My A1C has stayed in the healthy range for the last three or four years, and I’ve been testing it once or twice a year. My insurance doesn’t pay for it, so I’m wondering if you all think it’s actually worth the expense or if I should stop.
It’s generally not worth the trouble because insulin resistance won’t be reflected in that number until your body can no longer produce sufficient insulin. My A1C was perfect even though my insulin levels were through the roof. Have your doctors only been looking at your A1C?
You definitely need to look into other tests for insulin resistance. However, an A1C is a standard part of a general checkup regardless of your health history. It’s really frustrating that your insurance won’t cover it.
My A1C has been slowly climbing over the last decade, though it’s still within the normal limits. Meanwhile, my insulin has been consistently high or rising. A1C is really about glucose, not insulin. If you’re worried about diabetes, maybe just test once a year. But if you’re concerned about insulin resistance, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR are much better markers to track.
As others mentioned, you’d need to check different factors. My OGTT has always been normal, so for me, a HOMA-IR test would probably be enough. Unfortunately, my doctors refuse to run it, claiming it wouldn’t provide useful data 
. I think I read in the PCOS guidelines that testing every three years is sufficient unless you notice new symptoms or sudden weight gain.
A1C isn’t a particularly good way to measure insulin resistance. It can stay normal for years even when insulin levels are extremely high.