STD Testing in Merced, CA: Free, Same-Day & Confidential
Merced County reports about 498 chlamydia cases per 100,000 residents, near the US average. Whether you're starting a new relationship in Merced County, California or maintaining ongoing care, the choice of testing is yours. Kliniks provide on-the-spot support, while at-home kits let you test at your convenience.
12 testing options are listed for Merced, CA. The nearest, CalPride Valle Central, is about 0.5 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
How to read these listings
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.
Premium Partner
Quest Diagnostics
Most popular Results in 1–2 days
3.8(76)?
Review sources
Google71
EasySTD5
Rated 3.8 out of 5 from 76 reviews
Address
240 East 13th Street, Merced, CA 95340 0.9 miles away
Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.
Closest to you 0.5 miles
CalPride Valle Central
No ratings yet
CalPride Valle Central in Merced delivers rapid HIV testing alongside hepatitis A, B, and C and syphilis screening, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, no appointment required, and every service, from testing to PrEP, carries no fee.
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Every Service Runs on Zero Dollars
For anyone managing care without insurance, a regular provider, or the cash to cover medications, CalPride Valle Central's no-fee structure covers the full scope (testing, counseling, and PrEP) without a cost calculation at any step.
Spanish Is the Working Language Here
When Spanish isn't available at the point of care, a patient faces a second appointment, a different clinic, or gaps that go unfilled. At CalPride Valle Central, Spanish is a primary service language: meaning HIV counseling, STI education, and prevention conversations happen directly, without the delay that pushes care off.
PrEP and PEP Both Available On-Site
CalPride Valle Central offers both PrEP, taken daily to prevent HIV acquisition, and PEP, the post-exposure course that must begin promptly. Having both on-site means prevention isn't limited to one scenario; the clinic holds the capability for ongoing suppression and acute intervention equally.
Needle Cleaning, Needle Exchange or Needle Distribution
HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education
HIV Test Counseling
Hepatitis Prevention/Education
Condom Distribution
Fees & payment
PrEP for uninsured
No Fee
Free STI Test
Free HIV Test
Free Hepatitis C Test
Listing verified Nov 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Community health center 0.7 miles
CHCA Merced Alternative Medicine Health Center
4.6(55)?
Review sources
Google50
EasySTD5
Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 55 reviews
CHCA Merced Alternative Medicine Health Center in Merced earns its federal qualification by tying fees to income, making syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening reachable for cash-paying patients, those between providers, and anyone without coverage who still needs straightforward STI care.
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in Merced tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and HIV on a sliding-scale fee with Medicaid and insurance accepted; bacterial infections treated same visit, and an appointment is required.
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Spanish Spoken, Interpretation Available Beyond
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in Merced offers care in Spanish and interpretation services for other languages, which means nuanced conversations about prevention, PrEP timing, or treatment decisions happen without a layer of approximation between a patient and their provider.
Title X Keeps Minor Patients Legally Protected
Title X designation gives Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in Merced a concrete legal obligation: services for minors are confidential by federal program rules, not just clinic policy: meaning a young person's testing, treatment, or family planning care cannot be disclosed without their consent.
No Secondary Appointment for PrEP or PEP
Without an on-site prescriber for PrEP or PEP, a person in Merced faces a second appointment at a separate practice. Days lost and prevention interrupted. Planned Parenthood Mar Monte carries both, with PrEP available for uninsured patients, so prevention doesn't stall between referral and prescription.
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Herpes
Chlamydia
Rapid HIV
Conventional HIV
Serves
Adolescents/Youth/Teens
Black or African American persons
Hispanic or Latino persons
LGBTQ
Low Income Persons
Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)
Persons with STI
Care services
Family Planning
STI Treatment
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV)
Prevention services
STI Prevention/Education
HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education
HIV Test Counseling
Hepatitis Prevention/Education
Condom Distribution
Fees & payment
Medicaid Accepted
PrEP for uninsured
Fee
Insurance Accepted
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Community health center 1.0 miles
CHCA Merced
No ratings yet
CHCA Merced, in Merced, structures its fees on a sliding scale tied to income. No one is turned away for inability to pay. As a federally qualified health center, it provides STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with no appointment required.
Central Valley PACE - Merced, serving Merced, earned its federally qualified status by tying fees to what patients actually earn. No one is turned away for inability to pay. STI screening here covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with costs adjusted on a sliding scale based on income.
Golden Valley Health Centers in Merced requires an appointment, so scheduling ahead is the access point for STI care that covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis C, and TB: bacterial infections treated same visit, fees on a sliding scale, insurance and Medicaid accepted.
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Herpes and Hepatitis C Tested Here, Same Visit
Leaving herpes or hepatitis C undetected means a second appointment somewhere else, another copay, and more time before care begins. At Golden Valley Health Centers, herpes and hepatitis C testing sit alongside the core bacterial panel. One visit closes the gap that a shorter panel leaves open.
Spanish-Language Care Without the Extra Step
When STI care requires a workaround for language, the workaround itself becomes a barrier: questions go unasked, nuance gets lost, and follow-through suffers. Golden Valley Health Centers delivers care in Spanish directly, so the clinical conversation carries its full weight from the first exchange.
Listing verified Jan 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Community health center 1.6 miles
GVHC - Senior Health and Wellness Center
No ratings yet
GVHC – Senior Health and Wellness Center in Merced earns its federal qualification partly by tying fees to each patient's income, nobody is turned away for inability to pay. Walk-in STI screening covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with costs scaled to what you actually earn.
