STD/HIV Tests

[KaraBulut]

There are several counties in Florida that have ability-to-pay programs in the public health clinic system.

You might also check with Planned Parenthood. Most people don't realize that they have a LGBT testing program with fairly affordable prices.

There's also private labs that are starting to offer walk-in screening but they tend to be a bit more expensive- usually around $50 per test.

 

[medic1]

i am dumfounded that you have to pay for sexual health screening tests in the
USA,thank god i live in the UK where all such tests are free and you dont aven have to give your own name.
You can just go to a clinic which most hospitals have without even making an
appointment and they will do a couple of scrapes of your eurethra followed by a couple of swabs of your rectal passage and then take some bloods.
Most even offer same day results and if you have been one of the unlucky guys to have picked up something all your treatment is free this even includes anti-virals.
You do not need private insurance or anything like that it is all covered by the
national health service.
America is a stunning country with some of the most polite people that i have ever met.but in some areas you guys get such a raw deal (medical wise)
I just cant imagine how you guys cope sometimes?

 

[nijnij]

We are not entitled to health care in the United States. Here have to earn the right to health care (and a high-paying job), and that is a lot more difficult for some of us to do than it is for others. This is the price we pay for having low taxes.

I have lived in Europe (where income taxes are often at or above 50%) and in the US (where they are much lower) and they are very different systems. Each one has positives and negatives but in terms of healthcare alone, I think some places in Europe have better systems in place.

 

[luckyp]

We are not entitled to health care in the United States. Here have to earn the right to health care (and a high-paying job), and that is a lot more difficult for some of us to do than it is for others. This is the price we pay for having low taxes.

Not to try and start a flame war, but several European countries with universal healthcare (Ireland, Switzerland) have lower tax rates than the USA, and Canada, Norway and the UK are only 3 to 6% higher.

 

[NineOfClubs]

In Portland, OR it is possible to get free HIV tests, as it is in many other US cities. Several organizations offer them.

The one I go to is on Tuesdays and the results are available in about 20 minutes..

 

[nijnij]

Not to try and start a flame war, but several European countries with universal healthcare (Ireland, Switzerland) have lower tax rates than the USA, and Canada, Norway and the UK are only 3 to 6% higher.

None of those countries has close to the number of people (350 million) adn the infrastructure that the USA does. The USA has low taxes and thousands of square miles of country. It's easier for tiny countries like Ireland or Switzerland (where I lived for 2 years).

 

[Zeno Lorea]

None of those countries has close to the number of people (350 million) adn the infrastructure that the USA does. The USA has low taxes and thousands of square miles of country. It's easier for tiny countries like Ireland or Switzerland (where I lived for 2 years).

Actually, the USA has 310 million people, and the EU close to 500 million. Any EU citizen gets healthcare in any other EU country where they happen to relocate.

So if you compare European countries individually, compare them to US states individually. No US state has the number of people that Spain, Poland, France, Italy, UK or top of the bill Germany does. Germany is more populous than California, Texas and New York combined. The UK outnumbers New York, Texas and Florida combined.

Only Massachusetts has public health care, and it has less than half the population of Holland.

Just to put things into perspective.

 

[KaraBulut]

Only Massachusetts has public health care, and it has less than half the population of Holland.

Not to get too far off topic but all 50 states have public healthcare in some form or fashion. We also have four governmental programs - Indian (Native American) Health, Medicaid, Medicare and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These programs cover persons who are native americans, indigent, elderly, disabled, impoverished or have end stage renal disease.

Under the treaty where the islands of Hawai'i joined the US, the native population of Hawai'i is guaranteed public healthcare. They also have an employer mandate- employers must provide healthcare to employees who work more than 20 hours per week.

Massachusetts has mandatory health insurance and provides a publicly subsidized program for residents who cannot otherwise afford it.

There is one class of people in the US who are guaranteed healthcare: prisoners. We also provide free healthcare to persons in US protectorates and for the people of Iraq.

The problem in the US is that we don't provide healthcare the working people above the poverty level and those who don't have insurance through their employer.

