-scale fee tied to income, with no appointment needed to be seen.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Little River Medical Center in Loris runs a full panel (HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB) with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections; the sliding-scale fee structure applies to everyone, and an appointment is required.
Sliding-scale clinics routinely land patients with a residual charge once insurance and adjustments are applied. Little River Medical Center in Loris closes that gap entirely, every service, from testing to treatment to vaccines, is provided at no fee.
When a clinic can't conduct a full clinical conversation in Spanish, infections go unmanaged and follow-up doesn't happen. Little River Medical Center in Loris delivers care directly in Spanish, so nothing between a positive result and a completed treatment course gets lost to a language barrier.
Ryan White Program funding at Little River Medical Center in Loris supports the complete arc of HIV care, from rapid and conventional testing through ongoing HIV/AIDS medical treatment and medication adherence counseling, meaning sustained clinical management, not a one-time test, is what the program underwrites.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Goshen Medical Center, a full-service medical clinic in Chadbourn, folds STI care into primary-care infrastructure: covering gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, plus TB, on a sliding-scale fee with appointments required and same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, with interpretation services available.
Without interpretation, a patient leaves Goshen Medical Center with questions unasked, symptoms undescribed, and a prescription unfilled. That untreated gap is the real cost. Interpretation services built into this clinic mean the clinical conversation happens completely, in Chadbourn, at the visit itself.
Without a regular primary-care provider, herpes and hepatitis testing often requires a separate visit somewhere else entirely: Goshen Medical Center runs herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV in a single appointment. For anyone paying cash on a sliding scale, consolidating that breadth here is the practical difference between a complete picture and a partial one.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
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 Howard, 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 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 Horry 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.
3008 Bayboro Street, Loris, SC 29569
CMS-certified lab
3655 Mitchell Street, Loris, SC 29569
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
817 Farrar Drive, Conway, SC 29526
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Howard. 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, 383 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Howard. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 71 offer telehealth.
Mary Baker, MD
Internal medicine · 3817 Main Street, Loris
Christopher Po, MD
Internal medicine · 3112 Casey Street, Loris
Shannon Tiebout, DO
Family medicine · 3418 Casey Street, Loris
Merritt King
OB-GYN · 3617 Casey Street, Loris
Roopak Sekhon, MD
Internal medicine · 3655 Mitchell Street, Loris
James Gasque, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 3612 Mitchell Street, Loris
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 Howard, SC 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.
Tabor City Medicine Mart
2.4 miMedicine Mart Vital Care
2.4 miDameron Discount Drugs Health Mart
2.5 miKerr Drug
2.9 mi
2.9 mi 
3.6 mi Showing the 6 closest pharmacies to Howard, SC.
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 Howard, 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 Horry County, the county that includes Howard, compare with South Carolina 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.
#33 of 46 South Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 28% of the state
| Infection | Horry County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 494.6 1,966 cases ▼ 19% | 612.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 156.5 622 cases ▼ 30% | 222.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 11.3 45 cases ▼ 35% | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 19.1 76 cases ▲ 2% | 18.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 1 4 cases ▼ 91% | 11.7 | 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.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Horry County, chlamydia has fallen from 537.3 to 494.6 per 100,000 (8%), gonorrhea has fallen from 229.9 to 156.5 per 100,000 (32%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 9.4 to 11.3 per 100,000 (20%).
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 Horry County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: South Carolina 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.
Horry County HIV care continuum (2023)
Horry County recorded 15.1 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 18.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Horry County residents living with HIV, 82.5% are in care · 72.3% 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.
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 Horry County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Agricultural equipment dealers and timber operations anchor Howard's economy, drawing workers who settle here and build lives across generations. That stability (families staying put, investing in homes) shapes how health matters get handled. Routine STI screening fits naturally into the rhythms of preventive care for young adults in the community, whether someone is establishing themselves in a new job, moving through relationships, or simply staying on top of their own health as part of regular checkups. Testing in and around Howard happens through clinics and providers listed on this page, many offering confidential results that remain separate from employment records, insurance explanations, or household mail. Residents in neighborhoods like Loris and throughout the area can access screening without navigating the kind of visibility that smaller towns sometimes impose.
Walk-in appointments and discreet scheduling mean someone can get tested without announcing plans to anyone else. The fact that Howard draws people who commit to staying shapes local attitudes around quiet, straightforward healthcare. Confidentiality isn't a special request here, it's how testing gets done. Young adults managing their sexual health find providers accustomed to handling these visits as routine medical care, part of the same framework as any other preventive screening.
Getting there
At 3.43/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Howard 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 29569 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 29569 area around Howard: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Howard alone.
Howard sits in Horry County, ZIP 29569. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Howard? 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 Horry County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under South Carolina 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 Howard-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 Howard 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
South Carolina 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 South CarolinaSource: 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.
The closest is Goshen Medical Center - Tabor City (2.9 mi); 7 options are within 30 miles.
Public clinics are free; private labs ~$24–$139, at-home kits $49+.
Yes, community and public clinics test the uninsured, with sliding-scale fees.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 495 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the South Carolina average.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 29569; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
In South Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, most chlamydia infections cause no symptoms, so screening is the only reliable way to catch it.
Start treatment, tell recent partners so they can test, avoid sex until cleared, and retest if advised, most STIs resolve with care.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.