Nevada County has about 60% fewer gonorrhea cases than the US average. If you need testing in Lake of the Pines, California, whether from a recent potential exposure or for routine care, consider the trade-offs between clinics and at-home kits.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Lake of the Pines, CA. The nearest, Western Sierra Medical Clinic - Rock Creek, is about 6.8 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.
Western Sierra Medical Clinic - Rock Creek, in Auburn, earns federal qualification that anchors its sliding-scale fee structure to patient income. Walk-ins are welcome for STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. No appointment needed to get everything addressed in a single visit.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Chapa-de Indian Health in Auburn runs on a sliding scale and accepts Medicare and most insurance, covering gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and conventional HIV testing alongside HPV and hepatitis A and B vaccines; bacterial STIs are treated the same visit, by appointment.
Clinical staff at Chapa-de Indian Health deliver STI care in Spanish, which means testing, results, and treatment decisions all happen in one conversation. Nothing condensed or deferred to a follow-up.
Chapa-De carries substance-use treatment alongside its STI program, so patients managing both concerns can address them within a single coordinated care relationship rather than juggling separate providers.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Dec 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Western Sierra Medical Clinic in Penn Valley carries federally qualified status, meaning its sliding-scale fees are tied to income: whether patients are between providers, paying cash, or simply weighing the cost of care. Walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening without an appointment.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Western Sierra Medical Clinic - Women's Health and Newborn Care, in Grass Valley, welcomes walk-in patients for STI screening under its federally qualified health center sliding-scale fee structure. A single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing, with costs adjusted to income.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
LivingWell Medical Clinic in Grass Valley tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and hepatitis C. All at no charge, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections. An appointment is required, and sliding-scale fees apply when donations are accepted.
Sliding-scale fees are the norm at most STI clinics, a floor that still asks something of everyone who walks in. LivingWell Medical Clinic in Grass Valley charges nothing at all: testing, treatment, and the visit itself are provided without cost, and donations are accepted only when a patient chooses to give.
Many clinics leave non-English speakers navigating care in a language that isn't their own, with no support built into the appointment. LivingWell Medical Clinic in Grass Valley has interpretation services integrated into its care, so the conversation between provider and patient can happen in the language a person actually uses.
Leaving herpes or hepatitis C off a panel means a second appointment, a separate lab, and the window where an undetected infection goes unaddressed. LivingWell Medical Clinic in Grass Valley tests for both alongside HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, closing that gap before it opens.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 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 7 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Lake of the Pines, 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 for simplicity & support
$89 & 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 Nevada 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.
11815 Education Street, Auburn, CA 95602
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
3257 Professional Drive, Suite B, Auburn, CA 95602
CMS-certified lab
Showing the nearest 2 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Lake of the Pines. 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, 659 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Lake of the Pines. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 334 offer telehealth.
Jameson Forshee, DO Telehealth
Family medicine · 10058 Wolf Road, Grass Valley
Raja Tooma, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 13300 New Airport Road, Auburn
Neil Nedley, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 13300 New Airport Road, Auburn
Gregory Vaughan, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 3280 Professional Drive, Auburn
Mohammad Yusufzai, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 3237 Professional Drive, Auburn
Apeet Hundal, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 3200 Bell Road, Auburn
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 of the Pines, CA 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.
1.6 mi Meadow Vista Pharmacy
3.5 mi
6.8 mi Gold Country Compounding
6.9 mi
6.9 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Lake of the Pines, CA.
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 of the Pines, 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
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 $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 Nevada County, the county that includes Lake of the Pines, compare with California 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.
#49 of 58 California counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 16% of the state
| Infection | Nevada County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 170.5 174 cases ▼ 65% | 491.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 71.5 73 cases ▼ 62% | 190.2 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 9.8 10 cases ▼ 40% | 16.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 2 2 cases ▼ 90% | 19.1 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 3.9 4 cases ▼ 92% | 46.7 | 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 Nevada County, chlamydia has fallen from 192.7 to 170.5 per 100,000 (12%), gonorrhea has risen from 55.8 to 71.5 per 100,000 (28%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 4.9 to 9.8 per 100,000 (100%).
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 Nevada County.
Local HIV snapshot
Nevada County HIV care continuum (2023)
Among Nevada County residents living with HIV, 81.5% are in care · 71.5% 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 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 Nevada County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Along CA 49 near the Gautier Bridge, the nearest testing option is a deliberate trip rather than a lunchtime errand. That's simply what getting screened looks like in a community where most people drive everywhere and nothing is particularly close. Lake Of The Pines is shaped by long-term residents: four in five households own their homes, and well over half of adults are married, which means the population skews toward established households rather than the transient churn of higher-density towns. Yet younger adults still forming relationships do live here, and for them especially, having to plan a dedicated outing along Highway 49 can turn a straightforward decision into one that gets deferred.
The workforce picture adds another layer. With just over half of adults participating in the labor force and unemployment running meaningfully high, schedules here aren't always the predictable nine-to-five that makes a mid-week clinic visit easy: some residents have inconsistent hours, and others are stretched managing household costs that include rents approaching $1,900 a month. That's where the range of options listed on this page matters most. Twenty-listings spanning in and around the broader Nevada County corridor means varied hours, fee structures, and distances along CA 49, so a resident near Cascade Crossing can find something that fits a Thursday afternoon gap or a payday-adjusted budget, rather than waiting on a window that may not come.
Getting there
At 8.79/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Lake of the Pines 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 95602 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 95602 area around Lake of the Pines: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Lake of the Pines alone.
Lake of the Pines sits in Nevada County, ZIP 95602. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Lake of the Pines? 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 Nevada County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under California 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 of the Pines-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 of the Pines 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 California 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 California, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
California 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 CaliforniaSource: 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.
Closest is Western Sierra Medical Clinic - Rock Creek (6.8 mi), or order an at-home kit to 95602.
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 171 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the California average.
In California, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Lab results typically come back in 1–2 days.
Public health clinics, family-planning clinics, and many school or campus health centers test teens and young adults, often free.
That's a myth; STIs need sexual contact to spread, not surfaces.
Community health centers and family-planning clinics serve all patients, and many offer LGBTQ-affirming care, ask the site directly.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.