You may find it cheaper and/or more convenient to have your HbA1c
measurements done by mail -- and you collect the sample by fingerstick.
As far as I know, the tests mentioned here are as accurate as those done
by major labs.

Diabetes Technologies (http://diabetestechnologies.com) provides a
"Accu-Base A1c Test Kit". The cost is $26 per kit plus $6 S/H, with
discounts for multiples, which includes the laboratory analysis. All
needed supplies are provided, including a lancet and postage to the lab.

The procedure is simple: they provide a capillary tube already attached
to a clip. Stick your finger (using a one-use lancet they provide, if
you wish) and touch the end of the tube to the drop until the tube is
full -- a fraction of a second to a few seconds. Drop the tube into a
small vial with fluid in it (pre-filled) and shake for a few seconds.
Fill out a little paperwork. Pack the vial in a Biopack, padding and
package, all provided and even prestamped. Drop it in the mail. You
provide: writing pen, blood, tissue paper for the excess blood.

The lab analyzes the sample using HPLC (high performance liquid
chromatography). This is the same as the major labs use. In other words,
Quest or LabCorp take an entire vial of blood and use one drop.

Diabetes Technologies is in Thomasville, GA. Their phone number is
888-872-2443, and their web site is http://diabetestehnologies.com.

Flexsite Diagnostics (http://flexsite.com) offers a single-test kit for
$20, four for $60, and they accept Medicare reimbursement. The test
requires two drops of blood, which must dry overnight on a paper
collector before mailing. They offer priority or express mailing (both
ways) for $10 and $30 additional, although I gather they do not promise
that the test itself will be processed any faster. Darrell Hervey
<bpd318(AT)aol.com> reports that his experience with Flexsite was
excellent.

Biosafe (http://ebiosafe.com) sells a mail-in "Biosafe Diabetes (A1C)
Test", which uses a collection card similar to the Flexsite procedure.
It is available directly from Biosafe and from various online merchants
for around $25. I have serious problems with Biosafe due to their use of
the term "diabetes test", which implies that A1c is to be used for
diagnosing diabetes, which is totally contrary to ADA recommendations.
They even have another "Diabetes Risk Assessment" kit, which explicitly
uses A1c as one part of the assessment. Because of their recommendations
which are contrary to ADA positions, I cannot recommend the Biosafe
kits.

Express-Med used to make a kit which I used once, but they no longer
sell it. It was similar to the kit now sold by Flexsite.

Becton-Dickinson (BD) was advertising a HbA1c kit in 1998. However, the
last time I spoke with someone there, they were only distributing it
through health care organizations (such as HMOs) and plans for
individual sales were indefinite.

A personal note: I used the Diabetes Technologies kit, and a predecessor
supplied by Diabetes Support Systems, for several years starting in
1996. Without this service, I probably would have had at most one HbA1c
measurement per year due to the cost and the inconvenience of visiting
the lab or doctor's office -- and I really needed the tests at times. I
am not currently using the service as of 2007, only because my insurance
provides the test free at Quest.

(Some updates applied December 2007. Other options may be available.)