McLennan County sees new HIV diagnoses 37% higher than the US average. Whether it's your first STI test or a routine screening in Lorena, Texas, community or public clinics often provide low-cost or free options, while private labs typically offer faster results and more flexible scheduling. See the options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Lorena, TX. The nearest, Quest Diagnostics, is about 7.6 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.
Waco Family Medicine – Imperial Drive, in Waco, earned its federal qualification by meeting strict community-health standards, which means sliding-scale STI screening priced to your income, no appointment needed. Walk in for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing in a single visit.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Waco Family Medicine in Waco tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, treating bacterial infections in the same appointment when results call for it. Fees run on a sliding scale and the clinic accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance. An appointment is required.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas in Waco requires an appointment and covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and rapid or conventional HIV testing on a sliding-scale fee with insurance accepted; same-visit treatment is available for bacterial infections, with PrEP, PEP, and HPV vaccination also on-site.
Spanish is available as a direct service language at this Waco clinic, not a routed add-on. For other languages, interpretation services are structured into the appointment: meaning clinical information, medication instructions, and prevention counseling are exchanged in the language that carries actual precision for that patient.
Title X designation means the clinic operates under federally mandated confidentiality rules, for minors specifically, that protection is legally enforceable, not a matter of staff discretion. Family planning services, STI testing, and counseling provided to younger patients are shielded from disclosure to third parties by the terms of the program itself.
Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas carries both PrEP and PEP as standing clinical services: useful for anyone without a primary care provider who can prescribe HIV prevention medication, or for someone paying out of pocket who needs sliding-scale access to the drugs themselves rather than just a recommendation toward them.
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
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 8 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Lorena, 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 McLennan 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.
100 Hillcrest Medical Boulevard, Waco, TX 76712
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
300 Richland West Circle, Suite 2C, Waco, TX 76712
CMS-certified lab
609 Elm Avenue, Waco, TX 76704
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Lorena. 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, 676 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Lorena. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 283 offer telehealth.
Jason Paltjon, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 510 North Hewitt Drive, Hewitt
Tiffany Remsing, MD
OB-GYN · 2420 Wycon Drive, Waco
Victor Serrano, MD
Internal medicine · 5940 Crosslake Parkway, Waco
Adam Flowers, MD
Family medicine · 8416 Old Mcgregor Road, Woodway
John Snider, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 7702 Central Park Drive, Waco
Harry Miller, MD
Family medicine · 5400 Crosslake Parkway, Waco
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 Lorena, 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.
5.9 mi Lynn's Pharmacy Hewitt
6.3 mi
7.9 mi 
8.0 mi 
8.0 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Lorena, 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 Lorena, 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
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
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 McLennan County, the county that includes Lorena, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~23% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#14 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 94% of the state
| Infection | McLennan County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 637.4 1,712 cases ▲ 30% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 202.5 544 cases ▲ 15% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 14.5 39 cases ▼ 3% | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 18.2 49 cases ▼ 31% | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 24.2 65 cases ▼ 45% | 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 McLennan County, chlamydia has fallen from 779.8 to 637.4 per 100,000 (18%), gonorrhea has fallen from 402.2 to 202.5 per 100,000 (50%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 11.5 to 14.5 per 100,000 (26%).
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 McLennan County.
Local HIV snapshot
McLennan County HIV care continuum (2023)
McLennan County recorded 18.8 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 20.2 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among McLennan County residents living with HIV, 79.5% are in care · 69.8% 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 McLennan County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Folks in Lorena often combine errands (a stop at Warren Park, a run down South Hewitt Drive) with the kind of health care that doesn't announce itself. STD testing fits that practical rhythm: it's something you handle quietly alongside everything else on your plate, whether you're settling into a home here, raising a family across generations under one roof, or juggling work that keeps you moving. Young adults in particular tend to think of screening as straightforward preventive care, the same way they'd get a physical or dental checkup. The clinics and providers listed on this page offer testing in and around Lorena with genuine discretion, not as a special favor, but as standard practice.
What matters most in a close-knit community is knowing your information stays protected. Testing results and your medical history remain confidential by law and by the ethical standards every provider here follows. You won't see your status reflected in gossip or neighborhood talk because the systems in place are built to keep that separation absolute. Getting tested is straightforward: reach out to any of the listed providers, ask what fits your schedule, and show up.
No elaborate backstory needed, no waiting period before you feel comfortable calling. Many people in Lorena have already done it, it's part of staying healthy and moving forward with the life you're building.
Getting there
At 5.17/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Lorena 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 76655 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 76655 area around Lorena: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Lorena alone.
Lorena sits in McLennan County, ZIP 76655. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Lorena? 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 McLennan 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 Lorena-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 Lorena 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.
Possibly, Hewitt, TX is close; compare it by distance against Quest Diagnostics.
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 637 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Texas average.
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.
Medical records are protected under federal HIPAA law, ask the clinic how it handles your information.
It's reassuring, but if you tested early in the window period, retest a few weeks later to be sure.
A retest around 3 months after treatment is recommended for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.