Daily Minute: Bryan's Medicare Advantage plan; being 'internet smart'; from Roca to Pitt

New Medicare Advantage plan

When next year's Medicare Advantage enrollment rolls around, Nebraskans in some counties are likely to have a new option.

Bryan Health announced Tuesday that a subsidiary called Bryan Enterprises will team up with Sanford Health Plan to develop what it's calling an "innovative" approach to Medicare Advantage that will be patient-centered, offer a more personalized experience and deliver better outcomes. It will be available for the 2026 plan year.

Details are still being worked out, but Bryan said it hopes to be able to offer the plan in 20 or so counties, which would mainly be around the Lincoln area in Southeast Nebraska and along Interstate 80 to Grand Island and Kearney.

Being 'internet smart'

How to detect and avoid scams online was just one tip two presenters from Google gave dozens of sixth grade students Tuesday morning at Google’s “Be Internet Smart” presentation at Scott Middle School.

The program put on by Google was in partnership with Nebraska first lady Suzanne Pillen and SmartGEN Society, an Omaha-based nonprofit focused on educating students about internet safety, to teach Lincoln middle school students healthy habits to being smart and safe online.

During the program, the Google presenters gave students five tips and tricks to stay safe on the internet: secure your stuff, don’t fall for fake, share with care, use your power for good and when in doubt, talk it out.

From Roca to Pittsburgh

For most of the college volleyball season, it has felt as though Pittsburgh and Nebraska are on a collision course to play each other at the NCAA Final Four.

Now, that's just one step away from happening. On Thursday, Pittsburgh plays Louisville in the national semifinals in Louisville, Kentucky, while Nebraska takes on Penn State. The winners play Sunday for the national championship.

And there aren’t many people who know the volleyball teams at both Pittsburgh and Nebraska as well as Mallorie Meyer.

She’s a freshman serving specialist on the Pittsburgh volleyball team now but grew up in the shadows of the Husker program. She’s from Roca, just outside Lincoln. She attended Norris for most of her youth before finishing high school at Lincoln East.

For more, read Lincoln Journal Star volleyball beat reporter Brent Wagner’s story online and in Wednesday’s Journal Star.

That’s it for Wednesday, December 18th. Stay in the know with Lincoln’s longest-standing news source at Journal Star dot com and we will see you back here tomorrow.