Syphilis rates in Marion County are about 81% lower than the national average. If you live in Melcher-Dallas, Iowa and are seeking STI testing before starting a new relationship or as part of ongoing care, you have choices. Community and public clinics are often low-cost or free, while private labs tend to offer faster results and more flexible scheduling. See the options listed below.
Available testing centers
5 testing options are listed for Melcher-Dallas, IA. The nearest, Pella Regional Health Center, is about 9.7 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.
Pella Regional Health Center in Knoxville schedules appointments for STI care, so booking ahead is the move, but that single visit covers rapid HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis C, and TB testing, plus treatment for bacterial infections on the spot, with fees adjusted to income and major insurance accepted.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Knoxville Office, in Knoxville, carries full federally qualified health center standing, which means STI screening for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia is priced on a sliding scale tied to household income, so no one pays more than their means allow. Walk-ins are welcome; no appointment needed.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Lucas County Health Center in Chariton anchors STI care within a county public health infrastructure, which means testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis C, and TB sits alongside family planning and vaccination on a sliding-scale fee, by appointment.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 2025 · 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 10 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Melcher-Dallas, 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 Marion 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.
1002 South Lincoln Street, Knoxville, IA 50138
CMS-certified lab
1607 North Lincoln Street, Knoxville, IA 50138
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
1518 Washington Street, Pella, IA 50219
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Melcher-Dallas. 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, 102 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Melcher-Dallas. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 7 offer telehealth.
Ruffin Tchakounte, DO
Internal medicine · 1002 South Lincoln Street, Knoxville
Bhama Jayaveerpandian, MD
Internal medicine · 1002 South Lincoln Street, Knoxville
Patricia Branch, MD
Family medicine · 1002 South Lincoln, Knoxville
Frank Filippelli, DO Telehealth
Family medicine · 813 North Lincoln Street, Knoxville
Kevin Mace, DO
Family medicine · 1208 North Lincoln Street, Knoxville
Gregory Larsen, MD
Urology · 1200 North 7th Street, Chariton
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 Melcher-Dallas, IA 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.
8.9 mi GRX Holdings
9.4 miHy-Vee
9.7 miHy-Vee Pharmacy
9.7 miShopko Stores Operating
15 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Melcher-Dallas, IA.
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 Melcher-Dallas, 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 $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
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
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 Marion County, the county that includes Melcher-Dallas, compare with Iowa and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~27% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#69 of 99 Iowa counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 30% of the state
| Infection | Marion County | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 186.6 63 cases ▼ 56% | 426.8 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 32.6 11 cases ▼ 72% | 116.8 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 3 1 cases ▼ 71% | 10.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 3 1 cases ▼ 67% | 9.2 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 3 1 cases ▼ 70% | 9.9 | 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 Marion County, chlamydia has fallen from 317.2 to 186.6 per 100,000 (41%), gonorrhea has fallen from 113.7 to 32.6 per 100,000 (71%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 6 to 3 per 100,000 (50%).
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 Marion County.
Local HIV snapshot
Marion County HIV care continuum (2021)
Marion County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2021), against 5.1 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Marion County residents living with HIV, 81.8% are in care · 81.8% 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 Marion County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Train Mural Park anchors the quieter end of town, and the modest home values and rents here reflect a place where most households have put down roots rather than passing through. That settled character shapes daily life in ways that matter for healthcare access: with nearly three-quarters of residents owning their homes and a relatively small share renting, the community tends to be stable, but fewer high earners and a labor-force participation rate that leaves a meaningful share of adults outside standard nine-to-five schedules means clinic hours and out-of-pocket costs still determine whether a screening appointment actually happens. The options listed on this page serve residents in and around Melcher-Dallas, and for those whose budgets run close to the typical rent here, even modest fees can tip the decision.
People in their late teens and twenties benefit most from low-cost, easy-to-reach care: that's the stretch of life when infections are most likely and least likely to be caught without a deliberate appointment. With unemployment low and most households running on modest but steady incomes, the practical barrier is usually time and distance rather than indifference, which is exactly what the listed options are ranked to address.
Getting there
At 4.42/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Melcher-Dallas 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 50062 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 50062 area around Melcher-Dallas: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Melcher-Dallas alone.
Melcher-Dallas sits in Marion County, ZIP 50062. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Melcher-Dallas? 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 Marion County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Iowa 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 Melcher-Dallas-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 Melcher-Dallas 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 Iowa 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 Iowa, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own; a parent may be notified only in the case of a positive HIV test result.
Iowa 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 IowaSource: 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.
Pella Regional Health Center, about 9.7 mi away, with 3 options within 30 miles.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
Yes, free HIV testing is available at public clinics in the area.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Marion County reported ~187 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Iowa average.
In Iowa, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
At-home kits mail to 50062: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
Clinics give immediate care and treatment; home kits win on convenience and discretion. Either works.
Pregnancy screening is standard; ask about an early-pregnancy STI panel.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.