What are the best sites where you can get confidential STD testing?  Also, is it always better to have it "confidential" as opposed to going through your doctor?

Let's start with a few questions. Who are the last five providers you've seen? Which one gives you reason for concern? What are your symptoms? Does your hand have blisters?
And, if you are wondering, this does fall under the HIPAA act, so your responses are confidential.

No offense. Guys like Gambler, and the new CPO ruined it....
Yucky yucky Kentucky

How about telling the board about your adventures in the hot tub?

How about the gal that wouldn't leave your apartment?

The board hasn't heard those stories in some time.  They're fun to rehash.

ou think a fucking website is going to protect your confidentiality better than a clinic. Wake up and go to a doctor.

...or your results to anyone without your consent. No entity involved in your testing can, at least not in the US. HIPPA takes care of that.  

If you don't want your personal physician knowing, I'd check in with your local LGBT outreach centers. Many do free and anonymous testing. Here in Chicago, we have Howard Brown. You don't have to be LGBT to utilize their services, and using their services ensures their funding. Most other programs across the country do the same.

Good luck to you! Knowing your status is one part of playing safe.

END OF MESSAGE

Your drs office.

I have had good experience with tstd.org

1. they charge $200 for an HIV test? GTFOH.  You can get an HIV rapid test for free.  
2. Say you did get a positive result back for Chlamydia, syphilis, or gonorrhea, or any of the other STIs they test for.  How would you be prescribed medications? Chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea tests often take 2 weeks to yield results, and most doctors place their patients on a slightly wider spectrum antibiotic that will take care of whatever problem you have.  How does this happen with the website in question?  If you DO happen to have something far more serious like HSV or HIV, you'll need to discuss therapies with your physician right away, and they'll probably re-test you.  Money wasted.  

quite frankly, if a person is concerned enough to be tested, you should be tested live (as in "in-person").  The HIV test results literally take no more than 20 minutes, and as for the others, if you suspect you've got something going on, a physician can prescribe treatment for you to begin immediately.

read the fine print on your health care insurance.

Many if not most allow them to disseminate your information for a wide variety of reasons, and to update this policy without you giving specific right to opt out, only notification in the form of a mailing that is too often discarded with your junk mail.

If you want real anonymous testing, pay for it yourself at a clinic that is known for its discretion.

then they follow-up with you and contact partners?  Or am I FOS?

In practical use, it throws up obstacles to your own access to information and your family's access, but when the chips are down, all it takes is a careless clerk to spill your beans.  If you have a significant other, there is always the risk that a health insurance benefits communication, medical bill, or doctor's communication might fall into their hands.  Even "confidential" health clinics often reserve the right, or even tell you upfront that they have an obligation, to report HIV positive results to certain agencies or organizations. In my view, best shot at anonymity is to go to a community STD clinic (some originated as serving the gay community) and use a handle, give them your burner phone number, etc.  BTW I once went to Planned Parenthood for testing and was shocked at how much personal information they demanded.

I use Any Lab Test Now in Atlanta. They have several locations. I go weekdays mid-morning and there has never been another customer there. You fill out a form, entering a false name, address, etc. You pay cash and get a receipt. Come back in a week, hand them your receipt, they hand you your results in a sealed envelope. Or if you get the quickie finger stick test you fill out the form, pay, get tested, and go. Easy-peasy, and completely anonymous. Some complain about the cost and time spent, and of course that is a consideration. It seems like something worth doing to me.

As far as HIPPA goes, lots of folks refer to it. My suggestion, FWIW, is to actually read it. It is not very long nor is it difficult reading. You may find it enlightening.  

There is no denying that any positive results will require the attention of a Doctor. And the Doc's office will report the case to the CDC. And your insurance company will then have the info. And depending upon your line of work, possibly even your employer.

and it get into the doctor's computer database and your medical insurer's database, it will follow you the rest of your life.  I'm not an expert on divorce (so far) but wonder whether this kind of stuff gets aired during a divorce, regardless of HIPAA.

..to the CDC; that's for lots of things, including hiv and other infections that could become problematic outbreaks.  

Facilitate are not allowed to report your personal information to the CDC though, just the statistics. For example:
If one of these confidential service or your doctor diagnoses anyone with HIV, whooping cough, or MRSA, those diagnosiis are reported as numbers (office one diagnosed 5 people with HIV, office 2 diagnosed 9, etc.

Clinton? ... Mr. William Clinton? ... Mr. William, Bill, Clinton?

Safety and security fears are real and keep people from going to get tested.  

I think we should recognize that and try to help them find a safer option rather than try to convince someone who already has fears that it is safe.    

First--Its an entirely different thing finding a place to test where you are just one in hundreds that walk through daily--as in Chicago-- than in other smaller communities where you might personally know a number of people who work there.      
   
And Mr. Fisher does a nice job of pointing out agreements you have with your health insurer that allow them to pass on information to people you may not want to see it, like your employer should the need arise.  

Then there's the whole human nature thing.  Like any law HIPPA works only as well as the honesty of the people other than yourself you have to count on to keep it private.  

In my experience medical providers do take it seriously, but primarily do so to protect themselves.  And it's that self preservation on their part that can get you into trouble.  Used to be only your doc and your pharmacist might have some idea of what is going on unless someone intentionally snooped through your records.  

To protect themselves from getting sued for faulty care more and more places print out a page of all your maladies and the drugs you take for them for you to review when you check in to the place.  That means that all that private info is first seen by a non professional checking you in. And if that gets tossed in the trash, the janitor comes along with access to it too.   And the same info--all neatly packaged in a small place--is set up in their computer systems.  Any doc that leaves their screen on and doesn't close it out, the IT tech called in to fix a problem--do you really trust all of them?

We recently had a MAJOR health insurance provider on the news for employing a nurse that was canned by a couple of different hospitals for stealing patients drugs and info.  That person was for a long time in a position of having direct access to private patient records.  And amazingly he is still employed by them, though shifted to a new position.  The insurer--again this one is huge, recognized nation wide--actually made claims counter to what HIPPA requires in order to protect it's own backside

I didn't get my ass kicked by a frisky hooker this time though😞

Ha..haven't used that one but I do have some fun with that. Ned Nobody from Nowhere Lane in Noplace, Nebraska.

MEB,

You are getting tested "live".  It is just ordered in a "John Doe" format. You take your "orders" to a quest lab or lab corp, just as if your personal Dr sent you.   Results are phoned to you or emailed to you.  If negative, life is good.  If positive, then YOU determine what Dr to see and who to tell based on the seriousness of the result.

STMF