Your Garner Guide

Garner is a healthcare partner that uses hundreds of quality measures to identify the best-performing doctors in the UHC network. Garner labels these doctors as “Tier 1” and when you see a Tier 1 doctor, you’ll receive a higher benefit with a $0 copay. For Apple Advantage Plan members and their families, Garner offers personal Concierge support and access to the Garner Health app.

Note, Garner is not an insurance company and has no financial ties to doctors - they are an objective, trusted third party to help you find the highest quality care and save money on healthcare.

Yes! Before enrolling, create a trial account on the Garner Health app or website to see if your Doctors are Tier 1 (top-performing) or Tier 2. You can also search for new doctors—we encourage you to find a new Tier 1 doctor to ensure you’re seeing the top doctors in your Network.

How to check:

1. Download the Garner Health app or visit app.getgarner.com.

2. Create an account and enter Apple as your organization

3. Provide your first name, last name, birthdate, phone number, and email

If you prefer, you can use anonymous info except for a unique email, which is required to log in each time. If you don’t enroll, your trial data will be deleted. Note that using anonymous info may limit some features, like personalized Concierge messages and greetings.

If you’re enrolled in the Apple Advantage Plan, you can:

• Search for your doctors by name in the Garner Health app to check if they have a Tier 1 badge

• Contact the Garner Concierge to confirm your doctors’ tier status

What the tiers mean for your costs:

• Tier 1 doctors: $0 copay for office visits

• Tier 2 doctors: Higher copays—up to $100 for primary care and behavioral health providers, up to $150 for specialists

• To get the full benefit, consider switching to Tier 1 doctors, who are the best in-network doctors based on real patient outcomes data.

Yes. Garner reviews all in-network UHC doctors once a year before Open Enrollment, using updated performance data. A doctor’s Tier status may change based on how well they follow the latest medical research, diagnose conditions accurately, deliver strong patient outcomes, and receive high satisfaction ratings. Be sure to check the Garner app during Open Enrollment to confirm your current doctors’ Tier status.

The Garner Concierge can help you find Tier 1 in-network doctors nearby and confirm their availability. After you create a Garner account, contact the Concierge via the Garner Health app, by calling (866) 761-6720, or emailing concierge@getgarner.com Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET. Se habla español.

Garner is a healthcare benefit partner that helps you find top-performing doctors in the UHC network, at no cost to you. By using revolutionary data science to analyze one of the largest medical claims databases in the U.S., Garner objectively identifies top doctors near you called “Tier 1” doctors – these are doctors who follow the latest medical research, accurately diagnose conditions, deliver the best outcomes, and receive the highest patient satisfaction.

Apple Advantage Plan members and their families also get access to the Garner Health app and personal Concierge support.

UHC is the medical claims administrator for the Apple Advantage Plan. They handle your coverage, copays, claims, and provide access to health plan advocates and clinical support.

Garner is a healthcare benefit partner that works alongside UHC to help you find top doctors at no cost to you. Garner identifies top-performing Tier 1 doctors in the UHC network and helps you find them through its app and Concierge service.

Garner is a HIPAA*-covered entity, meaning it follows strict legal standards to protect your health information. It is also SOC 2** Type II certified, which ensures it meets rigorous requirements for the security, availability, and confidentiality of your data.

For more details, visit: getgarner.com/privacy.

_{*Health Insurance Portability and accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”)}

_{** SOC 2 requires companies to establish and follow strict information security policies and procedures, encompassing the security, availability, and confidentiality of of customer data}

No. Everything is confidential. Garner will never share your personal health information with anyone, including your employer, without your consent.

You can create a trial Garner account to explore the app and website until your enrollment period ends. During Open Enrollment, trial access lasts through December of the same year.

To get started, go to the Garner Health app or website and enter "Apple" as your organization. You'll be asked for your name, birth date, phone number, and email.

If you prefer, you can use anonymous details—except for your email, which must be unique and used each time you log in. Keep in mind: using anonymous info may limit features like Concierge messages or personalized greetings.

If you enroll in the Apple Advantage Plan, you’ll need to create a new account—unless you used your real information during the trial.

After enrolling, you’ll need to create a new Garner account—unless you used your real information during the trial. Go to the Garner Health app or app.getgarner.com and enter "Apple" as your organization. You’ll be asked for your name, birth date, phone number, and email.

Once your account is set up, you can search for Tier 1 doctors—these are the top doctors in your network based on analysis across hundreds of doctor performance metrics—or contact the Garner Concierge in-app for support.

A few weeks after enrollment, UnitedHealthcare will mail your new member booklet and combined medical/prescription ID card(s). If you enrolled during Open Enrollment, expect them in late December.

You can access Garner via the Garner Health mobile app and online at app.getgarner.com.

Yes. Dependents 18 years and older can create a Garner account and access the Garner Health app or website.

No. Garner is only available if you enroll in the Apple Advantage Plan. If you choose a different plan, you can still search for network doctors through UHC or Aetna, but their tools are less comprehensive than Garner’s.

Garner uses the largest medical claims database in the country and over 500 metrics to identify doctors who deliver the highest-quality care. Tier 1 doctors are rated based on the quality and value of their treatments and real patient outcomes. The doctors we identify as Tier 1 doctors typically perform better relative to their peers in the following areas:

• Following the latest medical research

• Making accurate diagnoses

• Avoiding unnecessary procedures

• Helping patients recover faster

• Charging fair prices for their services

Garner evaluates doctors using three key areas:

1. Adherence to Best Practices – For example, does the doctor ensure routine cancer screenings, minimize surgery complication rates, and limit unnecessary invasive Surgeries?

2. Patient Health Outcomes – Garner looks at hospitalizations for avoidable conditions, readmission rates, missed diagnoses, and success in preventing conditions from worsening.

