Apple employees in Silicon Valley can now get free genetic screenings for diseases from their on-site health clinics, thanks to a pilot partnership with Color Genomics.

Apple, which recently set up dedicated health clinics known as "AC Wellness" for employees and their dependents near its headquarters, has been working with Color for several months, according to several people with direct knowledge of the discussions. The people requested anonymity because they were not authorized to publicize the deal on their companies' behalf.

The idea is to move health care at Apple's clinics from reactive to proactive, as genetic tests can offer a window into health risks down the line. In some cases, patients can take preventative steps to reduce their likelihood of getting a disease.

By offering cutting-edge medical treatments like genetic testing, AC Wellness can help Apple recruit and retain talented employees. In addition, although AC Wellness is technically a separate company from Apple, medical experts have speculated that it could help Apple quietly test new products or ideas without risking leaks. So the group's partnership with Color could indicate Apple's broader interest in the space.

Apple has publicly acknowledged its interest in health and is moving forward with a range of efforts, including its health and fitness-tracking Apple Watch, its clinical research apps in partnership with academic medical centers and its partnership with the health insurer Aetna. Thus far, it has taken only tentative steps into genetics through a move to bring genetic data into ResearchKit, its software that makes it easier for academic researchers to use the iPhone for medical studies.

AC Wellness, which got its start in early 2018, has already opened several medical centers on the Apple Park campus, and in Santa Clara, a few miles north of Apple's Cupertino, Calif. headquarters. The goal is to bring the "world's best health care experience" to employees, according to its website. Its clinicians and health coaches are not employed by Apple, but they treat only Apple employees and their dependents. The administrative part of the business, which orders supplies and manages the clinical software, is run through a separate legal subsidiary of Apple to comply with regulations that ensure that employers don't have direct access to employees' most sensitive health information.