Expert Pitches

West Virginia University experts predict dire consequences for the Mountain State if the Senate version of the Affordable Care Act replacement becomes law. With more than half of state residents relying on Medicaid, Medicare or CHIP, the most vulnerable West Virginia residents could lose access to health care. Further, one expert calls the bill “bad policy” that will affect West Virginia’s already ailing budget.

The Donald J. Trump Administration got a partial victory Monday from a narrowly crafted U. S. Supreme Court ruling that focuses on the question of “balance of hardships” between the government and foreign nationals affected by the travel ban, according to a West Virginia University legal expert. The ruling stays the Fourth and Ninth Circuit injunctions against enforcement of the key provisions of the second “travel ban” executive order.

Mowing grass frequently, trimming trees and using insecticide where appropriate can help protect people from ticks. Dressing appropriately can also reduce the likelihood of a tick attack, according to a West Virginia University Extension Service expert.

The recent release of a classified report about Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election contained references to VR Systems, a Florida company whose software is used in voting machines in a number of states, including West Virginia. But the scope of that interference is difficult to determine and barring the threat of future cyber-attacks will take a multi-faceted approach, according to a West Virginia University cyber-expert.

As President Donald Trump announces his intention to pull the United States out of the Paris Accord, a nearly worldwide agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions beginning in 2020, experts at West Virginia University say the move is “poorly conceived” and will cost the U.S. more in world stature than the accord would have imposed.

Experts at West Virginia University say that innovation is required for the future economy and National Endowment for the Humanities grant funding is a vital for the research that will develop innovative ideas that add to our quality of life. President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to NEH could have negative effects on programs that foster creative and innovative thinking and threaten the university’s R1 research, according to these experts.

Political and economic unrest, not religion or ethnicity, are often the causes of terrorist attacks like the one in Manchester, England. The response should not just center on increasing military action and security reinforcement , according to a West Virginia University expert in social and psychological responses to terrorism and other threats.

A West Virginia University legal expert says former FBI director Robert Mueller’s appointment as special counsel to oversee the investigation into possible ties between President Trump’s campaign and Russian officials will bring credibility to the outcome of the investigation. As special counsel, Mueller will lead an independent investigation that could lead to prosecution of anyone suspected of a crime.

As the House of Representatives debates changes to the Affordable Care Act, West Virginia University experts weigh in possible effects of the bill on the state’s residents, healthcare system and economy.

An expert at West Virginia University says Congress is now debating whether to prop up the miners’ healthcare or their pensions, and to do both could cost taxpayers billions.