Your Garner Guide

No. Garner is not your health insurance. Garner is a separate benefit that is paired with your health insurance plan to help you find the best providers. By visiting Top Providers,  you can earn contributions to your HSA or reimbursements (depending on your medical plan) equivalent to your qualified out-of-pocket costs.

No. While we encourage you to see Top Providers to ensure you are receiving the best care, you have the choice to receive care from a doctor who is not a Top Provider. Out-of-pocket costs from these doctors will not qualify for your benefit.

Your employer cares about your health. In order to help you find the best care, they pay for you to have the Garner benefit. High quality care lowers costs; patients who see Top Providers will generally pay less in the long run and be healthier. For example, if you have a smooth recovery, your total cost of care will be lower than if you have complications and need to be hospitalized.

Garner helps your employer pass these savings along to you through HSA contributions or reimbursements (depending on your medical plan) for seeing the top doctors in your network. Your Garner benefit is funded entirely by your employer or health plan sponsor.

Garner covers anyone in your family who is covered by your health plan. Your family only needs one account. However, any dependent over the age of 18 is welcome to create their own account.

You can log in to your Garner account and view more details here.

To use the app in Spanish, log into your Garner account and click here to navigate to your account settings. Under the “Language” section, choose “Spanish” from the drop-down menu.

Garner identifies Top Providers by analyzing one of the largest medical claims databases in the U.S.—that’s more than 60 billion medical claims representing more than 320 million patients. They are highlighted in the Garner Health app with a green Top Provider badge and represent the best available doctors near you who are in your network and have appointment availability.

We try our best to recommend Top Providers that are in-network with your health insurance plan. Since insurance companies change their networks regularly, we always recommend verifying with your health plan that a provider is still in-network on or before the day of service.

In the Garner app, you can search for doctors by symptom, name, or ZIP code. Look for the Top Provider badge—only these doctors are eligible for your Garner benefit.

How to Add a Doctor to Your Care Team:

1. Click “Find Care” in the navigation bar.

2. Use the search bar to enter a doctor’s name, specialty, condition, or procedure, then click “Find Providers.”

3. In the search results, select a doctor with the green Top Provider badge to view their profile.

4. Click “Add to Care Team.” A red heart will fill in to confirm the doctor has been successfully added.

This ensures the doctor is approved for your benefit and easy to find later. You can access your full Care Team from the navigation bar.

Upon request, the Concierge can also assist with adding doctors to your Care Team. 

Please note: To be eligible for reimbursement of out-of-pocket costs, the doctor must be in-network, added to your Care Team before your appointment, and the services must be covered by your health insurance.

To view your Care Team, please log into your Garner account and select "Care Team" from the navigation bar.

No. Your list of doctors on your Care Team will carry over each year.

Yes, Garner Top Provider rankings can change. Garner Top Provider recommendations are updated monthly based on the latest data. However, if a member has previously added a Garner Top Provider to their Care Team, any recommendation updates will not affect the doctor’s approved status for that individual member and their dependents.

No. Garner evaluates the performance of individual doctors, not entire medical centers or hospitals. Use the Garner Health app to search for specific providers by name to see if they are a Top Provider and approved for your Garner benefit.

If you have an appointment with a Top Provider or an approved primary care physician, and a nurse practitioner in their practice sees you instead, the costs from that visit will qualify for reimbursement. 

To ensure your claim is processed as quickly as possible, message the Concierge through the Garner Health app and ask to have the nurse practitioner’s name added to your Care Team, even if it is after the date of service. Otherwise, we may deny your claim until we are able to associate the mid-level provider you saw with a provider that has been added to your Care Team.

Yes. Even if your colleague found the Top Provider through Garner, you must search for that provider using your Garner account and add them to your Care Team before you receive care from them.

Search for your specialist by entering their name and zip code. If your specialist has a Top Provider badge, qualifying out-of-pocket medical costs from services performed or ordered by that specialist are eligible for reimbursement on or after the date you add them to your Care Team. 

If your specialist is not an approved provider, you can still choose to receive care from them, but those out-of-pocket medical costs will not qualify for reimbursement.

All new providers, including specialists, MUST be Top Providers in order to qualify for the Garner benefit. If you need to find a new provider, use the Garner Health app to find a Top Provider or contact the Concierge for assistance. 

Specialists must be added to your Care Team before the date of service in order for out-of-pocket medical costs to qualify for reimbursement. 

For example: If your primary care doctor recommends seeing a GI specialist for stomach pain, you must: 

1. Search in the Garner app to confirm the specialist is a Top Provider. 

2. If they are, be sure to add them to your Care Team before your appointment.

We understand it can be disappointing if your current doctor isn’t covered by Garner. Our mission is to help you access high-quality care while reducing your out-of-pocket costs.

How does Garner select Top Providers?

