Dacono, CO Medicare Advantage Plans 2027

How did Dacono get its name, and what built the town?

Dacono was first settled in 1901 and incorporated on January 23, 1908. Charles Lockhard Baum, one of the three people who filed the papers, named it from the first two letters of three women's names: Daisy, Cora Van Voorhies and Nora Brooks. The city notes that the Rocky Mountain News once called it the most unique name in the state.

Coal built the town. Settlers came from Greece, France, Bulgaria and Italy to work the mines, which ran from 1900 to the late 1970s, and a rail line carried coal and produce to Denver. When oil and natural gas were found in the early 1970s, coal declined quickly. Farms around the city raised corn, grains, onions, pinto beans, potatoes, sugar beets, tomatoes and wheat.

I have retiree coverage from my old job. Do I still need Medicare?

Usually yes, and on time. Mining, energy and other long careers sometimes end with retiree health coverage, and that is where people get caught. Medicare.gov explains that retiree coverage is not the same as coverage from a job you still hold: with retiree coverage, the safe move is to enroll in Medicare at 65, because waiting can bring a monthly late enrollment penalty.

Medicare.gov adds that you may need both Part A and Part B to get full benefits from retiree coverage, and that retiree coverage might not pay during any time you were eligible for Medicare but did not sign up. Ask the plan administrator, in writing if you can, how it works with Medicare and whether its drug coverage is creditable. Lisa reviews that letter with Dacono clients by phone or video before anyone drops or changes coverage.

Can I get a ride from Dacono to a doctor in Longmont or Boulder County?

Yes, if you qualify for the City of Dacono's ride program. Dacono funds Via paratransit for three groups: people aged 60 and up, adults with a disability, and households earning no more than 80% of the area median income for Weld County. Register with Via first by calling (303) 444-3043. Weekday rides operate between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. inside Dacono and between Dacono and Firestone, Frederick, Erie or Boulder County, though trips between communities may be limited to certain days.

60+ Ride is the other local option the city lists: no-cost rides for anyone 60 or older living in Weld County. Call (970) 352-9348; signing up costs nothing too.

Those routes line up with where many Dacono patients already go, which brings the network question back. Your choices come from Weld County, but your doctor may be in Longmont or Boulder County. A PPO lets you see doctors outside its network at a higher cost; an HMO generally covers only emergency and out-of-area urgent care outside the network. Before you book a ride across the county line, make sure that doctor takes your plan.

Where does a Dacono household apply for Health First Colorado or Medicare Savings help?

Through Weld County Human Services. You can apply online through Colorado PEAK, by phone at (970) 400-6012, or in person. The closest county office to Dacono is the Del Camino (Southwest) office at 4209 County Road 24 1/2, open Wednesdays only from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.; the Fort Lupton and Greeley offices are open weekdays.

Health First Colorado (Colorado Medicaid) covers eligible adults and children, and the Medicare Savings Programs can pay some or all of the Medicare premiums for people with limited income and resources. Your county of residence handles both applications. If you qualify for either, it changes which Medicare plan fits, so it is worth checking before you compare plans.

Local sources: City of Dacono: Dacono History · Medicare.gov: Working past 65 · Medicare.gov: Retiree insurance and Medicare · City of Dacono: Via Mobility Services · City of Dacono: 60 Plus Ride · Medicare.gov: Understanding your Medicare Advantage plan's provider network (PDF) · Weld County: Medicaid assistance (offices and how to apply) · Colorado HCPF: Medicare Savings Programs