Diagnoses of HIV in Lexington County are 15 per 100,000 residents. If you've had a recent risk or simply want to test on a regular schedule, consider your options for testing in West Columbia, South Carolina. For personalized care, schedule a visit, or use a mail-in kit for convenience. Below, find your choices.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for West Columbia, SC. The nearest, Cooperative Health, is about 0.7 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.
Cooperative Health in West Columbia covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis C, and TB testing, treating bacterial infections in the same visit when results warrant it. Fees run on a sliding scale, with Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance all accepted. An appointment is required.
Cooperative Health maintains on-site interpretation services for non-English-speaking patients: not a scheduling add-on but a staffed capability present during the clinical encounter itself, so the conversation about testing, results, and treatment happens directly, without a relay.
Beyond gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, Cooperative Health tests for hepatitis C in the same visit, which means a patient leaves knowing their status across all five rather than scheduling a separate appointment elsewhere to fill that gap.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Brookland Community Pediatrics, in West Columbia, carries federally qualified health center standing. A designation that ties STI screening fees directly to each patient's income on a sliding scale. Walk-in appointments are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing without needing to commit to a fixed cost upfront.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Joseph H Neal Health Collaborative in Cayce covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee with free HIV, hepatitis C, and STI testing, Medicaid and private insurance accepted, by appointment.
The no-fee structure at Joseph H Neal Health Collaborative extends beyond testing to STI treatment, PrEP, PEP, hepatitis B and C treatment, HIV/AIDS medical management, HPV vaccination, and family planning. That single policy eliminates cost as a variable across every service the clinic offers.
Joseph H Neal Health Collaborative delivers care in Spanish, which means medication adherence counseling, HIV test counseling, and prevention education all happen in the same language. Nothing gets condensed or relayed through a secondary step.
Joseph H Neal Health Collaborative carries both PrEP and PEP as standing clinical services, and uninsured patients can access PrEP at no cost. For anyone without a primary care relationship to route prevention medication through, the clinic functions as the complete source. Prescription and counseling included.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Nov 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Transitions Center in Columbia welcomes walk-ins for STI screening without an appointment. Federally qualified status anchors its sliding-scale fee structure, tying costs to income so a single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing for patients across the financial spectrum.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Prisma Health in Columbia runs STI care on an appointment basis, covering HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and herpes testing alongside same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, with sliding-scale fees available, and every service provided at no cost.
When a visit carries a fee, delayed care is the predictable result: a missed follow-up, a gap between diagnosis and treatment. At Prisma Health in Columbia, every service on the menu, from initial testing through ongoing management, costs nothing, so the financial calculation never becomes the reason care doesn't happen.
Ryan White Program funding at Prisma Health in Columbia supports a staffed continuum: conventional HIV testing, medical treatment for people living with HIV, and ongoing viral load monitoring and medication management. All coordinated within the same clinic rather than handed off between systems.
Prisma Health in Columbia prescribes and monitors PrEP, including the routine HIV and kidney-function labs required every three months to keep a prescription active, and also provides PEP for post-exposure prevention, meaning both ends of the HIV-prevention window are handled by the same clinical team.
Languages
English
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 less than a mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to West Columbia, 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 Lexington 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.
2720 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia, SC 29169
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
2324 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia, SC 29169
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
101 Sum Mor Drive, West Columbia, SC 29169
CMS-certified lab
3574 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia, SC 29169
CMS-certified lab
169A Medical Circle, West Columbia, SC 29169
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near West Columbia. 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, 470 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of West Columbia. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 114 offer telehealth.
Jennifer Linfert, MD
OB-GYN · 2720 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia
Margaret Papadea, MD
OB-GYN · 2720 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia
Elizabeth Edwards
Internal medicine · 1 Still Hopes Drive, West Columbia
Oscar Lovelace, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 1 Still Hopes Drive, West Columbia
Djeunou Tchamba, MD
Infectious disease · 46 East Hospital Drive, West Columbia
Kadijah Jones, MD
Family medicine · 407 North Brown Street, West Columbia
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 West Columbia, SC 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.
0.7 mi West Columbia Coop Pharmacy
0.7 miMedicine Mart of West Columbia
0.8 mi
0.8 mi 
0.9 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to West Columbia, SC.
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 West Columbia, 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.
$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 $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 Lexington County, the county that includes West Columbia, compare with South Carolina and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~31% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#36 of 46 South Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 22% of the state
| Infection | Lexington County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 455.5 1,410 cases ▼ 26% | 612.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 169 523 cases ▼ 24% | 222.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 10 31 cases ▼ 42% | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 14.2 44 cases ▼ 24% | 18.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 16.8 52 cases ▲ 44% | 11.7 | 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 Lexington County, chlamydia has fallen from 466.7 to 455.5 per 100,000 (2%), gonorrhea has fallen from 209.2 to 169 per 100,000 (19%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 7.5 to 10 per 100,000 (33%).
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 Lexington County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: South Carolina is one of the U.S. jurisdictions prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Lexington County HIV care continuum (2023)
Lexington County recorded 15 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 18.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Lexington County residents living with HIV, 83.3% are in care · 69.2% 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 Lexington County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Sunset Boulevard threads through West Columbia's older grid, past the bungalows of Westover Acres and the quieter blocks of Saluda Gardens, where home values sit well below state and national medians and typical rents stay modest enough that housing costs don't crowd everything else out. That affordability draws a broad mix of households, most of them families averaging nearly three people, and a meaningful share of adults who rent rather than own, meaning residential turnover runs higher than it might in a town of outright homeowners. With fewer than one in five households bringing home six figures, out-of-pocket health costs still factor into decisions, and a sexual-health screening that carries a real fee can feel less routine than it should.
West Columbia's young adults, people moving through their late teens and twenties, are at the ages when STI rates climb sharpest nationwide, and the options listed on this page matter most to them precisely because this stretch of Lexington County doesn't offer the density of a larger metro. Reaching a clinic means a deliberate trip, often a drive down US 378 or Augusta Road, so knowing which sites offer sliding-scale fees or same-day slots before you go removes a real obstacle.
The labor-force picture here, with a notable share of residents outside formal employment, means schedules vary widely across the city. Options with flexible hours and transparent pricing are what make screening practical for Westover Acres renters and Park Place West homeowners alike.
Getting there
West Columbia scores 13.03/20 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 29169 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 29169 area around West Columbia: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not West Columbia alone.
West Columbia sits in Lexington County, ZIP 29169. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside West Columbia? 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 Lexington County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under South Carolina 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 West Columbia-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 West Columbia 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
South Carolina 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 South CarolinaSource: 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 Cooperative Health (0.7 mi); 9 options are within 30 miles.
Most plans cover STD screening; a clinic or lab can bill insurance, or you can pay a flat self-pay price.
Yes, Joseph H Neal Health Collaborative (2.3 mi) offers free testing, and public clinics serve the uninsured.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 456 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the South Carolina average.
In South Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
Yes, from a reputable lab, confirm any positive with a clinician for treatment.
Yes, most chlamydia infections cause no symptoms, so screening is the only reliable way to catch it.
It depends: a blood draw covers HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis, while urine or a swab covers chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.