Garner’s doctor recommendations are based on real patient outcomes to help you find the best doctors near you. Our recommendations go far beyond patient reviews. We look at billions of claims to understand the specifics of how doctors provide care.

Doctors can’t pay to show up in our recommendations. Garner is an objective third party that selects Garner Top Providers based on doctors who:

• Follows current medical guidelines

• Avoid unnecessary procedures

• Charge fair prices for their services 

• Help patients recover faster

Garner Top Providers are the best doctors in each specialty and region of the country. Garner always looks for the best doctor option in your region, and accounts for the number of doctors available in your neighborhood.

How does Garner evaluate doctors? We assess each doctor based on specific metrics related to their specialties, such as:

• Complication rate: Measure a doctor’s complication rates

• Invasive procedure rate: Determine if a doctor performs more invasive procedures only when necessary given they entail longer recovery times and complication risks

• Follows current medical guidelines: Evaluate if a doctor recommends optimal treatment according to medical guidelines

If your doctor isn’t listed as a Top Provider, it doesn’t mean they aren’t a good provider—it simply means they haven’t met Garner’s criteria at this time. If you choose to continue seeing your current doctor, we respect your decision. However, please note that visits with non-Top Providers are not eligible for Garner reimbursement.

We encourage you to consider a second opinion from a Garner Top Provider to ensure you’re receiving the best possible care. You can always return to the Garner app to search for new doctors and get reimbursed for future care that meets eligibility requirements.

If you’re currently seeing a provider for a critical or ongoing care need, please reach out to Garner Concierge through the Garner app or email us at concierge@getgarner.com.

If you have a relationship with a primary care provider that was established before your Garner benefit started, you can determine whether future out-of-pocket medical costs from this provider may qualify for your Garner benefit by finding the provider’s profile in the Garner Health app. 

If your doctor has a green Top Provider badge, they are approved for your Garner benefit. You can add your doctors to your Care Team to ensure your doctor is approved for your Garner benefit and easy to find.

If they are not a Top Provider, click “request approval” and follow the workflow prompts in the app. The following types of providers may be eligible as primary care providers:

• Primary care physicians

• Pediatricians

• Geriatricians

• Gynecologists

• Therapists

• Psychologists

• Psychiatrists

If you can’t find your current primary care provider in the search results, message the Concierge for assistance.

Check the “Coverage details” page to learn which types of out-of-pocket medical costs qualify for an HSA contribution or reimbursement under your Garner plan.

Note that whether you receive HSA contributions or reimbursements is dependent on the medical plan you enroll in.

Your out-of-pocket medical costs will qualify for your Garner benefit if:

• You have created a Garner account and added the provider to your Care Team* before your appointment

• Your doctor is in-network and the cost was covered by your health insurance plan (Check your health insurance plan to verify before your visit)

• The service provided must qualify under your Garner plan. Check the “Coverage details” page to understand what services are covered under your plan.

• You haven’t reached your maximum annual Garner benefit

*You can still qualify for your Garner benefit even if a Top Provider isn’t on your Care Team so long as you have searched for them with Garner before your appointment. Garner automatically keeps a list of any Top Providers you see in your search results in the Garner app to ensure you can earn HSA contributions or reimbursements (depending on your medical plan) for doctors found through Garner. Out-of-pocket expenses from these doctors can still qualify for your Garner benefit if they’re added to this list before your appointment. You can find this full list of Approved Providers in Settings.

When a Top Provider orders lab work or imaging, the associated out-of-pocket costs automatically qualify for your Garner benefit if:

• The Top Provider was added to your Care Team before the date of service.

• The facility is in-network, and the services are covered by your health insurance plan.

In this case, you do not need to search for the facility in the Garner Health app.

If You Choose to Find a Facility Yourself, you can also search for labs and imaging centers in the Garner Health app or website. To qualify for HSA contributions or reimbursements, the following conditions must be met:

• You found the facility in the Garner Health app or website before your appointment.

• The facility’s profile page shows a yellow banner that says: “Eligible with some exceptions.” This means services at the facility may qualify for your benefit.

• The facility is in-network, and the services are covered by your health insurance.

Note: Garner strives to recommend in-network facilities, but insurance networks can change. Always confirm with the facility before your appointment. Garner does not recommend specific hospitals or facilities beyond those that meet the qualifications above. If you plan to use a facility that is not listed, ensure the provider ordering your care is a Top Provider and is added to your Care Team before your appointment to remain eligible for HSA contributions or reimbursements (depending on your medical plan).

We understand you can’t choose ancillary providers such as anesthesiologists, radiologists and nurses. Your costs qualify under your Garner benefit if:

• The approved provider is added to your Care Team before your appointment.

• The Top Provider is ordering or is primarily performing the service.

• The service is in-network with your health insurance plan. 

To confirm coverage, check the list of services on your health insurance card or call the number on the card. If you have an online account with your health insurance provider, log in to your portal to confirm coverage details.

