PacifiCare of California: The company said Thursday...

PacifiCare of California: The company said Thursday that it is expanding its presence in California’s Central Valley.

The HMO subsidiary of PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. said it will take over the membership of ValuCare, a health maintenance organization owned by Priority Health Services of Fresno. The acquisition will increase PacifiCare’s Central Valley membership to 66,000 from 5,000, the company said.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.