Annual Exam & PAP Smear · Manchester, CT
Annual care that covers the PAP and everything around it.
This is the appointment most people put off, and the reason is almost never the exam itself. It gets scheduled during work hours, it's rushed, and somewhere in there, a year quietly becomes three.
Nobody here is going to ask you to account for that. You'll get a full appointment slot with Heather, questions expected and welcomed, and Monday and Thursday evening or Saturday morning times, so it doesn't cost you a day of work.
No referral needed. CT Medicaid (Husky) and most private insurance are accepted. Same-week appointments are often available.
Care provided by Heather Harris, APRN. Last reviewed 08/09/2026.
Your visit
What's included in your annual exam?
Your annual visit is a full check-in on your gynecologic health, not just a PAP smear. Depending on your age, history, and what you want to talk about, it can include:
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A review of your health history, medications, and any symptoms you've noticed
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Blood pressure, weight, and BMI, if relevant to what you're managing
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A breast exam
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A pelvic exam
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A PAP smear and/or HPV test, if you're due for one
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STI testing, if you want it — you ask, we test
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Birth control review: what you're on, whether it's still working for you, what else exists
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Screening conversations for depression, anxiety, and tobacco use
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Referrals and lab orders are sent electronically before you leave
Bring a list.
Questions are expected here, not squeezed in at the door. If something has felt off and you've been told it's normal, this is the visit to bring it up.
A common mix-up
An annual exam and a PAP smear are not the same thing.
This trips a lot of people up, and it's the reason some people skip years.
A PAP smear is one test. It screens for abnormal cells on your cervix. Most people need it every three to five years.
An annual exam is the whole visit. It's the breast and pelvic exam, the birth control conversation, the STI testing, the "here's what's been bothering me" conversation, and the referrals that come out of it.
You still come every year, even in the years you aren't due for a PAP. That's where things actually get caught.
How often
Do I need a PAP smear this year?
Probably not — and that's normal.
PAP smears used to be annual. They aren't anymore, and the test itself has changed. For most people over 30, an HPV test every five years has replaced the every-three-year PAP as the recommended approach.
Your age
What's recommended
Under 21
No cervical cancer screening
21 to 29
PAP smear every 3 years
30 to 65
HPV test every 5 years, usually. A PAP alongside it, or a PAP on its own, are still options worth talking through
Over 65
You can usually stop, if you've had adequate screening already and no high-risk history
After hysterectomy
If your cervix was removed and you have no history of cervical precancer or cancer, no screening needed
That's where most people land, not a rule. Heather sets your interval with you, based on your history and your last set of results.
Three things worth knowing:
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"PAP smear" often means an HPV test now. Same swab, same minute in the chair, different test at the lab. If you came in expecting a PAP and get an HPV test, nothing has gone wrong.
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The HPV vaccine doesn't replace screening. It lowers your risk substantially. You still screen on the same schedule.
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Some people screen more often. If you're living with HIV, immunocompromised, were exposed to DES before birth, or have been treated for cervical precancer, your schedule is individualized. Tell Heather.
Close to 65 and wondering whether you can stop? Bring whatever records you have. It depends on what your last few results were, and we'd rather check than assume.
Comfort and consent
What the visit actually feels like
You don't need to explain or justify anything. Not your history, not a gap in care, not how long it's been.
Patients of all gender identities are welcome. We use the name and pronouns you use. If you have a cervix, you belong here.
A PAP itself takes under a minute. Most people describe pressure and a brief cramp, not pain.
You can ask for a smaller speculum. If exams have hurt in the past, say so at the start rather than partway through.
You can ask Heather to stop at any point. That's not a difficult request, it's a normal one.
You'll be told what's happening before it happens. No surprise instruments, no narrating over your head.
Results and follow-up
What happens if your results come back abnormal
Most abnormal results are not cancer. HPV is extremely common, most infections clear on their own, and "abnormal" usually means cells that need watching, not treating.
You'll hear from us either way — normal results included. If anything needs follow-up, Heather will call you to explain what the result means before scheduling anything. Depending on the finding, the next step might be a repeat test in a year, HPV typing on the sample already collected, or a colposcopy for a closer look at the cervix.
Grace Health doesn't perform colposcopy. If you need one, Heather will walk you through what it involves, refer you to a specialist she trusts, and stay involved in your follow-up. You won't be handed a phone number and left to sort it out.
Cost and coverage
What your annual exam costs
Most insurance plans cover a preventive well-woman visit at no cost to you, with no copay or deductible. That's the part people don't realize.
Two things can change that. If lab work gets sent out, or if you bring up a new problem that turns the visit into a problem visit as well as a preventive one, that portion may be billed separately. Heather will tell you in the room, before it happens, not on a statement three weeks later.
We accept most major private insurance and CT Medicaid (Husky), and we verify your specific plan before your first visit.
Uninsured? There's a flat self-pay rate for annual exams. Call (860) 730-4718 and we'll give you the number before you book.
Evenings and Saturdays
You don't have to take a day off for this
If it's been a few years, scheduling is usually why. Annual exams get pushed because they land in the middle of a workday, and then a year becomes three.
You can book an annual exam and PAP smear on Monday or Thursday evenings until 7:00 pm, or on Saturday mornings from 8:00 am to noon. Full appointment slots, not squeeze-ins, and the same coverage and pricing as any weekday visit.
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions.
How often do I need a PAP smear?
For most people at average risk: every 3 years from age 21 to 29, and every 3 to 5 years from 30 to 65 depending on which test you have. If you're 30 to 65 and get HPV testing, the interval is 5 years. Heather will confirm what applies to you based on your history.
Do I need an annual exam if I'm not due for a PAP smear?
Yes. The annual visit covers the breast and pelvic exam, birth control, STI testing, and any symptoms you've noticed. The PAP is one test within it, not the reason for the visit.
Can I get a PAP smear on a Saturday?
Yes. Annual exams and PAP smears are available Saturday mornings from 8:00 am to noon, and Monday and Thursday evenings until 7:00 pm. In-office procedures like IUD placement are scheduled on weekday mornings instead.
Do I need a referral for an annual exam?
No. You can book directly with Grace Health, including if you're on CT Medicaid (Husky).
What if I'm on my period?
Light bleeding usually isn't a problem. Heavy flow can make a PAP sample harder to read. Call us at (860) 730-4718 and we'll tell you whether to keep the appointment or move it. Often we can still do the rest of the visit and collect the PAP another time.
Do I still need PAP smears if I've had the HPV vaccine?
Yes. The vaccine lowers your risk significantly but doesn't remove it, and current guidance is to screen on the same schedule as anyone else.
Do you accept Husky for annual exams?
Yes, including for evening and Saturday appointments. Same coverage and same pricing whatever day you come in.