Rusk County reports about 17 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents, near the US average. Whether you have symptoms or simply want peace of mind in Lake Cherokee, Texas, you can choose between visiting a clinic to address questions and start treatment or using an at-home kit to collect a sample at your convenience and mail it in. The option you choose depends on your personal preference.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Lake Cherokee, TX. The nearest, Wellness Pointe - Longview - South, is about 8.7 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.
Wellness Pointe – Longview – South earned its federally qualified designation by tying fees directly to income, so sliding-scale STI screening (syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing) stays within reach across income levels. Walk-ins are welcome, and no appointment is needed to get started.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Wellness Pointe in Longview runs by appointment, so scheduling ahead unlocks the full visit: gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, rapid and conventional HIV, herpes, and hepatitis A, B, and C testing, plus same-visit bacterial treatment, sliding-scale fees, and HPV and hepatitis A and B vaccines.
Wellness Pointe runs a ten-pathogen panel (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, rapid and conventional HIV, herpes simplex, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB) meaning a single scheduled visit can surface infections that a narrower panel would leave undetected and unaddressed.
Without a clinic that carries PrEP as a standing service, the gap between a prevention conversation and an actual prescription can stretch across multiple providers and weeks. Wellness Pointe prescribes and manages PrEP and PEP directly, keeping the prevention continuum intact within one practice.
Wellness Pointe maintains Spanish-language capacity as a direct clinical resource and has structured interpretation services in place for other languages: meaning providers can take a history, explain a diagnosis, and walk through a treatment plan in the language the patient uses, without routing communication through a secondary layer.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Woman and Child Health Center of Longview meets patients where they are (uninsured, between providers, or paying out of pocket) through federally qualified status that ties fees directly to income. Walk-ins are welcome for sliding-scale syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening, with no appointment needed.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Wellness Pointe - Materials Management, in Longview, earns its federally qualified designation partly by tying fees to what patients actually earn. No one is turned away for inability to pay. Walk-in STI screening covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia on that same sliding scale.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
A safety-net federally qualified health center about 11 miles from Lake Cherokee. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
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 9 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Lake Cherokee, 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 Rusk 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.
300 Wilson Street, Henderson, TX 75652
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Lake Cherokee. 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, 195 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Lake Cherokee. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 58 offer telehealth.
Michael Weber, MD
Family medicine · 810 North Hill Street, Tatum
James Dozier, MD
OB-GYN · 402 North 7th Street, Longview
Anita Scribner, MD
Infectious disease · 409 North 6th Street, Longview
Brenda Vozza, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 300 North 3rd Street, Longview
Benjamin Cameron, DO Telehealth
Internal medicine · 505 North 6th Street, Longview
April Gatson, MD
Family medicine · 140 East Tyler Street, Longview
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 Lake Cherokee, 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.
6.8 mi Louis Morgan Drug
9.5 miSuper 1 Pharmacy
9.5 miT and H Pharmacy
9.7 miMedical Plaza Pharmacy
11 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Lake Cherokee, 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 Lake Cherokee, 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 Rusk County, the county that includes Lake Cherokee, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~17% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#83 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 67% of the state
| Infection | Rusk County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 376.8 200 cases ▼ 23% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 90.4 48 cases ▼ 49% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 17 9 cases ▲ 13% | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 103.6 55 cases ▲ 292% | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 226.1 120 cases ▲ 410% | 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 Rusk County, chlamydia has risen from 296.9 to 376.8 per 100,000 (27%), gonorrhea has fallen from 160.9 to 90.4 per 100,000 (44%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 13.3 to 17 per 100,000 (28%).
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 Rusk County.
Local HIV snapshot
Rusk County HIV care continuum (2023)
Rusk County recorded 26.8 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 20.2 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Rusk County residents living with HIV, 81.2% are in care · 65.5% 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 Rusk County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Lake Cherokee, in Rusk County, Texas, is a small-town community, where roughly 29.6% are college graduates. The local job market is strong, with unemployment near 2.6%, and homeownership is the norm. With only a handful of local providers, residents often turn to at-home kits or telehealth, with a clinic visit close by when needed.
Getting there
At 6.47/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Lake Cherokee 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 75652 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 75652 area around Lake Cherokee: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Lake Cherokee alone.
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Lake Cherokee? 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 Rusk 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 Lake Cherokee-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 Lake Cherokee 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.
The closest is Wellness Pointe - Longview - South (8.7 mi); 9 options are within 30 miles.
Most plans cover STD screening; a clinic or lab can bill insurance, or you can pay a flat self-pay price.
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 377 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the Texas average.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 75652; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
In Texas, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
Start treatment, tell recent partners so they can test, avoid sex until cleared, and retest if advised, most STIs resolve with care.
A urine sample or a swab (genital, throat, or rectal) detects gonorrhea, often tested alongside chlamydia.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.