3. Patient Experience – Garner adjusts for factors like patient risk level, ensuring doctors aren’t penalized for treating more complex cases. This comprehensive approach helps ensure fair, accurate ratings based on real-world care quality.

This comprehensive approach helps ensure fair, accurate ratings based on real-world care quality.

Garner evaluates doctors individually by analyzing all their claims, treatments, and recommendations. It looks at preventive care, unnecessary procedures, prescribing habits, care settings, and patient outcomes.

Garner’s data on doctor performance is not available anywhere else. Most other ratings focus on hospital systems or physician groups, not individual doctors. This means their scores reflect the group’s overall performance, not a specific doctor’s quality. Other data such as ZocDoc, Yelp, and Google reviews are based solely on patient reviews and not actual outcomes.

Garner’s unique physician-level analysis gives you detailed, specific insights into why a doctor is considered high quality.

We assess a doctor on specific metrics for their specialty, such as:

• Surgery complications rate: Garner evaluates each surgeon’s performance to measure their success and complication rates (e.g., % of patients who experience complications and have to be re-admitted after knee surgery). Our goal is for every patient to have the best chance of a successful recovery

• Physical therapy before surgery when appropriate: When you have knee, back, or hip pain, some surgeons jump straight into surgery even though research shows that physical therapy can be equally or more effective and less painful for patients. Garner measures doctors against clinical guidelines and recommends surgeons who are more likely to recommend physical therapy before surgery when appropriate

• Cost per service: We evaluate doctors based on their prices and do not select doctors who overcharge for basic services such as an X-ray

Garner updates doctor data regularly as patient reviews and performance change. However, the list of top-performing (Tier 1) doctors is refreshed once a year.

If a Tier 1 doctor stays in UHC’s network but loses their Tier 1 status during the annual update, the Apple Advantage Plan will honor their Tier 1 status until current year-end in December or until you switch doctors—whichever comes first.

If a doctor leaves the UHC network during the year, they’ll be considered out-of-network as of their termination date. In that case, contact the UHC Advocates for Apple to see if you qualify for Continuity of Care.

No. Garner ranks doctors objectively using data from over 310 million patients and 500+ performance metrics. Doctors cannot apply or pay to be rated as Tier 1 because Tier 1 status is based on proven patient results—that is, accurate diagnoses, successful treatments, and strong patient reviews.

If you don’t see the doctor you’re searching for, contact the Garner Concierge to verify if they are a Tier 1 doctor and are accepting new patients.

Yes. Garner ranks the best doctors available in your area based on quality metrics, so there will always be Tier 1 doctors for you to choose from.

We understand that it can be disappointing when your current doctor is not covered by Garner. Garner is dedicated to helping you find high-quality care while reducing your out-of-pocket costs. Whether you want to keep seeing your current doctor or try a Tier 1 doctor, Garner is here as a trusted resource to help you with your care needs.

If your current doctor isn’t listed as Tier 1, it doesn’t mean they aren’t a good doctor - but it means they haven’t met our performance criteria at this time. If you prefer to continue seeing your current doctor, we understand and respect your decision – please note, they won’t be covered by the $0 copay benefit.

You can always check back with Garner to find new doctors (across specialties) and get reimbursed for your future care needs.

If you are currently seeing your doctor for a critical ongoing care need, please reach out to Garner Concierge in the Garner app (fastest response time) or concierge@getgarner.com.

When you search by doctor name, you’ll see a recommended list of Tier 1 doctors and if they are accepting new patients. When searching by specialty, only doctors accepting new patients will appear. For questions or to confirm availability, contact the Garner Concierge in the Garner app (fastest response time) or by emailing concierge@getgarner.com.

No. The app includes both Tier 1 and other UHC in-network doctors (noted as Tier 2 in the app).

You can search in either tool, and the Tier 1 designation for medical providers will be the same whether you use Garner or UHC. If you want detailed quality metrics explaining why a doctor is top tier, that information is available in the Garner Health app, on the website and from the Garner Concierge. For specific searches, you may be directed to one or the other. For example, searching for a Tier 1 behavioral health provider can only be done through Garner. For fertility, you’ll be directed to a UHC Health Advocate to help you find a Center of Excellence and connect you with Apple’s Fertility Solutions nurse to help you get the best outcomes and maximize your benefits with Apple.

Some specialists, like chiropractors, aren’t searchable in the Garner app. If you can’t find the specialist you need, contact the Garner Concierge in-app for help locating a doctor.

If a unique specialist isn’t available through Garner, the Concierge can help find a comparable doctor, or you can work with a UHC Health Advocate to locate an in-network specialist.

Use the Garner Health app or contact the Concierge to find a Tier 1 specialist near you. For complex conditions, we recommend reaching out to the Garner Concierge in-app for expert guidance in selecting the best doctor for your needs.

Apple has also partnered with Transcarent to offer virtual musculoskeletal (MSK) services. Connect virtually with an orthopedic specialist to determine your treatment options for muscle or joint pain. Transcarent will offer dedicated support throughout your care journey. Call 888-574-5763 or learn more at https://hello.transcarent.ai/apple/surgerycare.

The Garner Concierge can help you create an account, navigate the app, and find top in-network doctors nearby and confirm their availability. Contact the Concierge via the Garner Health app, by calling (866) 761-6720, or emailing concierge@getgarner.com Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET. Se habla español.

UHC Health Advocates are your main resource for all Apple Advantage Plan questions—whether it’s finding a Tier 1 doctor, understanding coverage, resolving claims, or managing complex medical issues.

If needed, Health Advocates may refer you to the Garner Concierge for help with finding specific specialists, using the Garner Health app, or questions about doctor rankings.