Lancaster County reports about 16 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents. If you've had a recent risk or simply test on a regular schedule, you have two main options in Panama, Nebraska. Some clinics offer same-day testing without an appointment, while labs and at-home kits allow you to plan around your own time.
Available testing centers
6 testing options are listed for Panama, NE. The nearest, Johnson County Hospital, 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.
A public safety-net rural health clinic about 10 miles from Panama. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Planned Parenthood North Central States in Lincoln runs by appointment and covers HIV (rapid and conventional), syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C: with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, sliding-scale fees, and every service available at no cost.
Planned Parenthood North Central States in Lincoln extends no-fee care to anyone who walks in, not just those who qualify on paper. Whether you're paying cash, between providers, or picking up PrEP, DoxyPEP, or HIV treatment, the cost is the same: nothing.
When STI care can't be delivered in Spanish, the result is often a delayed diagnosis, a misunderstood treatment plan, or a follow-up that never happens. At Planned Parenthood North Central States in Lincoln, Spanish is woven into the care itself. Not managed around it.
As a Title X clinic, Planned Parenthood North Central States in Lincoln is the right fit for a young person who needs STI testing, contraception, or PrEP without a parent's involvement: Title X legally protects that confidentiality, which no standard appointment or insurance claim can guarantee.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · 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 10 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Panama, 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 Lancaster 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.
600 South 70th St Building 1 1st Floor, Lincoln, NE 68510
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
8560 Foxtail Dr Suite 201, Lincoln, NE 68526
CMS-certified lab
555 South 70th Street, Lincoln, NE 68510
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 Panama. 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, 242 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Panama. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 51 offer telehealth.
Wasim Chughtai, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 5455 New Castle Road, Lincoln
Gregory Alberts, MD
Urology · 7440 South 91st Street, Lincoln
Hannah Chan, MD
Family medicine · 8801 Pebble Creek Court, Lincoln
Ruby Marie-Northrup, DO Telehealth
Internal medicine · 7120 South 69th Street, Lincoln
Christina Cassel, MD
Family medicine · 8550 Cuthills Circle, Lincoln
Jaime Dodge, MD
Family medicine · 5445 Red Rock Lane, Lincoln
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 Panama, NE 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.
Meadowlark Pharmacy
6.5 miLake Crest Pharmacy
9.7 miGenoa Healthcare
10 mi
10 mi Showing the 4 closest pharmacies to Panama, NE.
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 Panama, 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
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
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 Lancaster County, the county that includes Panama, compare with Nebraska and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~11% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#6 of 93 Nebraska counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 94% of the state
| Infection | Lancaster County | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 495.2 1,618 cases ▲ 6% | 468.8 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 113.9 372 cases ▼ 1% | 115.5 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 15.9 52 cases ▲ 53% | 10.4 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 10.1 33 cases ▲ 68% | 6 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 41.9 137 cases ▲ 93% | 21.7 | 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 Lancaster County, chlamydia has fallen from 573.5 to 495.2 per 100,000 (14%), gonorrhea has fallen from 249.5 to 113.9 per 100,000 (54%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 3.4 to 15.9 per 100,000 (368%).
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 Lancaster County.
Local HIV snapshot
Lancaster County HIV care continuum (2023)
Lancaster County recorded 6.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 6 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Lancaster County residents living with HIV, 41% are in care · 35% 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 Lancaster County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Highway 34 runs through the edges of Panama's daily geography, and for most residents a clinic visit means committing to a real drive, which is exactly why having options listed on this page matters more than it might in a denser place. Panama is an overwhelmingly owner-occupied community, with the vast majority of households holding mortgages on homes valued well into the mid-six figures; that financial stability coexists with the kind of deep-rooted, schedule-packed life that makes a weekday appointment feel genuinely difficult to carve out. With more than four in five adults actively in the workforce, the rhythm here isn't nine-to-five flexibility: it's early starts, long commutes, and evenings that fill fast. Young adults still building their first relationships, the group that sees the highest rates of new STI diagnoses anywhere in the country, are navigating that same time crunch on tighter budgets.
At a typical local rent well below the state average, cost alone rarely blocks access, but schedule and distance can. Panama skews toward married-couple households with children, average family size sits above three. That context makes routine screening a practical matter for partners and for people planning families, not just a personal concern.
Getting there
Panama scores 12.88/20 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 68419 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 68419 area around Panama: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Panama alone.
Panama sits in Lancaster County, ZIP 68419. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Panama? 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 Lancaster County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Nebraska 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 Panama-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 Panama 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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Nebraska 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 NebraskaSource: 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 Johnson County Hospital, about 9.7 mi away; 4 are within 30 miles. An at-home kit shipped to 68419 also works.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
Planned Parenthood North Central States, about 13.2 mi away, provides free testing.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Lancaster County reported ~495 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, above the Nebraska average.
In Nebraska, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
No, symptoms mean test now; the window period only applies to symptom-free screening.
Go to an ER or call RAINN (800-656-4673); they provide testing, PEP, and support right away.
Usually urine or a swab for chlamydia/gonorrhea, and blood for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.