Several things to be aware of. If you have continuing coverage from a former employer (especially Union contracts often specify that the employer must continue to provide some coverage and it usually is in the form of the Part D supplement), if you give it up to go into an Advantage play you will most likely not be able to reinstate it. My sister recently had knee replacement with 3 days in the hospital and between her Medicare and Part D paid by her former employer her total cost for all doctor visits, hospital care, physical therapy, home health, surgery etc. was $0. She did have a copay on prescriptions for pain killers that were purchased after leaving the hospital. Under the Advantage plan in our area the doctor visits pre and post surgery in his office would have been $30 ea and each day in the hospital would have been a flat $225. The physical therapist visits at home (14 days) would have been $25 each and the home health daily visits for 10 days $15 each. We already had a walker she could use, but had she needed one her copay would have been around $20. So under Advantage her cost would have been $1325. During the course of the year the Advantage plan is allowed to 'rebate' back $40 per month towards the Medicare part B expense, so that would come to $480 the plan would have "saved" her during the year. Most part D supplements I understand cost about $200 per month so for some people an Advantage program may make good sense, but it is far from appropriate for everyone.
Medicare makes available to all age eligible persons a book each year titled something like "Medicare and You". Makes sense to read through it. There are also comparisons available out there for all the Advantage plans available in your area to spend some time and figure out what the real costs or savings might be for you. The saddest thing is to decide to get or not get a particular plan because somebody told you that you should or shouldn't. You need to do the research for yourself. Are YOUR doctors in the plan or doctors you would be willing to deal with? Are the plans contracted with the hospitals in your area that YOU would independently select? At a recent seminar I overheard two women talking. They came together and one was obviously just keeping her friend company. She told her friend she wasn't interested in this plan because a lady in line at Walmart told her that the X plan was soo much better. In this area the X plan contracts with only one hospital and I sure would not want to go there for treatment! Moral of story--know what you are getting into because you are contracting for a full year. There is no changing your mind until the next year.
Medicare (except in some of their special needs programs) provides coverage for dental only in cases of accident or disease to the mouth (such as cancers). Medicare does not provide routine dental and my understanding is that no Advantage plan is allowed to provide more than a couple of routine cleanings, a fluoride treatment and a subsidy of x-rays per year. You are required to use their network dentists. Caps, crowns, fillings, root canals, extractions etc. are not at all covered under an Advantage plan unless you fit into their special needs type programs. (Enrollment in those is allowed only by specific Medicare and Medicaid guidelines, so it is not just an easy and optional choice.) I understand that there are some composite plans that combine Advantage plus additional private insurance that may include comprehensive dental. Check and compare plans so you don't discover you just bought an outrageously expensive private dental plan.