Since even before PPACA became law five years ago, brokers have been sweating bullets. And I'll admit, I've been alternatively worried and excited for them over the years.

But not until recently have I been worried about the other players in the health care—and insurance—business. This week, while walking the all-too-energetic dog around the neighborhood in the rain, I had an epiphany: This whole business is changing, not just the role of brokers. Hell, in as little as a decade, we might not even recognize this industry.

I think the historically aloof attitude of health insurance carriers will soon be a thing of the past. For the first time ever, they have to do more than pay lip service to the customer. To paraphrase one of the big brains over at Forbes, we're witnessing nothing less than a (near) overnight transformation of an entire industry, evolving into a real retail business. Between the exchanges, a flood of start-ups and people paying their own bills, competition is here.