 

[nijnij]

So I guess the situation evens out, although it is different in a lot of ways too. I think you can't really say "The US has awful health care" if you havent lived in a country like Somalia.

BTW, 310 million is far too small a population for the US. That is only the offiicial population. I say 350 million in terms of health care because of the illegal immigrants who are taken care of in the system. There is no real clear number for them although they are obviously here and are using the health care system.

 

[Zabotugi]

Well last week I got a rapid oraquick hiv test (20 minutes- and came back negative), a blood drawn hiv test (i didnt know they offered the rapid ones at first, be sure to ASK lol) gonorrhea, syphillis, and chlamidya test. (the latter four took about a week to come back). All of them were free. All thought all health departments offered these tests for free 0_o. Call your health department and ask if they offer free testing.

Be careful about going to some centers though, I once called a place that charged 88 bucks for a regular antibody hiv test. So PLEASE make sure you call your health department before paying for these tests.

 

[simpsonsguy01]

I just did my tests last week and they were free and I am clean. You just got to check around, there's a lot of places here in so cal that offer the test for free they also gave me condoms and lube.

Here are some places in FL
http://yourstdhelp.com/florida.html

http://www.orchd.com/personalHealth/std/services/index.asp

 

[Nomenclature]

i am dumfounded that you have to pay for sexual health screening tests in the
USA,thank god i live in the UK where all such tests are free and you dont aven have to give your own name.
You can just go to a clinic which most hospitals have without even making an
appointment and they will do a couple of scrapes of your eurethra followed by a couple of swabs of your rectal passage and then take some bloods.
Most even offer same day results and if you have been one of the unlucky guys to have picked up something all your treatment is free this even includes anti-virals.
You do not need private insurance or anything like that it is all covered by the
national health service.
America is a stunning country with some of the most polite people that i have ever met.but in some areas you guys get such a raw deal (medical wise)
I just cant imagine how you guys cope sometimes?

A full STD screening in the US tends to run around $300-400 dollars if you pay with cash. There are some places that offer free HIV testing, such as County Health Clinics and Pride/LGBT Centers, but you have to make an appointment, go there EARLY in the morning, sit in a waiting room for about 4-6 hours, etc. They only offer HIV testing for free. . .if you need to get tested for other STDs, you have to pay.

We are not entitled to health care in the United States. Here have to earn the right to health care (and a high-paying job), and that is a lot more difficult for some of us to do than it is for others. This is the price we pay for having low taxes.

I have lived in Europe (where income taxes are often at or above 50%) and in the US (where they are much lower) and they are very different systems. Each one has positives and negatives but in terms of healthcare alone, I think some places in Europe have better systems in place.

Canadians and Europeans have zero medical-related bankruptcies per year. Meanwhile, 60% of all bankruptcies in the US are due to medical bills, because they charge thousands - or hundred of thousands - that most of us would never be able to afford to pay. Sure, they may pay higher taxes, but it doesn't bankrupt and destroy the lower and middle class the way our system does. Low-income families in Canada actually have their taxes refunded to them, and wealthy Canadians only have to pay about 3% more than the average American does.


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Places like Planned Parenthood and County Health Clinics offer STD testing based on a sliding-scale fee system. If you can prove that you have absolutely no income, they'll give you cheap or free testing. Otherwise, it's co-paid from your insurance if your job offers benefits. I've heard that for a full-panel, people's insurance gets billed $1,000, but that they co-pay <$100 if they have full benefits.

 

[mbamike]

^ I am a veteran and use my veteran's benefits for my health care needs. I pay $48 for three month's supply of two prescriptions. I get my HIV/STD test done for free. I just have to ask for them when I go in for my lab work.

 

[palemale]

The New York City Dept of Health gives free and anonymous HIV testing. Many organizations here provide free or low cost testing for HIV and other STDs.

 

[Zabotugi]

The New York City Dept of Health gives free and anonymous HIV testing. Many organizations here provide free or low cost testing for HIV and other STDs.

Here in Tennessee they give hiv test and also test for syphillis, gonnorhea, and chlamidya for free...im shocked they dont do this everywhere =0. You have to travel to a major city (which i am in) to get a free rapid hiv test though. So still you should try your health department.