Rumors have an intriguing side effect. Whether true or not, they open your mind to possibilities that never before existed. Earlier this year, reports circulated that one of the nation's most popular mass merchandisers considered building a private health insurance exchange.

At first, the concept sounded ludicrous. Imagine throngs of shoppers clogging the checkout line, negotiating details of family insurance policies with the cashier as they toss bathroom supplies and produce onto a conveyor belt. OK, we know in reality it wouldn't function this way, but for industry veterans, initially, the proposition didn't make sense. Unless you think outside the big box. From this perspective, it's a great idea.

Like this forward-thinking retailer, our own industry would benefit from advancing its collective mindset. We need to consider innovative possibilities, rather than cling to time-honored practices. We must expand beyond the walls of tradition that confine us. If we don't, these realities will lead to our demise:

• The economics of our business is changing
• The employee benefits distribution model is transforming
• New retail and carrier direct distribution models will alter the competitive landscape
• Carrier access will diminish
• Exchanges will both give and take away business, depending upon your capabilities

In this new world, conventional agency organization and infrastructure will not work. Evolution is mandatory.