This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Many people in Denver want to know one thing before they book a test: who will see the result? This guide explains the difference between anonymous and confidential testing. It also covers what the published Denver options say about privacy, how insurance paperwork can show a visit, and what Colorado reporting rules mean in plain words.

You do not need a perfect plan. A few questions asked at the right time can protect your privacy at almost any clinic.

Anonymous vs. confidential: what the words mean

People often use these words as if they were the same. They are not.

Anonymous testing means the clinic does not collect your name. Your result is tied to a code or number, not to you.
Confidential testing means the clinic knows who you are, but it keeps your information protected. It shares details only with the people and agencies the law allows.

So when you ask whether STD testing is confidential, the usual answer is that a clinic's records are protected, but your name is on them. Truly anonymous testing is less common than people expect. A clinic that offers it will say so plainly.

The Denver pages we reviewed describe confidential testing. None of them describes an anonymous option. That is useful to know before you call. If anonymity matters to you, ask each clinic directly whether it offers it. We have not listed any Denver site as anonymous, because the published pages do not say so.

What you will need

You do not need much. Here is a short list to gather first.

A phone, to call or text a clinic.
A few minutes to ask questions about privacy before you book.
Your insurance card, only if you decide to use insurance.
A safe phone number or email address where you are comfortable receiving a result or a call back.
A short list of the tests you are asking about, and any symptoms or recent exposures you want to mention.

Ask each clinic whether it asks for photo identification. The pages we reviewed do not say.

Step 1: Decide what kind of privacy you need

Start by asking yourself what you are protecting. Different worries call for different choices.

Do you want your name kept off paperwork altogether?
Are you mainly worried about a parent, partner or roommate seeing a bill or a letter?
Do you want to avoid a call or text that could be seen on your phone?

Write down your answer. It tells you which questions matter most in the steps below.

Step 2: Choose a Denver option that fits

Here is what the published sources say about each option. Always confirm details with the clinic, because hours and services can change. For a longer list with costs, see our guide to STD testing in Denver, where to get tested and what it costs, or browse the local testing list.

Denver Health community outreach testing

The Public Health Institute at Denver Health says its community-based sexual health team offers free, confidential STD, HIV and hepatitis C testing in English and Spanish. It uses rotating community locations around the Denver metro area, and there is no single street address. Call or text 720-415-7075 for the current locations. The program does not provide physical exams or treatment. People with symptoms or a recent exposure are directed to the Denver Sexual Health Clinic.

Denver Sexual Health Clinic

The Denver Sexual Health Clinic, run by Denver Public Health, is at 660 N. Bannock St., Pavilion L, 2nd Floor, Denver, CO 80204. Appointments are required for all visits. Call 303-602-3540. The Public Health Institute at Denver Health lists hours of Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the clinic closed 8 to 9 a.m. on the second Monday of each month.

The clinic says uninsured or out-of-network patients pay on a sliding fee scale of $0 to $70, and that no one is denied care based on ability to pay. A testing-only visit covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis C. People with symptoms need a visit with a provider. For possible HIV exposure in the past 72 hours, the clinic asks you to call as soon as possible about PEP.

HeyDenver (Colorado Health Network)

HeyDenver is at 822 E 19th Ave, Denver, CO 80218. The phone is 303-962-2880. Its site lists testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea, rapid HIV testing, rapid syphilis testing, and hepatitis C case by case. The English page does not state a price, but the Spanish heading describes the STI testing as free. Walk-in testing happens on set days, and Colorado Health Network's own listing shows testing by appointment. Call first to confirm.

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Park Hill Health Center

This center is at 7155 E 38th Ave, Denver, CO 80207, phone (303) 321-2458. The CDC's GetTested directory lists it as accepting insurance and Medicaid, with no appointment needed. The listing does not publish prices or hours, so contact the center about fees and eligibility.

Clinica Tepeyac

Clinica Tepeyac is at 2101 E 48th Ave, Denver, CO 80216, phone (303) 458-5302. The CDC GetTested listing shows a sliding scale, insurance and Medicaid accepted, and appointments required. Hours and prices are not published there, so call to ask.

STRIDE Community Health Center, Oneida

STRIDE's Oneida site is at 2255 S Oneida St, Denver, CO 80224, phone 303-778-7433. It is open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. STRIDE lists STI testing and treatment under its women's health services, but the Oneida page does not mention it. Call to confirm what is offered there and what it costs.

Mail-in testing from Denver Public Health

TestYourselfColorado.com is provided by Denver Public Health. It offers free mail-in chlamydia and gonorrhea testing and an at-home HIV test once a year for Colorado residents 18 or older. It is not meant for people who are pregnant or have symptoms. The site says treatment is free. Its page does not say whether results are anonymous, so read its privacy information before you order.

Step 3: Ask the privacy questions before you book

A short call can answer most of your worries. Here are questions you can ask in plain words.

Do you offer anonymous testing, or is my name attached to my results?
Who can see my results, and how will you contact me?
Will anything be mailed to my home or sent to my insurance?
If I pay on a sliding scale or use a free program, does my insurer ever hear about the visit?
What happens if a result needs follow-up care?

You are allowed to ask. Clinic staff answer these questions every day.

