Medicare, managed-care link still in flux

Early last year, Medicare beneficiaries in Larimer and Weld counties were inundated with news that Medicare HMOs had arrived.

United HealthCare and PacifiCare of Colorado introduced Medicare risk plans into the region nearly simultaneously, and thousands of seniors enrolled. The plans promised all the standard Medicare benefits, physical exams, eye and dental care and prescription benefits — all with virtually no paperwork.

Ten months later, however, United has pulled its Medicare plan, Medicare Complete, from Larimer County (and, in fact, from the entire state), and PacifiCare, while continuing to offer its Medicare HMO, Secure Horizons, in southern Larimer County and Weld County,…