Amazon to open 20 health centers for employees in 5 cities

Amazon plans to launch 20 health centers in five cities to provide primary care to employees.

Eight things to know:

1. The initiative, dubbed Neighborhood Health Centers, will provide primary care services for employees as soon as they join the company. The pilot program will serve around 115,000 employees and families at select locations across the U.S.

2. The first facility will open in Las Colinas, Texas. All facilities will be located near Amazon fulfillment centers and operations facilities. Additional facilities are expected in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Phoenix, Louisville, Ky., Detroit and San Bernardino/Moreno Valley, Calif.

3. Amazon aims to lower the cost of healthcare through the Neighborhood Health Centers, encouraging employees and families to go there for primary care instead of more expensive emergency rooms or urgent care centers.

4. Amazon has partnered with Crossover Health, a medical group that works with self-insured employers, to integrate care teams that will deliver primary care at each facility. Crossover will operate and staff the health centers.

5. Services provided at the center include acute, chronic and preventive primary care, medication prescription, vaccinations, behavioral health services and physical therapy. The centers will also include chiropractic care, health coaching and specialty referral services.

6. The centers will have same-day pediatric services available for employees' children as well.

7. Employees will use Crossover Health's technology platform to begin their care and can transition to in-person care when needed.

8. Amazon may decide to roll out health centers at other locations across the U.S. if the pilot is successful.

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