Step 4: Understand how insurance can reveal a visit

Using insurance is a common way a visit becomes visible to other people. When a claim is processed, insurers often send the policyholder an explanation of benefits, or EOB. It lists the date, the clinic and sometimes the type of service. If you are on a parent's, partner's or employer's plan, the policyholder may be the one who receives it.

Here are ways to lower that risk.

Use a free or sliding-scale option. The Denver Sexual Health Clinic says uninsured and out-of-network patients pay on a sliding scale of $0 to $70. Denver Health's community outreach testing is free. In both cases you may not need to use insurance at all. Confirm with the clinic how it handles billing.
Ask about confidential communications. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services explains that under the HIPAA privacy rule you can ask a health plan to send communications to a different address or by a different method. Call your insurer and ask how to make that request.
Ask the clinic about its billing practices. Ask what appears on a bill or statement, and where it is sent.

Paying out of pocket is a choice some people make. The tradeoff is cost, so ask the clinic for the price before you agree.

Step 5: Know how Colorado reporting works

Reporting is different from sharing your results with family or an employer. Public health reporting is a legal process that helps the state track infections and connect people to care.

Colorado's rules are in 6 CCR 1009-1, Appendix A, published by the Colorado Secretary of State. In plain words:

Chlamydia and gonorrhea at any body site are reportable by laboratories and providers within 4 days.
Positive syphilis results are reportable within 1 working day. Laboratories also report negative syphilis results.
HIV and AIDS laboratory results, including CD4 counts and viral load, are reportable within 4 days.

These rules apply to laboratories and providers. They mean that a result tied to your name may go to the health department. If you want to understand how your own result would be handled, ask the clinic. The clinic can explain what it sends and to whom. A rule like this is about public health tracking, and it is separate from telling your family or your employer.

Step 6: Know the rules for minors

Colorado law has a specific protection for young people. Under C.R.S. 25-4-409, a health care provider consulted by a minor must, at the minor's request, perform an exam for a sexually transmitted infection. The provider must also treat if needed and discuss or prescribe preventive measures. Parental consent is not a prerequisite, and the information is confidential except for child protection reporting.

The statute sets no minimum age. For a minor 13 or younger, the provider may involve a parent or legal guardian. The mail-in program above is for adults 18 and older, so a minor would book with a clinic.

Step 7: Get tested and plan how you will hear back

On the day of your visit, you can keep things simple.

Arrive a few minutes early with your phone and, if you plan to use it, your insurance card.
Tell staff which tests you are asking about, and mention any symptoms or recent exposures.
Repeat your privacy preferences at check-in, even if you said them on the phone.
Before you leave, confirm how and when you will get your result.

If you are asked to give a sample, staff will explain how. A clinician decides which tests fit your situation.

Tips for a more private visit

Ask which phone number and which message type the clinic uses, such as a call or a portal message, and say what is safe for you.
If you share a phone or a computer, ask whether results appear in an online account.
Ask for the clinic's privacy notice if you want to read the details.
Bring one trusted person if it helps you feel at ease. That choice is yours.
Go to the CDC's GetTested directory at gettested.cdc.gov to find other sites and read each listing's notes on eligibility.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming confidential means anonymous. The two are different. Ask which one a clinic offers.
Using insurance without checking the paperwork. An EOB may arrive at the policyholder's address.
Skipping the phone call. Hours, walk-in days and services change. Calling first saves a trip.
Going to an outreach site and expecting treatment. Denver Health's outreach program offers testing only. People with symptoms or exposures are directed to the Denver Sexual Health Clinic.
Waiting to ask about HIV exposure. If you may have been exposed to HIV in the past 72 hours, the Denver Sexual Health Clinic asks you to call right away about PEP.

What to expect from your results

Results can arrive in different ways depending on the test. Some rapid tests may give an answer during the visit. Other tests are sent to a laboratory and may take longer, so ask the clinic how long to expect.

A test result is a snapshot of the time the sample was taken. The CDC explains that tests can miss a recent infection because of the window period, which is the time between exposure and when a test can detect it. For HIV, the CDC lists approximate windows. Nucleic acid tests may detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure. Antigen and antibody tests done on blood from a vein may detect it 18 to 45 days after exposure. Antigen and antibody tests done on a finger prick may take 18 to 90 days. Antibody tests may take 23 to 90 days. A clinician can tell you which window applies to the test you are taking, and whether a repeat test makes sense for you.

If a result is positive, a clinician will explain next steps. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) note that chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV and herpes are not curable, but they are treatable and manageable with care from a clinician. Treatment is always something a clinician prescribes after an exam. If a result is negative, a clinician can tell you what it means for your situation and when the CDC suggests testing again.

How often do people in Denver get tested?

There is no one answer for everyone. The right schedule depends on your age, your partners and your health, and a clinician can help you decide. The CDC and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force publish screening recommendations that clinicians use. If you are pregnant, Colorado's rules at 6 CCR 1009-1, Regulation 12, require providers to offer syphilis testing at set points in pregnancy, unless a documented test already met the requirement or you decline.

Your next step

You can take one small step today. Call or text 720-415-7075 to ask about the next free outreach testing location, or call the Denver Sexual Health Clinic at 303-602-3540 to book a visit. You can also look up other sites at gettested.cdc.gov. Ask your privacy questions up front. Wanting privacy is a normal and reasonable part of looking after your health.

Anonymous and Confidential STD Testing in Denver