In Palm River-Clair Mel, Florida, new HIV diagnoses in Hillsborough run about 99% higher than the US average. You might want a one-time check-up or regular STI testing. If you prefer to collect a sample at your convenience, then send it in, you can use an at-home kit. In contrast, clinics offer in-person support and immediate treatment. We list both options below.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Palm River-Clair Mel, FL. The nearest, Tampa Family Health Centers, is about 0.6 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.
Tampa Family Health Centers runs STI testing and same-visit treatment for bacterial infections through a family practice model, with fees on a sliding scale accepted by Medicaid, Medicare, and most insurers. Appointments are required, and Spanish-language care is available.
Tampa Family Health Centers delivers STI consultations, treatment decisions, and follow-up in Spanish. Meaning the clinical conversation itself happens in Spanish, not around it. That keeps symptom detail and treatment instructions accurate from the first question to the last.
Beyond gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, the clinic's panel includes herpes testing. Ordered and processed through the same appointment, not flagged for a separate visit. Clinicians can act on a broader picture of what's present before you leave.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Suncoast Community Health Centers is a Tampa community health center where STI care sits alongside primary care: meaning gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV testing come with same-visit bacterial treatment, sliding-scale fees for all, and appointments required. Spanish is spoken here.
Suncoast Community Health Centers carries Spanish through the entire visit (history, results, and treatment instructions) so nothing gets compressed into a hurried summary at the end. That continuity shapes how accurately a patient can describe symptoms and how completely they leave understanding a treatment plan.
Beyond the core bacterial and HIV screening, Suncoast tests for both hepatitis B and hepatitis C at the same appointment. The hepatitis B vaccine is also stocked and administered on-site, and hepatitis C, when detected, is managed through the center's own clinical team rather than handed off elsewhere.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Suncoast Neighborhood Health Clinic in Tampa ties STI screening fees directly to income, so cost is never a barrier to care. Federally qualified and sliding-scale by design, the clinic offers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening. No appointment needed to get started.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Center of Excellence in Training and Education in Brandon welcomes walk-ins for STI screening without an appointment. Federal qualification underpins its sliding-scale fees, letting costs adjust to income. A single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing, making it straightforward to address multiple concerns at once.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
USF Health in Tampa runs on a sliding-scale fee structure with free HIV and STI testing available, accepting Medicaid and private insurance across a full panel (HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB) with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections. Appointments required.
The no-fee model at USF Health is underwritten by a layered funding structure (Medicaid billing, Ryan White grants, and sliding-scale assessments) so every service on the roster, from the initial panel to PrEP prescriptions and DoxyPEP, is staffed and dispensed through the same clinical operation without a separate cost tier.
USF Health offers Spanish-language services alongside broader interpretation, which means clinical conversations about medication adherence, PrEP dosing, or hepatitis C treatment happen with full nuance intact. The kind of detail that directly affects whether a patient follows through on a regimen.
For someone paying out of pocket or without a consistent HIV provider, USF Health's Ryan White funding is the practical answer. It underwrites HIV medical treatment and ongoing management, so the clinic serves people who need a standing care relationship, not just a one-time result.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jan 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 less than a mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Palm River-Clair Mel, 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 value: single tests
$49 & 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 Hillsborough, 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.
9350 Bay Plaza Blvd Suite 120, Tampa, FL 33619
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
12530 US Hwy 301 South, Riverview, FL 33578
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
3110 Cherry Palm Dr Suite 340, Tampa, FL 33619
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
9661 Delaney Creek Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33619
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
6901 Simmons Loop, Riverview, FL 33578
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Palm River-Clair Mel. 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, 2,471 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Palm River-Clair Mel. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 685 offer telehealth.
Mark Patterson, MD
Family medicine · 7608 Causeway Boulevard, Tampa
Wilbert Jacobs Ii, MD
Family medicine · 7728 Palm River Road, Tampa
Octavio Chavez Herbas, MD
Internal medicine · 3140 South Falkenburg Road, Riverview
Ernest Fontecha, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 3140 South Falkenburg Road, Riverview
Linda Maynard, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 10740 Palm River Road, Tampa
Ramesh Ashwath, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 1130 Kyle Wood Lane, Brandon
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 Palm River-Clair Mel, FL 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.
My Pharmacy of Tampa
0.2 miCauseway Pharmacy
0.5 mi
1.3 mi Palm River Community Health Center
1.3 miDollex Pharmacy
1.3 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Palm River-Clair Mel, FL.
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 Palm River-Clair Mel, 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
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
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 Hillsborough, the county that includes Palm River-Clair Mel, compare with Florida and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~28% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#9 of 67 Florida counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 87% of the state
| Infection | Hillsborough | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 616.2 9,462 cases ▲ 24% | 498.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 252.1 3,871 cases ▲ 22% | 206.7 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 26.6 408 cases ▲ 38% | 19.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 21.8 334 cases ▼ 13% | 25.1 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 53.9 827 cases ▲ 43% | 37.7 | 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 Hillsborough, chlamydia has risen from 564 to 616.2 per 100,000 (9%), gonorrhea has risen from 250 to 252.1 per 100,000 (1%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 23.3 to 26.6 per 100,000 (14%).
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 Hillsborough.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Hillsborough is one of 48 U.S. counties prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Hillsborough HIV care continuum (2023)
Hillsborough recorded 27.3 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 22.7 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Hillsborough residents living with HIV, 82.3% know their status · 81.5% 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.
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 Hillsborough tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Centennial Park sits quietly at the edge of Palm River, the kind of landmark that makes the neighborhood feel rooted and familiar. Underneath that settled feeling, though, the logistics of health care can be less straightforward: reaching the options listed on this page often means navigating Causeway Boulevard or the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, and for households where someone is between jobs, that drive carries a cost beyond mileage. The community's profile shapes the practical stakes here. Nearly six in ten residents own their homes, but average household sizes run large, meaning budgets stretch across multiple people even before a medical visit enters the calculation.
With only about one in seven households clearing a six-figure income, an out-of-pocket screening fee is a real line item, not a minor inconvenience. Young adults in their late teens and twenties, who account for a substantial share of Palm River-Clair Mel's population and for whom STI rates nationally are highest, often fall into the gap where they work but have no employer coverage, or share finances across a crowded household. That cost reality is especially pointed for renters paying around the community's typical monthly rent, who may be weighing every discretionary expense.
Getting there
At 9.7/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Palm River-Clair Mel 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 33578 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 33578 area around Palm River-Clair Mel: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Palm River-Clair Mel alone.
Palm River-Clair Mel sits in Hillsborough, ZIP 33578. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Palm River-Clair Mel? 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 Hillsborough: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Florida 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 Palm River-Clair Mel-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 Palm River-Clair Mel 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 Florida 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 Florida, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Florida 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 FloridaSource: 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.
The closest is Tampa Family Health Centers (0.6 mi); 9 options are within 30 miles.
Medicaid generally covers STD testing, and public clinics test for free regardless of coverage.
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 616 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Florida average.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
In Florida, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 33578; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
A clinic offers same-day answers and on-site treatment; an at-home kit trades that for privacy and convenience, both use real lab testing.
Yes, the CDC recommends STI screening early in pregnancy, since untreated infections can affect the baby.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.