A safety-net rural health clinic about 3 miles from Merced. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
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.
The nearest testing center is less than a mile away, if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Merced, 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 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
Quest Diagnostics
$79 & up
Panel:
8-infection panel incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis & herpes: single tests too
Sample:
Quest Mobile: a phlebotomist collects your sample at home
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
Other CLIA-certified labs near Merced, CA
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Merced 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.
Showing 6 of the CLIA-certified labs in Merced County.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Merced. 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
Clinicians near Merced, CA who may help arrange STD testing
Beyond dedicated clinics, 179 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Merced. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 45 offer telehealth.
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
Pharmacies near Merced, CA
Compare the pharmacies closest to Merced, CA. Contact a location directly to confirm pharmacy-counter hours, services, prices, and product availability before visiting.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
PrEP, prevention & online treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Merced, 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.
Online treatment
Wisp
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions 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
STDs & HIV in Merced County: the local picture
How reported STI rates in Merced County, the county that includes Merced, compare with California and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~34% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#11
#11 of 58 California counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 81% of the state
Reported STD rates per 100,000, Merced County vs California vs U.S.
Merced CountyCaliforniaU.S.▲▼ = Merced County vs the state average
Infection
Merced County
California
United States
Chlamydia
498.11,454 cases▲ 1%
491.1
492.2
Gonorrhea
108.2316 cases▼ 43%
190.2
179.5
Syphilis (P&S)
14.442 cases▼ 12%
16.3
15.8
Syphilis (early)
11.333 cases▼ 41%
19.1
16
Syphilis (late/unknown)
76.4223 cases▲ 64%
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.
Reported STD rates in Merced County over time (per 100,000)
Chlamydia ▲ 9% vs 2022
Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis (P&S)
Between 2020 and 2023 in Merced County, chlamydia has risen from 461.2 to 498.1 per 100,000 (8%), gonorrhea has fallen from 236.5 to 108.2 per 100,000 (54%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 21 to 14.4 per 100,000 (31%).
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
What shapes testing access in and around Merced, CA
Adults uninsured
14.2%
No routine checkup
30.7%
No transportation
12.9%
Binge drinking
16%
Frequent mental distress
19%
Depression
21.6%
Below poverty line
19.9%
Primary-care ratio
2,387 : 1
Merced County
Primary-care shortage score 20 / 26
Medically Underserved Area · IMU 55.3
Social Vulnerability Index · 97th percentile nationally
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 Merced County.
Local HIV snapshot
HIV in Merced County (2023)
People living with HIV
192 / 100k
New diagnoses (2023)
53cases countywide
On PrEP (coverage)
23.3%
Merced County HIV care continuum (2023)
Merced County recorded 22.6 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 14.9 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Merced County residents living with HIV, 81% are in care · 72.9% 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.
Pregnant or planning to be?Congenital syphilis is the fastest-rising STI: what to test, and when
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 Merced County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Compiled and checked by EasySTD's editorial team against CDC and public-health sources. This is educational information, not a substitute for advice from a licensed clinician. Our editorial guidelines →
CA 99 Business cuts through Merced's core, and for many residents a clinic visit means merging onto it or navigating Martin Luther King Junior Way to reach the nearest option listed on this page, a real drive that takes planning rather than impulse. That access reality lands differently when most households here rent rather than own, and a typical monthly rent already absorbs a meaningful share of take-home pay, leaving little room to treat a co-pay or an afternoon off work as an afterthought. The city's labor picture adds another layer. With more than four in ten working-age residents outside the labor force and unemployment running notably high, schedules are uneven in both directions: some people have time but tight finances, others are piecing together shifts with no predictable day off.
Merced also carries a large share of young adults in their late teens and twenties, the years when STI exposure is most common and when a relationship or living situation can shift quickly. Household size here runs well above the national average, meaning that in many homes, multiple adults share space and, often, overlapping social networks. For those adults, whether partnered or not, routine screening is simply a practical part of managing health alongside everything else life in this city asks of them.
Getting there
How residents reach STD testing in Merced, CA
Walkability12.45 / 20 · Above average
Merced scores 12.45/20 on the EPA walkability index, so many trips are walkable or a short ride, though a car still gives you the widest choice of testing centers.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 95340 snapshot
Residents
38,045
Median age
31.8
Median income
$65,141
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 95340 area around Merced: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Merced alone.
Merced sits in Merced County, ZIP 95340. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Merced County Courthouse Museum
Court House Square Park
Applegate Park
Bear Creek Park
Kiwanis Kiddieland
Applegate Zoo
Neighborhoods & communities
Ragsdale
Bellevue Ranch
Major routes
CA 99 BUS (West 16th Street)
CA 59 (Martin Luther King Junior Way)
Golden State Highway
Nearby cities & towns
STD testing near Merced, CA
Just outside Merced? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
STD testing in Merced, CA: screening, costs & privacy
Everything to know before you test in Merced 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.
Who should test, and whenCDC screening schedule + each infection's detection window
Who should get tested, and how often
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
When to test: STD detection windows
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Merced-area provider.
What each STD test costsMedicare reference prices per lab test, a benchmark before you pay out of pocket
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Merced 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.
Confidentiality & consent in CaliforniaMinor consent and partner treatment (EPT) under state law, plus how to test privately
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).
Can a minor consent on their own?
In California, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Can my partner be treated too? (EPT)
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.
