Most insurances (all I have billed for and all I've had myself...so I can not actually say "all insurances"...just "most") do not pay for blood testing supplies if there is not a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes (either type I or type II). They also have strict guidelines as Yoda mentions. Meters run anywhere from $10 (or free with some insurances) to over $100...however, the strips are where the companies make their money. The strips for my meter are $115 for 100 strips...you can do the math, but that is over $1 a strip!

My advice would be to act "as if" you tend to hypoglycemia. This means eat several small meals a day instead of 2 or 3 big ones. Limit simple carbs. If you start feeling shaky, eat something small...a handful of baby carrots, a small apple, a piece of cheese, etc. Glucose tablets are not the way to go, for 3 reasons. First off, they are designed for insulin dependent diabetics in the case of a insulin/hypoglycemic emergency. One must consume 3 of them to pull out of the immediate crisis, and then eat to ensure the crisis does not start again. Second, they are just sugar and comparatively expensive. It costs me around $5 for 6 tabs...a couple packets of sugar like you find at the local fast food place will do exactly the same thing. The third reason is that simple sugars (like glucose tabs) cause an immediate rise in sugar, followed by a rapid drop (the reason a diabetic must eat anyway)...causing hypoglycemia like feelings (because of the speed of the drop), even if the drop is back down to normal. If you actually have "reactive hypoglycemia", they could cause a drop below normal, causing hypoglycemia all over again.

Since you are nearing 18, I am assuming you are nearing completing high school. If you go to college (even community college) you will have health services. The cost of health services is part of your school fees. You can be seen there and ask for testing at that time...this would be done witout any input from your parents whatsoever.