STD testing guides
Plain answers to the questions people ask before and after a private STD test. Every fact links to CDC or another primary source.
How private STD testing works
Order online, give a sample at a lab, at home or at a clinic, and get results in an online account. What private testing covers and what it doesn't.
Full STD panel or individual tests: which should you buy?
What CDC recommends testing for in different situations, what a full STD panel includes and leaves out, and when a panel costs less than single tests.
STD window periods: how long to wait before testing
When each STD test becomes reliable after sex, based on CDC guidance: HIV by test type, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis and herpes.
How long do STD test results take?
Where the time goes between ordering an STD test and getting results, what 'results in 1 to 2 days' really means, and which tests take longer.
Home STD test kit or lab test: what's the difference?
Home collection kits and lab visits often use the same lab tests. How sample types, accuracy, speed and privacy compare, based on CDC and FDA information.
STD tests and privacy: records, insurance, public health
Who can see an STD test result, what HIPAA covers, when results go to the health department, and how paying cash keeps a test off insurance claims.
Paying cash vs using insurance for STD testing
When insurance covers STD screening at no cost, when a posted cash price is the better deal, and how claims and EOBs work if privacy matters to you.
Using an HSA or FSA to pay for STD testing
Why STD tests count as medical care under IRS rules, how to pay with an HSA or FSA card or reimburse yourself, and which receipt details to keep.
Free and low-cost STD testing: where to find it
How to find free or low-cost STD testing with CDC's GetTested locator and Title X clinics, what free clinics usually test for, and the honest trade-offs.
Positive STD test result: what to do next
Next steps after a positive STD test: confirming the result, where to get treatment, telling partners, health department contact and when to retest.