In Refugio County, there are about 15 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents, near the US average. If you've had a recent risk or simply test on a regular schedule in Refugio County, Texas, you can weigh your options at local clinics or private labs to find the right fit for your needs and budget. Both options are listed below.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Refugio, TX. The nearest, South Texas Family Planning and Health, is about 22.4 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.
South Texas Family Planning and Health in Rockport tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee, with HIV testing free, all without an appointment, and same-visit treatment available for bacterial infections.
South Texas Family Planning and Health accepts donations in place of set fees, meaning the full range of services (testing, treatment, vaccines, and counseling) carries no fixed charge. Sliding-scale pricing backs that up for anyone who does pay, and Medicaid is accepted as well.
Spanish is available directly at South Texas Family Planning and Health in Rockport, and interpretation services extend care to other non-English languages, so counseling, consent, and follow-up instructions reach patients in the language they use, not a summarized version of it.
The testing menu at South Texas Family Planning and Health includes herpes, hepatitis B antibody testing, and a hepatitis C test alongside the core bacterial and viral panel: nine distinct tests in total, each ordered and resulted on-site rather than split across separate referrals.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Community Action Pediatric Center Sinton, in Sinton, earned its federally qualified designation by tying fees to patient income: meaning syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening costs scale with what you actually earn, and no appointment is needed to get started.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Community Action Corporation of South Texas in Sinton runs on sliding-scale fees open to everyone, accepts Medicaid and private insurance, and tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV alongside TB screening: with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections and HPV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B vaccines on hand. Appointments required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Amistad Health in Aransas Pass tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV on a sliding-scale fee (Medicaid and Medicare accepted, donations welcome) with walk-ins welcome and same-visit treatment available for bacterial infections.
Many clinics field Spanish with workarounds that keep the patient one step removed from the person making decisions. At Amistad Health, Spanish is a working clinical language: history, results, and treatment planning happen in it directly, without a relay.
PrEP at Amistad Health means ongoing prescribing and clinical monitoring under one provider relationship: baseline HIV testing, kidney function checks, and scheduled follow-ups built into the regimen. PEP is also available, managed through the same HIV medical care infrastructure.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Texas Department of State Health Services in Beeville requires an appointment and covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV testing in one visit, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, HPV and hepatitis A and B vaccines, and sliding-scale fees accepted alongside Medicaid and Medicare.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 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 22 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Refugio, 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 range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Refugio 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.
107 Swift Street 3rd Floor, Refugio, TX 78377
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Refugio. 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, 46 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Refugio. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 11 offer telehealth.
Russell Mascarenhas, MD
Internal medicine · 107 Swift Street, Refugio
Jem Yelkovan, MD
Internal medicine · 400 Enterprise Boulevard, Rockport
Ernest Alsop, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 400 Enterprise Boulevard, Rockport
Ronald Bruce, MD
Internal medicine · 1121 Hwy 35 North, Rockport
John Root, MD
Family medicine · 1202 Fm, Rockport
Joseph Puente, MD
Family medicine · 209 East Market Street, Sinton
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 Refugio, TX 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.
23 mi Moore's Pharmacy
24 miShowing the 2 closest pharmacies to Refugio, TX.
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 Refugio, 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
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 $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 Refugio County, the county that includes Refugio, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~26% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#146 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 43% of the state
| Infection | Refugio County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 270 18 cases ▼ 45% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 30 2 cases ▼ 83% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 15 1 cases ≈ the state average | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | — no data | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 15 1 cases ▼ 66% | 44.3 | 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 Refugio County, chlamydia has fallen from 311.5 to 270 per 100,000 (13%), gonorrhea has fallen from 74.2 to 30 per 100,000 (60%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 30.2 to 15 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 Refugio County.
Local HIV snapshot
Refugio County HIV care continuum (2023)
Refugio County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 20.2 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Refugio County residents living with HIV, 100% are in care · 100% 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 Refugio County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Refugio's name, Spanish for "refuge", reflects its historical role as a shelter along colonial trade routes, and that spirit of care persists in how the community approaches health today. Testing for sexually transmitted infections is available in and around Refugio through the clinics and providers listed on this page, each offering the confidentiality that matters when you're navigating intimate health questions. Whether you're establishing yourself in a new job, managing a relationship, or simply staying current with preventive care, getting tested is straightforward and costs little. Young adults in their late teens through their thirties make up a visible part of Refugio's population, and many live in multigenerational households where privacy during a health visit can feel especially valuable.
The testing services accessible here understand that discretion isn't negotiable, what you discuss and learn stays with you, not broadcast through a small town's network. A modest cost of living means financial barriers to testing are minimal. The providers listed on this page offer appointments that fit into ordinary schedules, and results arrive without fanfare or surprise notifications to anyone else. Taking a straightforward approach to sexual health fits naturally into life in Refugio, where practicality and respect for one another's business have always been the norm.
Getting there
At 8.19/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Refugio 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 78377 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 78377 area around Refugio: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Refugio alone.
Refugio sits in Refugio County, ZIP 78377. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Refugio? 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 Refugio County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Texas 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 Refugio-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 Refugio 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 Texas 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 Texas, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Texas 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 TexasSource: 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.
There are 7 options within a 30-mile drive.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
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.
Refugio County reported ~270 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Texas average.
In Texas, 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.
Get treated, notify partners, pause sex until cleared, and follow up, the infection is manageable.
Reassuring if you tested after the window, just retest if it was early, and screen again with new partners.
Yes, site matters; oral/anal exposure needs a throat or rectal swab, which urine testing won't catch.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.