January 2, 1977

Natl Assessment of Educ Progress survey on pol knowledge and attitudes of young people 13 and 17 yrs old cites statistics on students' attitudes toward voting patterns of their parents and 'intelligence' of voters in gen and Pres elections (S)

Data on costs of Medicaid and private health plans suggest Medicaid may cost taxpayers no more than many private plans cost their subscribers and in some cases even less; figures are significant for what they imply about maladministration in private ins programs and in forthcoming debate over natl health ins; Medicaid costs $1,080 for poor family of 3 with no elderly or disabled members, while best Blue Cross‐Blue Shield ins for Fed civil servants with families same size or larger costs $1,107; Hotel Ins Assn of Amer says avg family premium is $840 or 16% less than Medicaid cost; higher quality plan has premium of $1,008, amt almost equal to Medicaid cost; Brookings Inst economist Dr Karen Davis says part of problem is uninformed policy decisions made when costs begin to rise; NYC Assoc Health Comr Martin Paris says Medicaid abuses are not confined to public sector; similarity in costs between Medicaid and most private plans with broad coverage is tied to same inflation‐ridden health indus; Dr Roger Herdman of NYS Health Dept comments on abuses; Fed Medicaid Comr M Keith Weikel agrees that there is fraud and abuse in private sector programs (M)

New Years Day ed pledging econ prosperity is published in 3 newspapers (S)

Survey of 100 judges and rehabilitation specialists by Addiction Services Agency finds state's harsh laws have failed to deter illegal drug use in city; many lawmakers feel new rules have contributed to worsening of situation by introducing juveniles to drug trafficking (M)

Chief Justice Burger, in yr‐end rept on Fed judiciary, notes some progress on legal problems, including increase in disciplinary action against misbehaving lawyers and continuing education programs for lawyers (M)