Where to go for strep throat in Cicero
Cermak Immediate Care, AFC Urgent Care Cicero list strep throat specifically among the conditions treated. Midwest Express Clinic does not name it, which does not mean they will turn you away — call and ask.
| Clinic | Google rating | Weekday hours | Book or call |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Urgent Care Cicero4769 W Cermak Rd, Ste. B, CiceroX-ray on siteLab on siteSe habla español | 4.9★★★★½175 reviews | 8:00 am – 8:00 pm | Check in online(708) 982-3898 |
| Cermak Immediate Care — Cicero5741 W Cermak Rd, CiceroX-ray on siteLab on siteSe habla españolMedicaid | 4.7★★★★½3,379 reviews | 7:00 am – 11:59 pmLatest in Cicero | Check in online(708) 222-0100 |
If it is late. Cermak Immediate Care on 5741 W Cermak Rd stays open until 11:59 pm seven days a week. Every other clinic in the area closes by 8 pm on weekdays and several by 6 pm at weekends, so after 8 pm it is realistically that clinic or an emergency room — and an emergency room will cost several times more for the same complaint.
What strep throat costs in Cicero
A walk-in visit for strep throat runs about $100–$250 if you are paying yourself, before any test or prescription. A rapid strep test is usually bundled into the visit price rather than billed separately, but ask — and if the rapid test is negative, ask whether they are sending a throat culture out, because that is sometimes charged on top.
On Illinois Medicaid the copay is typically $3–$8, and often nothing. Cermak Immediate Care and Midwest Express Clinic both state that they accept Medicaid; AFC Urgent Care lists only “most major insurance” without naming it, so confirm before you go. Our guide to Medicaid at urgent care covers what to ask and what to bring.
The same complaint at an emergency room typically costs $1,000 or more. That gap is the single strongest reason to use urgent care when the problem is not an emergency — see urgent care costs and insurance for the full breakdown.
Urgent care, the ER, or wait it out
Strep itself is rarely an emergency. What sends a sore throat to an emergency room is not the infection but the airway: if swelling is making it hard to breathe, swallow saliva, or open the mouth, that is no longer a strep question.
| Urgent care handles this | Go to an emergency room |
|---|---|
| Sore throat with fever and no cough | Unable to swallow your own saliva, or drooling |
| White patches or pus on the tonsils | Any difficulty breathing, or noisy breathing |
| Swollen, tender glands in the neck | Unable to open the mouth fully, or voice sounds muffled |
| A household member has tested positive for strep | Swelling on one side of the throat with severe pain |
| Sore throat that is not improving after three or four days | Stiff neck with fever and severe headache |
What strep usually looks like
What happens at the visit
A clinician looks at your throat, feels for swollen glands, and swabs the back of the throat. The swab is unpleasant for a second and no worse than that. The rapid test result comes back in roughly five minutes. If it is positive you leave with an antibiotic prescription; if it is negative, the clinic may send a culture to a lab for confirmation, which takes a day or two. A negative result is genuinely useful information — it means antibiotics will not help, and you can stop wondering.
What to bring, what to ask
- Photo ID and your insurance or Medicaid card. If you have neither, ask for the self-pay price up front — every clinic here quotes one.
- A list of any medicines you take, including anything bought over the counter.
- If someone in your household has recently tested positive for strep, say so at check-in — it changes how the result is interpreted.
- Ask whether the test is done on site or sent out, because that changes when you get an answer.
- Ask what to do if you are not improving, and by when — a clear answer to that question is the most useful thing you can leave with.
- Difficulty breathing, or breathing that sounds noisy or strained
- Unable to swallow saliva, or drooling because swallowing hurts too much
- Unable to open the mouth fully, or a muffled, hot-potato voice
- Severe swelling on one side of the throat
- Stiff neck with fever and severe headache
These point to complications that need imaging or drainage rather than a swab and a prescription, and no walk-in clinic is equipped for them. See urgent care versus the emergency room.
Related guides
Sinus infection · Ear infection · Flu · COVID-19 testing · Care for children
Or compare every clinic in the area on our Cicero urgent care listing, and see what wait times are actually like.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a strep test in Cicero today?
AFC Urgent Care on West Cermak Road lists rapid strep testing specifically, and Cermak Immediate Care lists sore throat among the conditions it treats and has an on-site lab. Both take walk-in patients seven days a week.
How long does a rapid strep test take?
About five minutes for the rapid test itself. If it comes back negative the clinic may send a throat culture to a lab, which takes another one to two days.
Do I need antibiotics for a sore throat?
Usually not. Most sore throats are viral, and antibiotics do nothing for those. That is precisely why the test matters — it tells you which kind you have instead of guessing.
How much does a strep test cost without insurance in Cicero?
A self-pay walk-in visit generally runs $100–$250 including the rapid test. Ask for the self-pay price at check-in; every clinic in the area quotes one.
Can I go to urgent care for strep at night in Cicero?
Cermak Immediate Care is open until 11:59 pm seven days a week and is the only clinic in the area open past 8 pm. Ask whether rapid strep testing is available at that hour, since on-site lab staffing can differ late in the evening.
Is strep throat contagious?
Yes, and it commonly spreads within households. Most people are no longer contagious after about 24 hours on antibiotics — which is also the usual guidance for returning to work or school.
Clinic hours, services and insurance were checked on 2026-09-02 against each clinic’s own website and booking platform. Google ratings come from the Google Places API and are refreshed regularly. Where a detail could not be confirmed we leave it blank rather than guess. Hours change without notice — call before you travel.