Bell County reports about 18 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents, near the US average. For one-time concerns or regular check-ups in Salado, Texas, some clinics take walk-ins for same-day testing, while labs and at-home kits allow you to plan around your own time. Explore your options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Salado, TX. The nearest, Lone Star Circle of Care at Harker Heights, is about 11.6 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.
Lone Star Circle of Care at Harker Heights earned its federally qualified designation by tying fees directly to household income, so sliding-scale STI screening (syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia) stays within reach regardless of insurance status. Walk-ins are welcome; no appointment is needed to get tested.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Texas Department of State Health Services in Temple tests for gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections if results warrant it, all at no charge, on a sliding-scale fee structure that covers every patient regardless of income. Appointments are required.
A co-pay that derails follow-through, a cost that turns a positive result into a postponed treatment. At Texas Department of State Health Services in Temple, neither scenario applies. Testing, treatment, vaccines, and DoxyPEP counseling are all provided without a fee, so the care doesn't stall at the door.
Many clinics route Spanish-speaking patients through remote interpretation that fragments the conversation. At Texas Department of State Health Services in Temple, Spanish is a direct service language: meaning the clinical exchange, counseling, and prevention education happen without a relay in the middle.
Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (the bacterial STI prevention protocol taken after potential exposure to syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia) is a named service at Texas Department of State Health Services in Temple, not something requiring a separate prescription visit elsewhere. That means the prevention conversation and the medication pathway stay in the same clinical encounter.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Coryell Health in Temple tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C on a sliding scale accepted alongside Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance. Walk-ins welcome, no appointment required, with same-visit treatment available for bacterial infections.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 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 12 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Salado, 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 for simplicity & support
$89 & 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 Bell 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.
3800 South West South Young Dr Suite 301, Killeen, TX 76542
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
980 Knights Way, Building 1, Suite 100, Harker Heights, TX 76548
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
850 West Central Texas Exprressway, Harker Heights, TX 76548
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Salado. 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, 670 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Salado. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 319 offer telehealth.
Meredith Roach, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 3525 Fm, Salado
Aleigha Delukie, DO
OB-GYN · 213 Mill Creek Drive, Salado
Stephen Sewell, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 1009 Arbor Park Drive, Belton
Travis Averitt, DO Telehealth
Family medicine · 1505 North Main Street, Belton
Linu Samuel, MD
Family medicine · 356 Capstone Street, Belton
Vivek Verma, MD
Family medicine · 850 West Central Texas Expressway, Harker Heights
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 Salado, 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.
Baylor Scott & White Pharmacy
1.7 miBritt Drug
8.5 miMedicine Shoppe
8.6 mi
10 mi 
10 mi Brookshire Brothers
10 miShowing the 6 closest pharmacies to Salado, 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 Salado, 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
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
$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
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 Bell County, the county that includes Salado, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~18% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#8 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 97% of the state
| Infection | Bell County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 708.6 2,786 cases ▲ 44% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 237.5 934 cases ▲ 35% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 17.5 69 cases ▲ 17% | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 15.8 62 cases ▼ 40% | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 24.2 95 cases ▼ 45% | 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 Bell County, chlamydia has fallen from 916.5 to 708.6 per 100,000 (23%), gonorrhea has fallen from 446.2 to 237.5 per 100,000 (47%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 7.8 to 17.5 per 100,000 (124%).
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 Bell County.
Local HIV snapshot
Bell County HIV care continuum (2023)
Bell County recorded 23.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 20.2 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Bell County residents living with HIV, 77.3% are in care · 64% 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 Bell County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Salado's economy has long turned on craft and hospitality: distillers, artisans, and small business owners who've built their livelihoods here and stay. That same commitment to tending what matters extends to health. For the young adults who live in or pass through Salado, whether they're establishing themselves, raising families, or splitting time between here and work elsewhere, routine STI screening is straightforward preventive care, not a crisis response. The confidentiality built into testing means results remain between you and your provider, a given that holds particular weight in a place where households often span generations and neighbors have history.
Testing in and around Salado is listed on this page, with clinics and urgent care centers within reach for people who need fast, discreet screening. Many residents have long-standing ties to local providers who know their medical context and respect their privacy without question. Walk-in options exist for those who prefer them; others schedule ahead. The tests themselves are routine: quick, low-stress, and designed to catch infections early when they're easiest to treat.
Whether you're managing your own health, preparing for a new relationship, or simply staying current, getting screened fits naturally into life here. No shame attaches to it, and no one needs to know unless you choose to tell them.
Getting there
At 4.01/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Salado 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 76571 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 76571 area around Salado: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Salado alone.
Salado sits in Bell County, ZIP 76571. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Salado? 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 Bell 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 Salado-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 Salado 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.
Some clinics and labs take walk-ins for same-day testing; call ahead to confirm hours.
Medicaid generally covers STD testing, and public clinics test for free regardless of coverage.
Public clinics nearby offer free HIV testing.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 709 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Texas average.
Lab results typically come back in 1–2 days.
In Texas, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Medical records are protected under federal HIPAA law, ask the clinic how it handles your information.
HPV and hepatitis B vaccines prevent those infections, ask a provider if you're due.
Definitely worth testing; abnormal discharge often points to a treatable STI.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.