STI & HIV Testing

 

About 1 in 4 college students has an STI, and many STIs have no symptoms!

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing for Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, HIV, and Syphilis is available at UHS and the Public Health Promotion Center (PHPC). Our staff will help determine which tests you need.

Self-Scheduled Screening

You can self-schedule a UHS screening appointment on our patient portal if you have no symptoms and no known exposure to an STI positive or symptomatic partner.

  • Log in to the UMass Patient Portal. Click “Appointments," then select UHS Nursing under "Clinic" and Asymptomatic Nurse STI Testing under "Reason." Be sure to complete the STI Screening Form when prompted.
  • If you self-schedule a screening appointment on the portal, and you develop symptoms before your appointment, you must call (413) 577-5101 to cancel your appointment and make a new appointment for symptomatic testing.

Symptomatic/Exposure Testing

If you develop any of the symptoms below, or if you have a positive or symptomatic partner, you should make an appointment for testing with a UHS provider in either our General Medicine Clinics, or in our Sexual & Reproductive Health Clinic, which has a focus on serving cis and trans women, trans men, and nonbinary patients.

  • For General Medicine Clinic appointments, call (413) 577-5101
  • For Sexual & Reproductive Health Clinic appointments, call (413) 577-6511
  • An appointment will be scheduled for you with a UHS provider within 24-48 hours

STI Symptoms:

  • Unusual genital discharge
  • Burning with urination
  • Genital sores
  • Rash/bumps or pelvic pain

Walk-In STI Screening Clinics

STI Screening Clinics are held at the PHPC (Campus Center lower level, room 101) starting 9/20/2023 every Tuesday and Wednesday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (closed holidays and intersessions). No appointment necessary. Testing open to all UMass students who have no STI symptoms and no known exposure to an STI. Bring your insurance card. View STI Clinic Flyer. For more information, email testing@umass.edu

What To Know Before You Go

  • Gonorrhea and Chlamydia testing should be done for all body sites which may have been exposed (throat, rectal self-swab, vaginal self-swab or urine sample). If a urine sample is being collected, it is important to refrain from urination for 1-2 hours prior to visit.
  • HIV and Syphilis testing involve a blood draw at the UHS laboratory.

How to Pay for Testing

Use Insurance

Many insurance companies cover at least part of screening tests for STIs and HIV. Based on your risk assessment, your provider may recommend multiple testing sites and methods. Each of these are considered different tests, meaning each will incur a separate charge. Always call your health insurance carrier for information about STI and HIV testing coverage at UHS. You're ultimately responsible for the cost of your care. If your insurance plan doesn't cover tests which have been performed, or if you don't provide current insurance information to UHS, you'll be billed. You can pay your UHS patient bill online, in person or by mail.

Pay Out-of-Pocket

If you choose not to use insurance for testing, you can pay out-of-pocket. Current testing charges are listed below. Charges are subject to change.

  • Nursing Visit: $25
  • HIV Test: $42
  • Syphilis Test: $5
  • Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Testing*
    • Urine: $68
    • Anal: $68
    • Vaginal: $68
    • Oral: $68

*Your provider will recommend which sites should be tested, based on your risk assessment.

Other payment arrangements may be possible; talk to your healthcare provider.

How to Keep Testing Private

If you get tested for STIs at UHS, your insurance provider may send an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) or Summary of Payment (SOP) to the insured person’s address. The EOB may list the date of the visit, the cost of the visit, the health care provider or visit location, and the type of service or visit.

If you have the Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP), services are 100% covered, and no EOB will be sent.

If you are covered under a family member’s Massachusetts-based health insurance plan, the PATCH Act allows you to choose how and where your health insurance company sends your EOB. Here’s how:

  1. Find your policy number located on your health insurance card.
  2. Call the customer service number on your health insurance card and request that the EOB be sent to a different address or that you want to receive the form online. You can request that the EOB not be sent at all if you have no out of pocket costs.
  3. Fill out a request form in writing or online if required by your health insurance plan.

If you are covered by a family member’s non-Massachusetts-based health insurance plan, an EOB may be sent to your family member. To prevent this from happening, you have 2 options:

  • You may be able to have billing information sent directly to you instead of to your family member. To find out if this is possible, you MUST call your insurance company. This is NOT automatic and won’t happen unless you call your insurance company and ask for it.
  • You can opt to pay the bill for STI testing entirely out of pocket at the time of your visit. If you do this, your insurance provider would not be involved, and no documents would be sent to your family member. Current self-pay testing charges are listed above.

Any money owed for visits will be billed to the patient at the address we have on file in Medicat. Here’s how to update your address in Medicat.

If your health insurance company cannot send an EOB to you instead of your family member, and you cannot afford to pay out of pocket, speak with your UHS healthcare provider about other options.

STI Risk Factors and Testing Frequency

Here are STI testing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

  • All sexually active women younger than 25 years should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year. Women 25 years and older with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners or a sex partner who has an STI should also be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year.
  • All sexually active men who have sex with men should be tested:
    • At least once a year for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. Those who have multiple or anonymous partners should be tested more frequently (e.g., every 3 to 6 months).
    • At least once a year for HIV and may benefit from more frequent HIV testing (e.g., every 3 to 6 months).
    • At least once a year for hepatitis C, if living with HIV.
  • Anyone who engages in sexual behaviors that could place them at risk for infection or shares injection drug equipment should get tested for HIV at least once a year.
  • People who have had oral or anal sex should talk with their healthcare provider about throat and rectal testing options.
  • Everyone who is pregnant should be tested for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C starting early in pregnancy. Those at risk for infection should also be tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea starting early in pregnancy. Repeat testing may be needed in some cases.
  • All adults and adolescents from ages 13 to 64 should be tested at least once for HIV.