Garner works with your medical insurance, which generally does not cover dental or vision services. Garner may allow you to earn HSA contributions or reimbursements (depending on your medical plan) for procedures such as oral surgery, but only if the claim for that service is processed by your medical insurance plan.

No. HSA contributions or reimbursements from Garner occur after costs are processed by your health insurance plan. Your health insurance plan must cover qualifying medical care and you must submit your out-of-pocket expenses to your insurance company for them to be eligible.

For more information on the services covered by your benefit, please log into your Garner account and view your benefit details.

Your employer offers several health plans, and the plan you choose determines whether you receive HSA contributions or reimbursement payments.

• If you enroll in a health plan that includes an HSA, you will receive contributions directly to your HSA account.

• If you enroll in a plan that does not include an HSA, you will receive reimbursements, either by direct deposit to your bank account or by check.

For more information, visit your benefits page in the Garner app or contact the Garner Concierge team.

For members enrolled in an HSA Contribution-eligible plan: When you visit a Top Provider, Garner facilitates an employer contribution to your HSA equal to your qualified out-of-pocket costs. Behind the scenes, we work with your employer and HSA provider to make sure these contributions are included with your other contributions on your tax forms. 

For members enrolled in an Garner reimbursement-eligible plan: You have two options for receiving reimbursement:

1. If you are the primary member you can set up direct deposit for faster and more secure reimbursement. You will receive your reimbursement directly to your bank account and faster than a check. Watch this demo video to learn how to set up direct deposit.

2. If you do not set up direct deposit, a reimbursement check in a white envelope will be sent to the mailing address the primary member has on file with their employer.

You can reach out to the Garner Concierge for answers to your questions by messaging them.

To learn more about what medical costs qualify for your Garner benefit, log in to your Garner account and check your benefit details or message the Concierge.

Most of the time, you don’t need to do anything—contributions to your HSA or reimbursements to your bank account are automatic! However, if you have a medical claim over $2,000 or a prescription claim over $900, a member of the Concierge team will reach out to confirm your details before we send your HSA contribution or reimbursement. This helps ensure security and accuracy for larger contributions.

All contributions facilitated by Garner are considered employer contributions. 

To help you file your taxes correctly, Garner works with your employer and HSA provider to ensure Garner contributions appear in your tax documents (like your W-2 and 5498-SA) just like any other HSA contribution. You do not need a separate form from Garner to file your taxes.

Because Garner can't provide tax advice, we recommend seeking input from a tax professional about your specific tax situation.

Think about your total yearly HSA contributions in two parts: the amount Garner facilitates and the amount you and your employer can contribute outside of Garner. 

The maximum Garner benefit refers to how much Garner can facilitate in a year. The IRS limit is on total yearly contributions from all sources. Here’s how the two limits work together:

1. Garner’s maximum benefit

This is the most Garner can facilitate in HSA contributions during the year. It will be less than the total yearly HSA limit from the IRS.

2. IRS total HSA contribution limit

This is the total the IRS allows to be added to your HSA per year from all sources combined. 

Your employer factors in Garner contributions when setting your HSA funding, but it’s ultimately your responsibility to make sure total contributions stay within IRS limits. If you go over the limit, reach out to your HSA provider or a tax advisor to understand next steps and avoid penalties.

Yes. If you are enrolled in an HSA-eligible medical plan, and if you don’t use your full Garner benefit, you can contribute more to your HSA—up to the IRS limit.

Here’s how the deadlines generally work for a given tax year:

• Garner's contributions:

  • Garner will facilitate the last HSA contribution for the year by December 31.

• Your personal and employer contributions:

 Can be made until the tax deadline on April 15 of the following year.

No. If you are enrolled in an HSA-eligible medical plan, regardless of how you pay, you will receive an equivalent contribution directly to your HSA. If you pay for an eligible expense with your credit card, debit or bank account, you can use your HSA funds to pay yourself back.

If you have a health FSA, special rules apply to your Garner benefit. You may not earn HSA contributions or get reimbursements through Garner for an out-of-pocket medical cost that will also be paid using your FSA. This is often referred to as double-dipping and is prohibited by the IRS. If your Garner benefit and your FSA cover the same medical cost, we recommend you use and exhaust your Garner funds before using your FSA. You can save your FSA for when your Garner benefit has reached its limit or for out-of-pocket medical costs.

No. Garner is not an HSA provider and does not administer your HSA. Garner works with your employer to help inform their contributions to your HSA based on your qualified out-of-pocket medical costs.

The Garner Concierge is a group of professionals dedicated to answering your questions and helping you find the best care for you and your family. If you need help finding a Top Provider that is a fit for you or your family, you can message the Concierge for assistance.

You can message through the Garner Health mobile app or email concierge@getgarner.com. Concierge hours of operations are Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Se habla español.