House Democrats Charles Rangel (N.Y.), John Dingell (Mich.), Henry Waxman (Calif.), Pete Stark (Calif.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio) in a letter to CMS Administrator Mark McClellan have asked the agency to stop production of the 2006 "Medicare & You" handbook, calling the latest draft of the document "rife with omissions and inaccuracies," CQ HealthBeat reports. The book "could exacerbate, not mitigate, beneficiary confusion later this year," when beneficiaries will decide whether to enroll in the new drug benefit, which begins Jan. 1, 2006, the letter states. The Democrats say that the draft handbook incorrectly states that the plan will partially pay drug costs after a deductible is met. They add that the handbook does not mention the gap in drug coverage -- the so-called 'donut hole' -- that will exist even when "beneficiaries will continue paying monthly premiums," CQ HealthBeat reports. In addition, combining information on Medicare Advantage plans and traditional, fee-for-service Medicare in one section is "misleading at best and potentially very confusing," the Democrats write. The handbook also "prioritizes" managed care plans over the traditional program, the Democrats write. CMS spokesperson Gary Karr said the April 19 version of the handbook that the Democrats have criticized is just a draft, adding, "The whole point of sending out the draft is to get input." Karr said CMS will be "glad to work with" the Democrats, provided that they give CMS specific examples of passages they think should be changed. CMS also has provided copies to outside groups for feedback, Karr said (CQ HealthBeat, 4/26).