Franklin County sees about 40% fewer new HIV diagnoses than the US average. For a one-time concern or regular check-ups in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, compare visiting a clinic with an at-home kit to decide on convenience versus expert consultation. See the options listed below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Mercersburg, PA. The nearest, Tri-State Community Health Center, is about 8.0 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.
Tri-State Community Health Center in Mcconnellsburg tests for HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and TB, treating bacterial infections the same visit when results warrant it. Fees run on a sliding scale and the clinic accepts Medicaid and private insurance. An appointment is required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Keystone Urgent Care Catherine Street, in Chambersburg, earned federal qualification as a community health center, and with it, a National Health Service Corps sliding-fee schedule that ties STI screening costs to household income. Walk-ins can access syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing without an appointment.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Pennsylvania Department of Health in Chambersburg charges no fee for any of its services, covering syphilis, HIV, and TB testing alongside family planning, vaccinations for HPV and hepatitis A and B, and STI and HIV prevention education. Appointments required.
The no-fee model here isn't limited to a single program or income tier: it covers the full range of services the department provides, from syphilis and HIV testing to TB treatment, family planning, and the HPV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B vaccine series. That operational reality is set at the department level, not negotiated visit by visit.
Spanish is listed as a direct service language at this location, meaning care (including testing, STI and HIV prevention counseling, and family planning) is conducted in Spanish without routing through a separate service. For a clinic also delivering TB prevention education and substance-use treatment, that language capacity touches every program offered.
Substance abuse treatment is a named care service at this location alongside STI and HIV testing and prevention. That structural pairing means patients managing both concerns work within one department rather than across separately administered programs, a meaningful operational fact given the clinical overlap between substance use and STI risk.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 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 Mercersburg, 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 Franklin 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.
501 East Main Street, Waynesboro, PA 17268
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
112 North Seventh Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Mercersburg. 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, 366 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Mercersburg. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 114 offer telehealth.
Steven Cohen, MD
Family medicine · 292 Buchanan Trail, Mcconnellsburg
Stephen Hoffman, DO
Family medicine · 525 Fulton Drive, Mc Connellsburg
Marianne Herr Paul, DO
Family medicine · 1408 Buchanan Trail West, Greencastle
Philip Caterbone, DO
Family medicine · 214 Peach Orchard Road, Mc Connellsburg
Branson Allen, MD
OB-GYN · 214 Peach Orchard Road, Mc Connellsburg
Michael Fitzpatrick, DO
Family medicine · 50 Eastern Avenue, Greencastle
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 Mercersburg, PA 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.
Modnur Prescription Pharmacy
0.6 miMcLaughlins Drug Store
8.0 miPaul B Macdonald’s Pharmacy
9.2 miMacdonald's Pharmacy
9.3 mi
9.5 mi 
9.6 mi Showing the 6 closest pharmacies to Mercersburg, PA.
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 Mercersburg, 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 $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
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
How reported STI rates in Franklin County, the county that includes Mercersburg, compare with Pennsylvania and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~24% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#31 of 67 Pennsylvania counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 54% of the state
| Infection | Franklin County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 226.8 358 cases ▼ 46% | 421.2 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 31 49 cases ▼ 79% | 144.7 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 3.2 5 cases ▼ 65% | 9.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 3.2 5 cases ▼ 69% | 10.3 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 8.9 14 cases ▼ 22% | 11.4 | 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 Franklin County, chlamydia has fallen from 282.8 to 226.8 per 100,000 (20%), gonorrhea has fallen from 76.3 to 31 per 100,000 (59%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 1.9 to 3.2 per 100,000 (68%).
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 Franklin County.
Local HIV snapshot
Franklin County HIV care continuum (2023)
Franklin County recorded 8.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 8.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Franklin County residents living with HIV, 84.1% are in care · 75.3% 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 Franklin County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Getting tested in Mercersburg means accepting that the nearest clinic may not be walking distance away, the town's modest size means residents often travel to Franklin County's larger medical centers for specialized services, including STI screening. That distance is real, but it's not a barrier. The confidentiality you need when seeking testing is guaranteed the same way it is anywhere else: test results belong to you alone, and the clinical staff treating you are bound by law to keep them private. What matters is that you go.
Young adults in Mercersburg (whether they're building careers, studying elsewhere, or newly partnered) have the same straightforward reasons to screen as anyone else: peace of mind, early detection, and the ability to move forward without uncertainty. Routine testing is as ordinary as any other health checkup. The clinics and urgent care facilities listed on this page serve the area and offer the confidentiality and professionalism you'd expect from any modern medical setting. Your job, your school, your relationship status, or simply the passage of time may prompt you to get tested.
When it does, the practical step is the same: find a provider in or around Mercersburg that fits your schedule and go. Keeping your sexual health on track doesn't require proximity; it requires intention.
Getting there
At 4.81/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Mercersburg 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 17236 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 17236 area around Mercersburg: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Mercersburg alone.
Mercersburg sits in Franklin County, ZIP 17236. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Mercersburg? 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 Franklin County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Pennsylvania 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 Mercersburg-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 Mercersburg 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Pennsylvania 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 PennsylvaniaSource: 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.
Nearest is Tri-State Community Health Center, about 8 mi away; 7 are within 30 miles. An at-home kit shipped to 17236 also works.
Usually yes, it can be billed to insurance, or paid out of pocket at a flat rate.
Public clinics serve people without insurance, often on a sliding scale.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Franklin County reported ~227 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Pennsylvania average.
In Pennsylvania, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
Reputable kits use the same lab methods as clinics; any positive should be confirmed and treated by a provider.
Yes, site matters; oral/anal exposure needs a throat or rectal swab, which urine testing won't catch.
Reassuring if you tested after the window, just retest if it was early, and screen again with new partners.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.