A1C Blood Sugar Test

Our Hemoglobin A1C blood sugar testing service provides you with a convenient and affordable way to help you understand your risk of prediabetes and diabetes without having to go to a traditional doctor’s office. If you already know you have diabetes or prediabetes we can help you understand and interpret your Hemoglobin A1C result.

There are 3 main types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes.  Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that causes the pancreas to make little or no insulin. Insulin is needed to help blood sugar enter the body’s cells to be used as energy.  If the blood sugar can’t enter the cells it builds up in the blood causing high blood sugar.  Type 2 diabetes is the most common type and occurs when the body doesn’t use insulin properly and eventually the pancreas can’t make enough insulin to keep the blood sugar at normal levels. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy.

Approximately 40 million Americans have diabetes, and 1 million more are diagnosed each year. Nearly 9 million Americans have diabetes and don’t know it, and 90% of the 97 million people with prediabetes are unaware they have it. 

The Hemoglobin A1C test is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar over the past 3 months as a percentage. The result of the Hemoglobin A1C test is used to help healthcare providers determine if you may have prediabetes or diabetes.  In people already diagnosed with diabetes, the result is also used to monitor and adjust the diabetes treatment plan to help control blood sugar levels.

Fasting is not required prior to the blood draw at Quest Diagnostics.

You may want to test your Hemoglobin A1C if you have one or more of the following:

• diabetes diagnosis
• 40 years old or older
• a family history of diabetes in a first degree relative
• a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more (obesity)
• ethnic background of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islanders
• diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
• polycystic ovarian syndrome
• high blood pressure
• history of heart and/or vascular disease
• high cholesterol (especially triglycerides >250 mg/dL)
• prediabetes or high fasting blood sugar

Certain medical conditions may falsely raise or lower the Hemoglobin A1c value.  These conditions may include HIV, hemoglobinopathies (including sickle cell disease), pregnancy (2nd/3rd trimesters), the postpartum period, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, hemodialysis, recent blood loss or transfusion/erythropoietin therapy, cystic fibrosis and post-organ transplant. In these cases, a Hemoglobin A1c test may not be the recommended test to determine your risk for diabetes. If you have one of these conditions, we recommend speaking with a healthcare provider in person about alternative screening tests to determine diabetes risk.

1. Create a Lemonaid Health Account.
2. Complete our simple health questionnaire.
3. Save your payment information to pay the visit and lab fees. Many HSA/FSA cards can be used at checkout.
4. Wait for a message from our healthcare providers confirming the order has been sent to Quest Diagnostics.
5. Complete a blood test through our partner, Quest Diagnostics.  

When we get your test results we’ll send a confidential message through your Lemonaid Health account to help you interpret the information. You can also download a PDF document of your test results from the MyQuest website.

Our Hemoglobin A1C testing service costs $34.16. The cost breaks down into a $25 Lemonaid Health visit fee and a $9.16 lab fee. You will not need to pay anything extra to Quest Diagnostics. Insurance is not accepted for the Hemoglobin A1C test through Lemonaid Health.

On the Quest Diagnostics website find your nearest location that offers online appointments. You don’t need to make an appointment, but if a location offers online appointments then we know they’re connected to our online lab ordering system. 

Wait for the confirmation message from our medical team before you go to Quest Diagnostics to complete the test.

You don’t need to stop eating (fast) before the Hemoglobin A1C test.

You should have your test result within a week of completing the test at Quest Diagnostics. 

When we get your test results we’ll send a confidential message through your Lemonaid Health account to help you interpret the information. You can also download a PDF document of your test results from the MyQuest website.

Our medical providers will help you interpret your results and offer guidance on the next steps. If the test result shows you have higher than normal blood sugar levels we may recommend you see a healthcare provider in person.