A sea change is likely coming in the way Americans experience and pay for healthcare -- one that will require many people to develop a whole new set of muscles.
Getting the best care in a system steered by black-and-white medical guidelines ultimately set and enforced by faceless governmental bodies will not be easy, especially for the passive patient unwilling to engage or question the system. In many ways, taking control of your own health will become more and more useful and more and more necessary.
As just one small example, if things go as planned, everyone's medical record will soon be in highly accessible digital form. Actively involved patients will find every page good reading and each new entry a reason for thought. While you can't change details in an electronic medical file after the fact, it's important to find errors, since you can note a correction.