The idea of connectors, exchanges, gateways and purchasing pools are far more than a fad, they’ve been around far too long. A purchasing pool was central to the Clinton Administration health care reform effort in the 1990s. They have been enacted in several states (although the California version, created in 1993, has since gone out-of-business). And they enjoy strong support across the political spectrum. That something akin to a connector, gateway, exchange or purchasing pool will be a part of whatever health care reform emerges from Congress this year is all but a certainty.

As with most concepts, the devil takes up residence in the details. Connectors, exchanges, gateways and purchasing pools are no exception. And it starts with what they’re called. There are technical differences among them, but for most purposes, especially political purposes, the distinctions are meaningless. So for simplicity sake, we’ll refer to all of them as exchanges.

What they are called, however, is unimportant. What matters is what they do and how they do it. I caused quite a few brokers some heart burn yesterday when, in passing, I wrote of exchanges “depending on how these are structured the only impact they may have is to crush innovation and eliminate brokers from the system.”  Insurance producers, quite reasonably, were concerned to read of this possibility.  So let me be clear: The bad news is that possibility is real. The good is that the possibility is far from certain.

Exchanges mean different things to different people. Some see them as replacing the chaos of an open marketplace with the structure of a regulator, controlled and confined market space. All health insurance products would be sold through the exchange. All health insurance carriers would be required to negotiate with the exchange concerning pricing and benefits. All information would be presented in a standard format with complete transparency being the ultimate goal. Carriers would compete solely on service and pricing. Consumers would come to the exchange to purchase their coverage. If they have questions they call or email an exchange employee. No independent brokers needed or wanted.

This kind of purchasing pool was central to the “managed competition” model of the Clinton Administration health care reforms. Fortunately for consumers and their brokers, this extreme exchange is unlikely to be a part of the final health care reform package.

At the other end of the spectrum is an exchange as an online information source. Think Orbitz, eHealth, Priceline or the like. The exchange does not negotiate with carriers nor does it set prices or benefits. It merely provides information about the benefit plans available in a region in simple, standard language. Consumers come to the site to research their options. If they have questions, and the sites online FAQs don’t suffice, the exchange lists resources local to the consumer – including and, maybe especially, independent brokers.

This kind of info-exchange is the least expensive for the government to maintain and the least disruptive of current distribution channels. There is a chance this is the kind of exchange will be a part of the final reform plan.

Odds are, however, what will be part of the final package will fall somewhere closer to the middle of the spectrum. The ultimate exchange will certainly provide side-by-side comparisons of various plans available in a local area. The insurance carriers have already expressed interest in establishing standard terminology and even common enrollment forms so this function will likely be non-controversial. The broad consensus seems to be that health plans should be available to consumers and employers outside of the exchange so there will be alternatives to the exchange. What’s not clear yet is whether the exchange will be given advantages. For example, Congress could decide premium subsidies will be available only to individuals buying coverage through the exchange.

Thanks in large part to the hard work of Janet Trautwein and her team at the National Association of Health Underwriters, brokers are highly likely to be explicitly permitted to sell products inside the exchange. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is refining their legislation which includes a “gateway.” This morning they accepted an amendment offered by Senator Orrin Hatch specifically identifying brokers as eligible to sell products within the gateway. Considering the Senate HELP Committee is staking out the most liberal position in the Senate, this is an important and significant development.

What has been most surprising – and disappointing – is the wide spread belief that the mere existence of an exchange will make it so easy for consumers to select the right health plan for their needs that anyone can assist them. Even conservative Republicans have put forward a proposal that would allow consumers to purchase coverage from their state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.  (The Hatch amendment does require entities selling within the exchange to be “licensed if appropriate.”) This reflects in part a political reality: if exchanges are to be worthwhile they need to reduce the cost of coverage somehow. One way to do that is to reduce the cost of distribution.

While it is true standardizing terminology will make health insurance coverage easier for consumers and employers to understand that doesn’t mean genuine expertise isn’t needed. We’re not talking about books sold on Amazon. You buy the wrong book and you’re out a few bucks and some time. Buy the wrong health insurance and your health and financial security is in jeopardy.

Even in Congress there is an understanding that one size does not fit all consumers. If your health insurance doesn’t fit you can’t take it to a tailor for adjustments. You live with your choices for some time. Orbitz may be a great way to compare the cost of air fare just as an exchange may make comparing the price of health plans easier. Data concerning health care is already easy to come by and an exchange may make it even more accessible. But data is not knowledge. That requires expertise and a deep understanding of the market. Which carrier is having service problems? What specifically does a particular consumer need from their coverage. What factors should be considered to assure the consumer is receiving the highest value for their premium dollars? The clerk at the DMV may be very bright and eager to help, but is unlikely to have the knowledge to provide meaningful advice. Qualified, licensed and professional brokers do.

What does this mean for brokers? First, those who are simply pushing paper, who fail to listen to their clients and provide expertise, who are adding no value to the products they sell will be out of business sooner rather than later. The exchange will see to that.

For brokers who add value, however, there should be a bright future. Their compensation will change, especially if all Americans are required to have basic insurance coverage. Fees may supplant, or at least stand alongside, premium-based commissions. As long as there are real options available to consumers in a competitive market place, there will be a need for advisor, counselors and advocates. There will be a need for expertise. Brokers who play these roles and who perform the alchemy of turning data into knowledge will prosper, even if new distribution channels are created by reform.

The market pays for value. Brokers deliver value. The existence of a health insurance does not, of itself, change this legitimate dynamic. Nor should it. The key will be what kind of exchange is created. It doesn’t matter what it’s called. What matters is what it does – and how it does it.